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Show • 18g7, July 23 THE PONY EXPRESS "Ichabodn Her man Hunt ' s Straight Two Hundred and Fifty Mile Ride The Killing of Ralph Lozier Wounded and Fearful o f Indian Outrage , John Applegate Killed Hi mse lf--Other Tragedies (Letter No. 5) Some of the anima l s vvere treacherous and exceedingl y trying on the men that rode them, especially the mustan g~ : and ponies. They would fight when being saddled and falr over backward when being mounted. Othe .1: s you would have to mount while they were bucking , perhaps light behind the saddle and not ge t i nto it in a half mile . I remember one , a fla t head stal l ion , that would manifest his playful disposi tion by taking your le gs in his teeth if you were not sharp , and try to pull you off . He would "buck" down hill . He would bang you in the head with the poll of his head if you were not careful. He would fall over backwards and lay down and roll , when of course one had to get off . But a sound beating with a club usually educated him for t he trip . The express matter was ca rried in a couple of pockets, sewed or ri vi ted to t he lower pack corne 1."S of the "macheres" of cover of the sacldle , whi ch consists of two oblqrug pieces of stamped sole leather and with a crescent shaped slot and oval opening for the can.;tel and p:immel to project through . ·· I t will fi t any ordinary saddletre e . The poc kets were some ten inches long , four inches wide and t hree t hick , and were fi tted with staples , eylets , chain , padlock and flap over the top, and no one tiut the local agents , route a gents and ! superintendents had access to them. The expre ss ma tter consisted of press dispatches , written on tissue paper, important letters , drafts and bills of exchange . The valua ble letters drafts ~n d bills of exchange were in inclosures, and the package f6f each pocket was wrapped in oil ed silk , and at no time did the through ma.tter exceed ten pounds , usually not .half of it . The dispatches were carr ied at so much a words , the letters and valuables a t so much an ounce or frac tion thereof . |
