Twenty-eight Pages
East Oregonian Round-Up Souvenir Edition
Pendleton, Oregon, Saturday, September, 26. 1914
Page Eleven
1
How How-Lish Wampo Won His Race
A Real Story of How a Local Pinto Pony Vanquished a Thoroughbred
There have been many racea In
and around 'Pendleton, racea "which
are both hlatorlc and romantic, for
In the early day tbla waa a great
racing- center, but it to doubtful If
there haa ever been such a thrilling
and tuch a wonderful race aa waa
run away back In the frontier epoch
between a aplrlted and groomed thor
oughbred from the eaat and a gentle
and ogle little pinto Indian pony..
No lew an authority than A. B.
Meacham telle of the race In his
book "Wigwam and Warpath" pub
lished In 1S75. Mr. Meacham settled
In thla county In lilt at a place
called Lee's Encampment and now
known aa Meacham. Later he was
appointed auperltnendent of Indian
affairs for Oregon. Here Is his story
of the famous race between the
horses of How-lUh-wam-po, chief of
the Cay lues, and Joe Crabbe, the
trader:
Umatilla i known to be a great
country for horaes. I doubt If any
where on the continent there can be
found horses of greater speed or pow
ers of endurance.
Row-llsh-wampo, chief of the Cay
uses, is the owner of several thousand
horses. He Is a stout built man, has
dark complexion, wears his hair just
clear of his shoulders, and Is now
piu-t middle age (about 1871). He
la the owner of a horse with which
he has challenged any and every
sporting man In the country.
One party imported a horse for
the exprew purpose. He made known
his desire, and he, too, soon found
opportunity for an Investment. The
preliminaries were arranged, and the
race to be run over the Indian race
course, which wss located on the
bottom lands of the Umatilla river
(Just south of the present site of the
ency), smooth level turf, over two
and one-half mllet In length. i
At one end of the course a post
was planted, round which the racers
were to turn, and come back to the
starting point, making a distance of
a little over five miles and a quar
ter. Joe Crab (mentioned elsewhere In
this story) the owner of the Imported
horse, hsd been present at a race
months previous, when How-llsh-wam-po
had permitted his horse to
be beaten; and as he had measured
the distance, marked the time, and
aubsequently tested the speed of his
horse with the winner on that occa
sion, he, of course, haj a "dead
thing-
The white men came with groom
and riders, baking a camp near the
Indian village, standing guard over
his own horse to prevent accident
The Indiana were not so careful of
their own horse; at least Joe Crab
thought they were not and since ev
erything Is fair la gambling as In
war, he concluded to know for, him
self how the speed of the two horses
v.uuld compare,
He thought, as thousands of other
white men have, that it would be no
I'arm to cheat an "Injun," no matter
by what means.
There Is a general belief that In
I'lnna sleep when their eyes are open,
specially juat before daylight
Sending a careful trusty man to
get the Indian horse, leaving another
In his place, he led his own out on
the prairie and made a few trials of
speed with the two. The result waa
satisfactory. He found hat his horse
was able to distance the other.
How-lUh-wam-po, was the owner
of two horses very nearly alike, one
the racer, the other half brother to
him but not so fleet. They were
"pinto" spotted horses, so the de
ception was complete.
The Indian horses are never sta
bled, groomed, shod or grain fed.
Their system of training differs from
a white man's very much. After a
race Is agreed upon, the animal is
tied to a stake or tree and If he is
fat, they starve him down, giving him
only water. If, however, he la in
good condition, they lead him out to
Brass, an hour or so, each day and
at night full they run him over the
courtte.
In this Instance, the half brother
was tied up and put in training and
left unguarJed, with the hope that
Crabb would steal him out, and try
his apeed. Sure enough, he fell Into
the trap that How-llsh-wam-po set
for him. The real race horse was
milts away, under proper training.
The fame of this wonderful winner
had spread far and wide, as did the
news of the approaching contest
When the morning agreed upon ar
rived, the grounds leading to the val
ley of Umatilla gave full proof of the
Interest of the people of Pendleton
and surrounding country had taken
In the important affair. '
The race course which I have de
scribed was parallel with a low range
of grassy hills, that rose by gentle
slopes from the valley to an altitude
of from fifty to one hunJred feet
Long before the time for the race,
carriages, buggies, wagons and horses
might be seen standing on the hills
or driving over the green award,
while a great motley crowd, on foot
and on horseback.
The Indians were In their gala-day
dress paints, feathers, long hair,
red blankets; In fact It was a dress
parade for white and red men, too.
The manner of betting at an Indian
race differs somewhat from affairs
or the kind among white men. One
man Is selected as a stake holder for
all moneys. Horses that are waged
are tied together and put under the
care of Indian boys. CoaU, blankets.
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The Rexall Store
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sadJIes, pistols, knives and all kinds j
of personal effects, are thrown Into
a common heap and tied together.
As the starting hour approaches,
two judges are elected one a white
man and one Indian. But two are
required, since the horses run out
turn the stake, and come back to the
starting point. The first horse to
get home Is the winner. No account
Is made of the start, each party de
pending on his shrewdness to get the
better in this part of the race.
Indians are enthusiastic gamblers,
and have a certain kind of pride, and
to do them justice, honor, as well. In
conducting their racea. No dlsputea
ever arise among themselves, and
seldom with white men,' growing, out
of mlHunderstandlngs, either about
starting or the outcome. They take
sides with their own people always,
and bet when the chances are
against them, from pride.
The prevailing idea that they are
always cool and stoical Is not cor
rect. They become very much excit
ed at horse races, but not generally
until the race begins. While the pre
liminaries are being arranged, they
are serious, even solemn looking fel
lows and with great dignity come up
with the money to bet. "Capable of
dlanembllng," I should think they
were, from the cool face of How-llsh-wum-po,
when the money is being
counted out by the hundreds in twen
ty dollar gold pieces, not a few, but
hundfulH of twenties. One could not
have detected the sligntest twinkle
In his eye, or other algn that he knew
that Joe Crabb had stolen his horse
and run him secretly. Cool, calm,
earnest as If he were saying mass.
the chieftain came up and handed
his money to the stake-holder, while
numeoux bets were being arranged
between the other Indians and white
men. Horses were wagered and tiea
together, and led away. Many a fel
low had brought extras with him, for
the express purpose of gambling, ex
pecting of course to take home twice
the number In the evening.
Crabb had confided his secret
about his stolen run to a few friends.
and advised them to go in. and win
all the horses they wanted. There
was no danger; he knew what he was
talking about He had the Indian's
horse's speed by time, and also by
trial.
Thla thing leaked out and was com
municated from one to another
Some pretty good men who were not
accustomed to betting, became anx
ious to win a pony or two and laid
wagers with the Indiana.
The trick that Crabb had played
waa finally made known to How-llsh-wam-po.
He and his people
were cooled down, and seemed anx
ious to have the race come off be
fore more betting was done.
This made the white men more
anxious and they urged, boosted and
ridiculed, until, In manifest despera
tion, the Indians began to bet again,
and the noble white man generously
took advantage of the Indian's hot
blood, and forced him to make many
bets that he appeared to shun.
The horses were brought out to
start, and while the imported horse
of Carbb's looked every inch a racer,
the other stood with head down, a
rough, hard looking, uncouth brute,
that appeared then to be a cross be
tween ox and horse.
The presence and . appearance of
the horses were the signal for an
other charge on the Indians, and a
few white friends they had, who,
having learned from the chief the
truth of Crabb's trick, came In sym
pathy for the Indian, to his rescue.
Money, coats, hats, saddles, pistols,
pocket knives, csttle, horses and all
kinds of property, were staked on
the race.
The Indiana In their apparent des
peration, drove up another band of
ponies, and In madness wagered them
also.
Those of my readers who are ac
customed to exhibitions around "fair
grounds" on days of "trials of apeed,''
may have some Idea of the scene I
am trying to describe, except that few
of them have ever aeen so many horses
tied together, and so large a pile of
coata, blankets and saddles, as were
staked upon this occasion.
When the final starting time came
a pure minded. Innocent man would
have felt great pity for the Poor, de
jected looking Indians, at the sight
of their faces, now full of anxiety;
and, certainly, the pinto, who stood
so unconcerned, on which they had
staked so much, did not promise any
hope; while his competitor was strip
ped of his blanket, disclosing a nice
little jockey saddle, and silver mount
ed bridle, his whole bearing Indicat
ing his superiority.
His thin nostrils, pointed ears, and
arched neck, aleep coat, and polish
ed limbs, that touched the ground
with burnished steel, disdaining to
stand still, while his gayly dressed
rider, with white pants tucked Into
embellished boots with silver-plated
spurs; on his head a blue cap, and
with crimson ' jacket, was being
mounted, requiring two or three ex
perts to assist, so restless was the
fine thoroughbred to throw dirt into
the eyes of the sleepy-looking Indian
horse, which stood unmoved, uncov
ered, without saddle or bridle, or
anything save a small hair rope on
his lower jaw, his coat rough and Ill
looking. On his right stood the little Indian
boy, with head close shaved, a blan
ket around him, and to all appear
ances unconscious that anything un
usual was expected. ,
The omer naer s horse was mak
ing furious plunges to get away.
How-IUh-wam-po waa in no hurry,
really. Indeed things were going very
much to the satisfaction ot that dis
tinguished Individual.
He was willing; to see the other
man's horse chafe and fret the more
the better; and he cared nothing for
the sponge that was used to moisten
the mouth of the great racer.
Look away down the long line of
white men and Indians; and on the
low hills above, see the crowd eager!
to witness the first jump.
The chief gives a quiet signal to
the Indian boy. The blanket drop
ped from the boy's shoulders, and a
yellow skinned, gaunt, looking sprite
bestrode the Indian horse, holding
In his left hand the hair rope, that
waa to serve him for a bridle, and
in his right a small bundle of dried
willows.
Presto! The stupid looking brute
Is Instantly transformed Into a beau
tiful animated racer. His eyes
seemed almost human. His ears did
not droop now, but by their quick
alternate motion gave signs of readi
ness, together with the stamping it
his feet slowly at first but faster and
more impatient the moment It was
Intimated he might go. And the oth
er was making repeated efforts to es
cape, his masters maneuvoting for the
'advantage.
The little Indian boy managed his
horse alone as the chief gave him
quiet signs. Three times had they
come up to the scratch without a
start Crabb seemed now very so
licitous about the race. I think,
probably, be had by this time found
the "hornet in his hat;" at all events
he was pale, and his rider exhibited
signs of uneasiness.
At length thinking to take what
western sportsmen call a "bulge," he
said. "Ready" "Go," said the little
Indtan boy; and away went twenty
thousand dollars in the heels of the
Indian horse, twenty feet ahead be
fore the other crossed the mark, mak.
Ing the gap wider at every bound.
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I i. , or ; : tbj -vsy-? &fm vr, . "v ra rswj ; ,
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TLe alxve cut shows the harrow with the
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The above cut shows the same harrow with
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3
4
EE Tbe Pendleton Equalizer or Hitrh.
(Cut J)
(Continued on page 15.)
- ' - -:frf tlmt- ' nun" . 1 "' t . ,tt
Rear view of the Pendleton Equalizer.
THE "PENDLETON
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The chief advantage that we claim for this
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