Page:Route Across the Rocky Mountains with a Description of Oregon and California.djvu/104



they were comfortably fed and clothed, and promised homes, during their lives; but when the Missions were broken up—by the avarice of the Spaniards; these Indians fled to the mountains: from whence they have since continued to commit depredations, and destroy the lives and property, of their own enemies and destroyers. Traveling up the St. Wakine, we frequently saw large herds of Elk and wild Horses. The Elk, which were often in herds of four or five hundred, were not very easily frightened, and seldom ran to a great distance; but the Horses, which were still more numerous, and were scattered, in large bands, all along the river, after having satisfied themselves with approaching and examining us, would dash off across the valley, at full speed; and, in their course whatever bands they came near, would join in the flight, until frequently, the plain would be covered, with thousands and thousands flying in a living flood towards the hills. Huge masses of dust hung upon their rear, and marked their track across the plain; and even after they had passed entirely beyond the reach vision, we could still see the dust, which they were throwing in vast clouds into the air, moving over the highlands. These frightened bands were never out of sight; so numerous are the wild horses on the St. Wakine. Continuing up the river we came, on the second day, to a coral, which had been built some time previous, by our acquaintance, for the purpose of taking these wild horses. It was situated in a large slough of the river, at a part which was then dry, for several hundred yards; and was the principal crossing for the horses, from an island containing several thousand acres, which was formed by the slough. There were two large bands upon the island when we arrived, and we made an effort to drive them into the coral; but they took another crossing, and we did not succeed. Our friend pursued the first band that left the island, with the lassoo, endeavoring to take a fine mule, which he selected; but his horse being fatigued, he was not able to come up with it. When the second started, we put spur for the crossing which they were about to take, and arrived at the same time that the foremost horses of the band leaped down into the water. We endeavored to turn them, whooping and yelling most manfully, but those behind, urging those before, forced them forward, and they began to rush by. The pass was narrow, and the dust so obscured us, that they frequently ran near enough for us to strike them in the sides as they were passing; but we were at length compelled to retire, on account of the suffocating effect of the dust.