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LESSON XXXIX.

REMARK. - Avoid reading in a monotonous way, as if you were not interested, or did not understand what is read.

PRONOUNCE Correctly.-Har-ass-ing, not har-ass'-ing: mead-ow, not mead-er: yel-low, not yel-ler: to'-ward, not to-ward': reg-u-la-tions (pro. reg-yu-la-tions,) not reg-gy-la-tions, nor reg-ew-la-tions: join'd, not jine'd.

[blocks in formation]

12. Brake, n. a thicket of shrubs or

canes.

4. Ma-neu'-ver, n. a dexterous move- 11. Scour'-ing, p. passing swiftly.
Prair'-ie, n. an extensive, level tract
without trees, but covered with tall
trees
grass.
Wind'-ward, n, the point from which
the wind blows.

15. Mar'-red, v. interrupted, spoiled.
Mer-cu'-ri-al, a. sprightly, full of

fire.

CAPTURING THE WILD HORSE.

1. WE left the buffalo camp about eight o'clock, and had a toilsome and harassing march of two hours, over ridges of hills, covered with a ragged forest of scrub oaks, and broken by deep gullies.

2. About ten o'clock in the morning, we came to where this line of rugged hills swept down into a valley, through which flowed the north fork of Red River. A beautiful meadow, about half a mile wide, enameled with yellow autumnal flowers, stretched for two or three miles along the foot of the hills, bordered on the opposite side by the river, whose banks were fringed with cotton-wood trees, the bright foliage of which refreshed and delighted the eye, after being wearied by the contemplation of tmonotonous wastes of brown forest.

3. The meadow was finely diversified by groves and clumps of trees, so happily disposed, that they seemed as if set out by the hand of art. As we cast our eyes over this fresh and delightful valley, we beheld a troop of wild horses, quietly grazing on a green lawn, about a mile distant, to our right, while to our left, at nearly the same distance, were several buffaloes; some feeding, others reposing, and ruminating among the high, rich herbage, under the shade of a clump of cotton-wood trees. The whole had the appearance of a broad beautiful tract of pasture land, on the highly-ornamented estate of some gentleman farmer, with his cattle grazing about the lawns and meadows.

4. A council of war was now held, and it was determined to profit by the present favorable opportunity, and try our hand at the grand hunting maneuver, which is called "ringing the wild horse." This requires a large party of horsemen, well mounted. They extend themselves in each direction, at certain distances apart, and gradually form a ring of two or three miles in circumference, so as to surround the game. This must be done with extreme care, for the wild horse is the most readily alarmed inhabitant of the prairie, and can scent a hunter at a great distance, if to windward.

5. The ring being formed, two or three ride toward the horses, which start off in an opposite direction. Whenever they approach the bounds of the ring, however, a huntsman presents himself, and turns them from their course. In this way, they are checked, and driven back at every point, and kept galloping round and round this magic circle, until, being completely tired down, it is easy for hunters to ride up beside them, and throw the lariat over their heads. The prime horses of the most speed, courage, and bottom, however, are apt to break through, and escape, so that, in general, it is the second-rate horses that are taken.

6. Preparations were now made for a hunt of this kind. The pack horses were now taken into the woods, and firmly tied to trees, lest in a rush of wild horses, they should break away. Twenty-five men were then sent under the command of a lieutenant, to steal along the edge of the valley, within the strip of wood that skirted the hills. They were to station themselves about fifty yards apart, within the edge of the woods, and not advance or show themselves until the horses dashed in that direction. Twentyfive men were sent across the valley, to steal in like manner along the river bank that bordered the opposite side, and to station themselves among the trees.

7. A third party of about the same number was to form a line, stretching across the lower part of the valley, so as to connect the two wings. Beatte and our other half breed, Antoine, together

with the ever officious Tonish, were to make a circuit through the woods, so as to get to the upper part of the valley, in the rear of the horses, and drive them forward, into the kind of sack that we had formed, while the two wings should join behind them, and make a complete circle.

8. The flanking parties were quietly extending themselves out of sight, on each side of the valley, and the residue were stretching themselves like the links of a chain across it, when the wild horses gave signs that they scented an enemy; snuffing the air, snorting, and looking about. At length, they pranced off slowly toward the river, and disappeared behind a green bank.

+

9. Here, had the regulations of the chase been observed, they would have been quietly checked and turned back by the advance of a hunter from the trees; unluckily, however, we had our + wildfire, Jack-o'lantern, little Frenchman to deal with. Instead of keeping quietly up the right side of the valley, to get above the horses, the moment he saw them move toward the river, he broke out of the covert of woods, and dashed furiously across the plain in pursuit of them. This put an end to all system. The half breeds, and half a score of Frangers, joined in the chase.

10. Away they all went over the green bank; in a moment or two, the wild horses reappeared, and came thundering down the valley, with Frenchman, half breeds, and rangers, galloping and bellowing behind them. It was in vain that the line drawn across the valley, attempted to check, and turn back the fugitives; they were too hotly pressed by their pursuers: in their panic they dashed through the line, and clattered down the plain.

11. The whole troop joined in the headlong chase, some of the rangers without hats or caps, their hair flying about their ears, and others with handkerchiefs tied round their heads. The buffaloes, which had been calmly ruminating among the herbage, heaved up their huge forms, gazed for a moment at the tempest that came scouring down the meadow, then turned and took to heavy rolling flight. They were soon overtaken: the promiscuous throng were pressed together by the contracting sides of the valley, and away they went', pell mell', hurry skurry', wild buffalo', wild horse', wild huntsman', with clang and clatter', and whoop and halloo', that made the forests ring'.

12. At length, the buffaloes turned into a green brake, on the river bank, while the horses dashed up a narrow defile of the hills, with their pursuers close at their heels. Beatte passed several of them, having fixed his eye upon a fine Pawnee horse that had his ears slit, and saddle marks upon his back. pressed him gallantly, but lost him in the woods.

He

13. Among the wild horses, was a fine black mare, which in scrambling up the defile, tripped and fell. A young ranger sprang from his horse, and seized her by the mane, and muzzle. Another ranger dismounted, and came to his assistance. The mare struggled fiercely, kicking and biting, and striking with her fore feet, but a noose was slipped over her head, and her struggles were in vain.

14. It was some time, however, before she gave over rearing and plunging, and lashing out with her feet on every side. The two rangers then led her along the valley, by two strong lariats, which enabled them to keep at a sufficient distance on each side, to be out of the reach of her hoofs, and whenever she struck out in one direction, she was jerked in the other. In this way her spirit was gradually subdued.

15. As to Tonish, who had marred the whole scheme by his precipitancy, he had been more successful than he deserved, having managed to catch a beautiful cream-colored colt about seven months old, that had not strength to keep up with its companions. The mercurial little Frenchman was beside himself with exultation. It was amusing to see him with his prize. The colt would rear and kick, and struggle to get free, when Tonish would take him about the neck, wrestle with him, jump on his back, and cut as many antics as a monkey with a kitten.

16. Nothing surprised me more, however, than to witness how soon these poor animals thus taken from the unbounded freedom of the prairie, yielded to the dominion of man. In the course of two or three days, the mare and colt went with the lead horses, and became quite docile.

W. IRVING.

QUESTIONS.-Near what river did this expedition commence? Where is that river? Describe the country, scenery, etc. What animated objects presented themselves to view upon the right and the left? To what is the whole scene compared? What hunting maneuver was commenced? Describe it. What is the lariat? Describe the proceedings of the party in this maneuver. What interrupted its successful completion? Give the striking contrast between the flight of the wild horses and that of the buffaloes? Describe the capture of the black mare. What was the conduct of the captured animals in respect to being tamed?

LESSON XL.

REMARK.-Let all the pupils notice, as each member of the class reads, where a proper pause is not made at the commas and other points.

ARTICULATE distinctly.-Gath-er-ing, not gath-er-in: ir-reg-u-lar, not ir-reg'lar: dif-fi-cul-ty, not dif'cul-ty: na-val, not na-v'l: in-fe-ri-or, not in-fer'or: prim-i-tive, not prim'tive: in-vis-i-ble, not in-vis'ble: u-ni-vers-al-ly, not u-ni-vers❜ly.

1. Ra-vine', n. (pro. ra-veen') a long deep hollow in the earth, worn by a stream of water,

2. Quar'-ter-deck, n. that part of a ship's deck which lies toward the stern. Fore'-cas-tle, n. (pro. fore-cas'sl) the short deck in the fore part of a ship. 4. Glen, n, a valley.

Fane, n. a place devoted to religious worship,

7. A'-re-a, n. any open surface, or space. 8. Ap-pend'-a-ges, n. things added to a greater or principal thing. 12. Pa'-gan, a. heathen. [or morality. 14. Li-cen'-tious, a. unrestrained by law 15. Con'-trite, a. humble, penitent.

SCENE AT THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.

1. Ar an early hour of the morning, even before we had taken our breakfast on board the ship, a single islander here or there, or a group of three or four, wrapped in their large mantles of various hues, might be seen winding their way among the groves fringing the bay on the east, or descending from the hills and ravine on the north, toward the chapel; and by degrees their numbers increased, till, in a short time, every path along the beach, and over the uplands, presented an almost uninterrupted procession of both sexes, and of every age, all pressing to the house of God.

2. So few canoes were round the ship yesterday, and the landing place had been so little thronged, as our boats passed to and fro, that one might have thought the district but thinly inhabited; but now, such multitudes were seen gathering from various directions, that the exclamation, "What crowds of people! What crowds of people!" was heard from the quarter-deck to the forecastle.

3. Even to myself, it was a sight of surprise; surprise not at the magnitude of the population, but that the object, for which they were evidently assembling, should bring together so great a multitude. And as my thoughts treechoed the words, "What

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