Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 November 1880 — Ouray's Horse Race. [ARTICLE]

Ouray's Horse Race.

A SHARP TURF TRAN'S ACTION. In 1874, when the Utes and Navgjoes were not warring with each other or employed in investigating the firmness with which the woite man a scalp was attached, they devoted themselves to horse-racing, bettirjj blankets, ponies and their squaws sven upon the result of the contests. Now, although there is no horse flesh in the world that can leave a Ute pony behind when climbing rough and ragged mountain trails or holding oat for long journeys, they are not, remarkably fast runners on level ground. So, however mortifying the confession was, after a week of daily races the Utes were obliged to acknowledge that their horses were inferior to thoee of the Navajoes; but by the trine they were convinced of this fact, the whole tribe were s nearly hankrupt. The Navajoes gathered op their spoils and departed for their tents, while the Utes went to Ouray with their tale of wee. Sapenaro, Sha vino and Cojee were all heavy losers, bnt at the council which Ouray called could suggest-no plan to retrieve their losses, except to follow the 'notorious Navajoes and by force deprive them of their booty. To thi« proposition Ouray would not assent, saying that such a deed would stain tbe name of their and nlismissed toe council, telling the Utes to challenge the Navajoes to another series of race* two months from time, September, 1874, and he would attend to the rest. Through H. F. Bond, the agent. Ourav having raised $1,500 by the sale of some of bis stock, sent to St. Louis and purchased a Membrino racer, a bay, and had him bronght to hia house. At the expiration of the two months the Navajoes came down, bringing with them their iKut racer, one who bad won eight races in the former contests, and called Wachita by the Navajoes. Ouray caused it to be given out that he had brought a pony from Utah to contest the races, and the Navqjocs were on the tip-toe of expectation as he was brought forth. When the blankets (with which he was covered from head to foot) were removed, and painted all over to present the appearance of a half-starved pony, the bay appeared, a shout of derisiou rent the air from the throats of the Navqjoes, and they began to bet odds (three blankets against one and the like) against his winning- Tbe Utes said nothing, but, Instructed by Ouray, took every bet that was oflared, even if they risked their last blanket. The coarse used by '.bem was about three miles long, a level mesa. Wachita was ridden by his owner and the bay by the son of Sapavanaro. The word was given, and the horses started amid an anticipating shout of victory from the Navajoes, which quavered away into i groan as they saw their favorite beaten by a neck as they crossed the line The -loee race made them think the defeat of Wachita was due to the bad riding of his owner. Io the twinkling of an eye he was pulled off by a dozen hands, and Math-o-ka n, a sub-chief of the Xarqjoes, pat.on the back of Wachita. This time the betting was heavier than at first, the Utes bet ting eagerly and the Navajoes desperately. Sapavanaro’s boy gave the hay his j head and he came across the line nearly a quarter of a mile ahead of Wachita. The Navajoes were “busted” and the Utes were rich. They had net only recovered "What they had before lost, but their tepeesVerf filled with blankets and buffalo. robes, while each was the poorer by a iK'ny. So completely “broke” were the.v dliat the Utes tell with glee how they rode to their homes, some riding double and others walking. This incident greatly increased Ouray’s influence over his tril* ,ind canned all of theca to look np to hiiu as a wise man. —Denver Tribune. No remedy for kidney diseases hereto fore discovered can be held for one moment in comparison with Warner’s Safe Kidney aad Liver Cure.—C. A Harvey, D. P-, Washington, D. 0.