notes by flood and field-第3章

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were　mounted　and　dashing　down　the　plain。



We　followed　the　line　of　alder　that　defined　the　creek；　now　dry　and

baked　with　summer's　heat；　but　which　in　winter；　George　told　me；

overflowed　its　banks。　　I　still　retain　a　vivid　impression　of　that

morning's　ride；　the　far…off　mountains；　like　silhouettes；　against

the　steel…blue　sky；　the　crisp　dry　air；　and　the　expanding　track

before　me；　animated　often　by　the　well…knit　figure　of　George　Tryan；

musical　with　jingling　spurs　and　picturesque　with　flying　riata。　　He

rode　powerful　native　roan；　wild…eyed；　untiring　in　stride　and

unbroken　in　nature。　　Alas！　the　curves　of　beauty　were　concealed　by

the　cumbrous　MACHILLAS　of　the　Spanish　saddle；　which　levels　all

equine　distinctions。　　The　single　rein　lay　loosely　on　the　cruel　bit

that　can　gripe；　and　if　need　be；　crush　the　jaw　it　controls。



Again　the　illimitable　freedom　of　the　valley　rises　before　me；　as　we

again　bear　down　into　sunlit　space。　　Can　this　be　〃Chu　Chu；〃　staid

and　respectable　filly　of　American　pedigreeChu　Chu；　forgetful　of

plank　roads　and　cobblestones；　wild　with　excitement；　twinkling　her

small　white　feet　beneath　me？　　George　laughs　out　of　a　cloud　of　dust。

〃Give　her　her　head；　don't　you　see　she　likes　it？〃　and　Chu　Chu　seems

to　like　it；　and　whether　bitten　by　native　tarantula　into　native

barbarism　or　emulous　of　the　roan；　〃blood〃　asserts　itself；　and　in　a

moment　the　peaceful　servitude　of　years　is　beaten　out　in　the　music

of　her　clattering　hoofs。　　The　creek　widens　to　a　deep　gully。　　We

dive　into　it　and　up　on　the　opposite　side；　carrying　a　moving　cloud

of　impalpable　powder　with　us。　　Cattle　are　scattered　over　the　plain；

grazing　quietly　or　banded　together　in　vast　restless　herds。　　George

makes　a　wide；　indefinite　sweep　with　the　riata；　as　if　to　include

them　all　in　his　vaquero's　loop；　and　says；　〃Ours！〃



〃About　how　many；　George？〃



〃Don't　know。〃



〃How　many？〃



〃'Well；　p'r'aps　three　thousand　head；〃　says　George；　reflecting。　　〃We

don't　know；　takes　five　men　to　look　'em　up　and　keep　run。〃



〃What　are　they　worth？〃



〃About　thirty　dollars　a　head。〃



I　make　a　rapid　calculation；　and　look　my　astonishment　at　the

laughing　George。　　Perhaps　a　recollection　of　the　domestic　economy　of

the　Tryan　household　is　expressed　in　that　look；　for　George　averts

his　eye　and　says；　apologetically：



〃I've　tried　to　get　the　old　man　to　sell　and　build；　but　you　know　he

says　it　ain't　no　use　to　settle　down；　just　yet。　　We　must　keep

movin'。　　In　fact；　he　built　the　shanty　for　that　purpose；　lest　titles

should　fall　through；　and　we'd　have　to　get　up　and　move　stakes

further　down。〃



Suddenly　his　quick　eye　detects　some　unusual　sight　in　a　herd　we　are

passing；　and　with　an　exclamation　he　puts　his　roan　into　the　center

of　the　mass。　　I　follow；　or　rather　Chu　Chu　darts　after　the　roan；　and

in　a　few　moments　we　are　in　the　midst　of　apparently　inextricable

horns　and　hoofs。　　〃TORO！〃　shouts　George；　with　vaquero　enthusiasm；

and　the　band　opens　a　way　for　the　swinging　riata。　　I　can　feel　their

steaming　breaths；　and　their　spume　is　cast　on　Chu　Chu's　quivering

flank。



Wild；　devilish…looking　beasts　are　they；　not　such　shapes　as　Jove

might　have　chosen　to　woo　a　goddess；　nor　such　as　peacefully　range

the　downs　of　Devon；　but　lean　and　hungry　Cassius…like　bovines；

economically　got　up　to　meet　the　exigencies　of　a　six　months'

rainless　climate；　and　accustomed　to　wrestle　with　the　distracting

wind　and　the　blinding　dust。



〃That's　not　our　brand；〃　says　George；　〃they're　strange　stock；〃　and

he　points　to　what　my　scientific　eye　recognizes　as　the　astrological

sign　of　Venus　deeply　seared　in　the　brown　flanks　of　the　bull　he　is

chasing。　　But　the　herd　are　closing　round　us　with　low　mutterings；

and　George　has　again　recourse　to　the　authoritative　〃TORO；〃　and　with

swinging　riata　divides　the　〃bossy　bucklers〃　on　either　side。　　When

we　are　free；　and　breathing　somewhat　more　easily；　I　venture　to　ask

George　if　they　ever　attack　anyone。



〃Never　horsemensometimes　footmen。　　Not　through　rage；　you　know；

but　curiosity。　　They　think　a　man　and　his　horse　are　one；　and　if　they

meet　a　chap　afoot；　they　run　him　down　and　trample　him　under　hoof；　in

the　pursuit　of　knowledge。　　But；〃　adds　George；　〃here's　the　lower

bench　of　the　foothills；　and　here's　Altascar's　corral；　and　that

White　building　you　see　yonder　is　the　casa。〃



A　whitewashed　wall　enclosed　a　court　containing　another　adobe

building；　baked　with　the　solar　beams　of　many　summers。　　Leaving　our

horses　in　the　charge　of　a　few　peons　in　the　courtyard；　who　were

basking　lazily　in　the　sun；　we　entered　a　low　doorway；　where　a　deep

shadow　and　an　agreeable　coolness　fell　upon　us；　as　sudden　and

grateful　as　a　plunge　in　cool　water；　from　its　contrast　with　the

external　glare　and　heat。　　In　the　center　of　a　low…ceiled　apartment

sat　an　old　man　with　a　black…silk　handkerchief　tied　about　his　head；

the　few　gray　hairs　that　escaped　from　its　folds　relieving　his

gamboge…colored　face。　　The　odor　of　CIGARRITOS　was　as　incense　added

to　the　cathedral　gloom　of　the　building。



As　Senor　Altascar　rose　with　well…bred　gravity　to　receive　us；　George

advanced　with　such　a　heightened　color；　and　such　a　blending　of

tenderness　and　respect　in　his　manner；　that　I　was　touched　to　the

heart　by　so　much　devotion　in　the　careless　youth。　　In　fact；　my　eyes

were　still　dazzled　by　the　effect　of　the　outer　sunshine；　and　at

first　I　did　not　see　the　white　teeth　and　black　eyes　of　Pepita；　who

slipped　into　the　corridor　as　we　entered。



It　was　no　pleasant　matter　to　disclose　particulars　of　business　which

would　deprive　the　old　senor　of　the　greater　part　of　that　land　we　had

just　ridden　over；　and　I　did　it　with　great　embarrassment。　　But　he

listened　calmlynot　a　muscle　of　his　dark　face　stirringand　the

smoke　curling　placidly　from　his　lips　showed　his　regular

respiration。　　When　I　had　finished；　he　offered　quietly　to　accompany

us　to　the　line　of　demarcation。　　George　had　meanwhile　disappeared；

but　a　suspicious　conversation　in　broken　Spanish　and　English；　in　the

corridor；　betrayed　his　vicinity。　　When　he　returned　again；　a　little

absent…minded；　the　old　man；　by　far　the　coolest　and　most　self…

possessed　of　the　party；　extinguished　his　black…silk　cap　beneath

that　stiff；　uncomely　sombrero　which　all　native　Californians　affect。

A　serape　thrown　over　his　shoulders　hinted　that　he　was　waiting。

Horses　are　always　ready　saddled　in　Spanish　ranchos；　and　in　half　an

hour　from　the　time　of　our　arrival　we　were　again　〃loping〃　in　the

staring　sunlight。



But　not　as　cheerfully　as　before。　　George　and　myself　were　weighed

down　by　restraint；　and　Altascar　was　gravely　quiet。　　To　break　the

silence；　and　by　way　of　a　consolatory　essay；　I　hinted　to　him　that

there　might　be　further　intervention　or　appeal；　but　the　proffered

oil　and　wine　were　returned　with　a　careless　shrug　of　the　shoulders

and　a　sententious　〃QUE　BUENO？Your　courts　are　always　just。〃



The　Indian　mound　of　the　previous　night's　discovery　was　a　bearing

monument　of　the　new　line；　and　there　we　halted。　　We　were　surprised

to　find　the　old　man　Tryan　waiting　us。　　For　the　first　time　during

our　interview　the　old　Spaniard　seemed　moved；　and　the　blood　rose　in

his　yellow　cheek。　　I　was　anxious　to　close　the　scene；　and　pointed

out　the　corner　boundaries　as　clearly　as　my　recollection　served。



〃The　deputies　will　be　here　tomorrow　to　run　the　lines　from　this

initial　point；　and　there　will　be　no　further　trouble；　I　believe；

gentlemen。〃



Senor　Altascar　had　dismounted　and　was　gathering　a　few　tufts　of

dried　grass　in　his　hands。　　George　and　I　exchanged　glances。　　He

presently　arose　from　his　stooping　posture；　and　advancing　to　within

a　few　paces　of　Joseph　Tryan；　said；　in　a　voice　broken　with　passion：



〃And　I；　Fernando　Jesus　Maria　Altascar；　put　you　in　possession　of　my

land　in　the　fashion　of　my　country。〃



He　threw　a　sod　to　each　of　the　cardinal　points。



〃I　don't　know　your　courts；　your　judges；　or　your　CORREGIDORES。　　Take

the　LLANO！and　take　this　with　it。　　May　the　drought　seize　your

cattle　till　their　tongues　hang　down　as　long　as