arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第25章
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occasion for intent listening for the faintly tinkling hell so that next day
one would know in which direction to look。 But since there existed for
us no responsibility； we each reported dutifully at the roll…call of habit； and
dropped back into our blankets with a grateful sigh。
I remember the moon sailing a good gait among apparently stationary
cloudlets； I recall a deep； black shadow lying before distant silvery
mountains； I glanced over the stark； motionless canvases； each of which
concealed a man； the air trembled with the bellowing of cattle in the
corrals。
Seemingly but a moment later the cook's howl brought me to
consciousness again。 A clear； licking little fire danced in the blackness。
Before it moved silhouettes of men already eating。
I piled out and joined the group。 Homer was busy distributing his
men for the day。 Three were to care for the remuda； five were to move
the stray…herd from the corrals to good feed； three branding crews were
told to brand the calves we had collected in the cut of the afternoon before。
That took up about half the men。 The rest were to make a short drive in
the salt grass。 I joined the Cattleman； and together we made our way
afoot to the branding pen。 We were the only ones who did go afoot；
however； although the corrals were not more than two hundred yards'
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distant。 When we arrived we found the string of ponies standing around
outside。 Between the upright bars of greasewood we could see the cattle；
and near the opposite side the men building a fire next the fence。 We
pushed open the wide gate and entered。 The three ropers sat their horses；
idly swinging the loops of their ropes back and forth。 Three others
brought wood and arranged it craftily in such manner as to get best
draught for heatin；a good branding fire is most decidedly a work of art。
One stood waiting for them to finish； a sheaf of long JH stamping irons in
his hand。 All the rest squatted on their heels along the fence； smoking
cigarettes ad chatting together。 The first rays of the sun slanted across in
one great sweep from the remote mountains。 In ten minutes Charley
pronounced the irons ready。 Homer； Wooden； and old California John
rode in among the cattle。 The rest of the men arose and stretched their
legs and advanced。 The Cattleman and I climbed to the top bar of the
gate； where we roosted； he with his tally…book on his knee。
Each rider swung his rope above his head with one hand； keeping the
broad loop open by a skilful turn of the wrist at the end of each revolution。
In a moment Homer leaned forward and threw。 As the loop settled； he
jerked sharply upward； exactly as one would strike to hook a big fish。
This tightened the loop and prevented it from slipping off。 Immediately；
and without waiting to ascertain the result of the manoeuvre； the horse
turned and began methodically； without undue haste； to walk toward the
branding fire。 Homer wrapped the rope twice or thrice about the horn；
and sat over in one stirrup to avoid the tightened line and to preserve the
balance。 Nobody paid any attention to the calf。 The critter had been
caught by the two hind legs。 As the rope tightened； he was suddenly
upset； and before he could realise that something disagreeable was
happening； he was sliding majestically along on his belly。 Behind him
followed his anxious mother； her head swinging from side to side。
Near the fire the horse stopped。 The two 〃bull…doggers〃 immediately
pounced upon the victim。 It was promptly flopped over on its right side。
One knelt on its head and twisted back its foreleg in a sort of hammer…lock；
the other seized one hind foot； pressed his boot heel against the other hind
leg close to the body； and sat down behind the animal。 Thus the calf
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was unable to struggle。 When once you have had the wind knocked out
of you； or a rib or two broken； you cease to think this unnecessarily rough。
Then one or the other threw off the rope。 Homer rode away； coiling the
rope as he went。 〃Hot iron！〃 yelled one of the bull…doggers。
〃Marker！〃 yelled the other。 Immediately two men ran forward。 The
brander pressed the iron smoothly against the flank。 A smoke and the
smell of scorching hair arose。 Perhaps the calf blatted a little as the heat
scorched。 In a brief moment it was over。 The brand showed cherry；
which is the proper colour to indicate due peeling and a successful mark。
In the meantime the marker was engaged in his work。 First； with a sharp
knife he cut off slanting the upper quarter of one ear。 Then he nicked out
a swallow…tail in the other。 The pieces he thrust into his pocket in order
that at the completion of the work he could thus check the Cattleman's
tally…board as to the number of calves branded。＇3＇ The bull…dogger let go。
The calf sprang up； was appropriated and smelled over by his worried
mother； and the two departed into the herd to talk it over。
＇3＇ For the benefit of the squeamish it might be well to note that the
fragments of the ears were cartilaginous； and therefore not bloody。
It seems to me that a great deal of unnecessary twaddle is abroad as
to the extreme cruelty of branding。 Undoubtedly it is to some extent
painful； and could some other method of ready identification be devised； it
might be as well to adopt it in preference。 But in the circumstance of a
free range； thousands of cattle； and hundreds of owners； any other method
is out of the question。 I remember a New England movement looking
toward small brass tags to be hung from the ear。 Inextinguishable
laughter followed the spread of this doctrine through Arizona。 Imagine a
puncher descending to examine politely the ear…tags of wild cattle on the
open range or in a round…up。 But； as I have intimated； even the
inevitable branding and ear…marking are not so painful as one might
suppose。 The scorching hardly penetrates below the outer tough skin
only enough to kill the roots of the hairbesides which it must be
remembered that cattle are not so sensitive as the higher nervous
organisms。 A calf usually bellows when the iron bites； but as soon as
released he almost invariably goes to feeding or to looking idly about。
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Indeed； I have never seen one even take the trouble to lick his wounds；
which is certainly not true in the case of the injuries they inflict on each
other in fighting。 Besides which； it happens but once in
