a summer in a canyon-第36章

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interrupted'

'Beg　pardon。'

'Don't　mention　it。　　Uncle　Doc　has　asked　me　to　tell　Mrs。　Howard　and
Elsie　how　they　carried　on　the　rodeos　ten　or　fifteen　years　ago。　　Of
course　I　was　only　a　little　chap'（'VERY　little；'　murmured　his
sister）'but　never　too　small　to　stick　on　a　horse；　and　my　father　used
often　to　take　me　along。　　The　rodeos　nowadays　are　neither　as　great
occasions；　nor　as　exciting　ones；　as　they　used　to　be；　but　this　is　the
way　a　rodeo　is　managed。　　When　the　spring　rains　are　mostly　over；　and
the　grass　is　fine；say　in　Aprilthe　ranchero　of　a　certain　ranch
sends　word　to　all　his　neighbours　that　he　will　hold　a　rodeo　on　a
certain　day　or　days。　　Of　course　the　cattle　used　to　stray　all　over　the
country；　and　get　badly　mixed；　as　there　were　no　fences；　so　the　rodeo
was　held　for　the　purpose　of　separating　the　cattle　and　branding　the
calves　that　had　never　been　marked。

'The　owners　of　the　various　ranches　assemble　the　night　before；
bringing　their　vaqueros　with　them。　　They　start　out　very　early　in　the
morning；　having　had　a　cup　of　coffee；　and　ride　to　the　〃rodeo…ground；〃
which　is　any　flat；　convenient　place　where　canyons　converge。　　Many　of
the　cattle　on　the　hills　round　about　know　the　place；　having　been　there
before；　and　the　vaqueros　start　after　them　and　drive　them　to　the
spot。'

'How　many　vaqueros　would　there　be？'　asked　Elsie。

'Oh；　nine　or　ten；　perhaps；　and　often　from　one　thousand　to　three
thousand　cattleit　depends　on　the　number　of　ranches　and　cattle
represented。　　Some　of　the　vaqueros　form　a　circle　round　the　cattle
that　they　have　driven　to　the　rodeo…ground；　and　hold　them　there　while
others　go　back　to　the　ranch　for　breakfast　and　fresh　horses。'

'Fresh　horses　so　soon？'　said　Mrs。　Howard。　　'I　thought　the　mustangs
were　tough；　hardy　little　beasts；　that　would　go　all　day　without
dropping。'

'Yes；　so　they　are；　but　you　always　have　to　begin　to　〃part　out〃　the
cattle　with　the　freshest　and　best…trained　horses　you　have。　　The
owners　and　their　best　vaqueros　now　go　into　the　immense　band　of
cattle；　and　try　to　get　the　cows　and　the　unbranded　calves　separated
from　the　rest。　　You　can　imagine　what　skilful　engineering　this　takes；
even　though　you　never　saw　it。　　Two　work　together；　they　start　a
certain　cow　and　calf　and　work　them　through　the　band　of　cattle　until
they　near　the　outside；　and　then　〃rush〃　them　to　a　place　three　or　four
hundred　yards　beyond；　where　other　vaqueros　are　stationed　to　receive
and　hold　them。　　Of　course　the　cattle　don't　want　to　leave　the　band；
and　of　course　they　don't　want　to　stay　in　the　spot　to　which　they　are
driven。'

'I　don't　blame　them！'　cried　Bell　impetuously。　　'Probably　the　cows
remember　the　time　when　they　were　branded　themselves；　and　they　don't
want　their　dear　little　bossies　put　through　the　same　operation。'

'Very　likely。　　Then　more　cows　and　calves　are　started　in　the　same　way；
the　greatest　difficulty　being　had　with　the　first　lot；　for　the　cattle
always　stay　more　contentedly　together　as　the　group　grows　larger。
Occasionally　one　〃breaks〃　and　runs　off　on　the　hills；　and　a　vaquero
starts　after　him；　throws　the　reata　and　lassos　him；　or　〃lass's〃　him；
as　the　California　boys　say。'

'There　must　be　frightful　accidents；'　said　Mrs。　Winship。

'Yes；　but　not　so　many　as　you　would　suppose；　for　the　horsemanship；　in
its　particular　way；　is　something　wonderful。　　When　an　ugly　steer　is
lassoed　and　he　feels　the　reata　or　lariat　round　his　neck；　he　sometimes
turns　and　〃makes〃　for　the　horse；　and　unless　the　vaquero　is
particularly　skilful　he　will　be　gored　and　his　horse　too；　but　he　gives
a　dexterous　turn　to　the　lariat；　the　animal　steps　over　it；　gets
tangled　and　thrown。　　Frequently　an　animal　breaks　a　horn　or　a　leg。
Sometimes　one　fall　is　not　enough；　the　steer　jumps　up　and　pursues　the
horse。　　Then　the　vaquero　keeps　a　little　ahead　of　him　and　leads　him
back　to　the　rodeo…ground；　where　another　vaquero　lassos　him　by　the
hind　legs　and　throws　him；　while　the　reata　is　taken　off　his　neck。'

'There　is　another　danger；　too；'　added　Dr。　Winship。　　'The　vaquero
winds　the　reata　very　tightly　round　the　pommel　of　his　saddle　to　hold
the　steer；　and　he　is　likely　to　have　his　finger　caught　in　the　hair…
rope　and　cut　off。'

'Yes；　I　forgot　that。　　Two　or　three　of　the　famous　old　vaqueros　about
Santa　BarbaraJose　Maria；　Jose　Antonio；　and　old　Clementehave　each
lost　a　finger。　　Well；　the　vaqueros　at　length　form　in　a　circle　round
the　band　of　selected　cattle。　　The　ranch　owner　who　gives　the　rodeo
takes　his　own　cattle　that　he　has　foundthe　ones　bearing　his　brand；
you　knowand　drives　them　in　with　the　ones　to　be　branded；　leaving　in
the　rodeo…ground　the　cattle　bearing　the　brands　of　all　the　other
rancheros。　　There　has　been　much　drinking　of　aguardiente　（brandy）　and
everybody　by　this　time　is　pretty　reckless。　　Then　they　drive　this
selected　band　to　the　home　corral；　the　vaqueros　yelling；　the　cattle
〃calling；〃　and　the　reatas　whizzing　and　whistling　through　the　air。　　If
any　unfortunate　tries　to　escape　his　fate　he　is　pursued；　〃lass'd；〃　and
brought　back。　　By　this　time　the　cattle　are　pretty　well　heated　and
angry；　and　when　they　get　into　the　crowded　corral　they　horn　each　other
and　try　to　gore　the　horses。　　A　fire　is　then　built　in　one　corner　of
the　corral　and　the　branding…irons　are　heated。'

'Oh！　hold　my　hand；　Polly；　if　the　branding　is　going　to　begin；　I　hate
it　so；'　exclaimed　Elsie。

'I　won't　say　much　about　it；　but　it's　no　worse　than　a　thousand　things
that　people　have　to　bear　every　year　of　their　lives。　　Animals　never
have　to　have　teeth　filled；　for　instance；　nor　limbs　amputated'

'Oh；　just　think　of　a　calf　with　a　wooden　leg；　or　a　cow　with　false
teeth！　　Wouldn't　it　be　funny？'　laughed　Bell。

'They　don't　have　a　thousand　ills　that　human　flesh　is　heir　to；　so　they
must　be　thankful　they　get　off　so　easy。　　Well！　the　branding…irons　are
heated；　as　I　sayeach　cattle…owner　having　his　special　brand；　which
is　properly　recorded；　and　which　may　be　any　device　not　previously
used。　　Two　men　now　catch　the　calves；　one　lassoing　them　by　the　head；
the　other　by　the　legs。　　A　third　man　takes　the　iron　from　the　fire　and
brands　the　chosen　letter　or　hieroglyphic　on　the　animal's　hind
quarter。'

'Sometimes　on　the　fore　quarter；　don't　they？'　asked　Bell。　　'I've　seen
brands　there；your　horse　has　two；　and　our　cow　has　one　also。'

'Yes；　a　brand　on　the　fore　quarter　shows　that　the　animal　has　been
sold；　but　it　always　has　the　original　brand　on　the　hind　quarter。　　When
a　sale　is　effected；　the　new　brand　is　put　anywhere　in　front　of　the
fifth　rib；　and　this　constitutes　what　they　call　a　venta；　or　sale。　　If
you　notice　some　of　the　little　〃plugs〃　ridden　by　Santa　Barbara　boys；
you'll　see　that　they　bear　half　a　dozen　brands。　　By　the　way；　if　the
rodeo　has　been　a　very　large　one；　they　are　several　days　branding　the
cattle；　so　they　are　turned　out　to　pastorear　a　little　while　each　day。'

'The　brand　was　absolute　sign　of　ownership；　you　know；　girls；'　said　Dr。
Winship；　'and　though　there　was　the　greatest　care　exercised　in
choosing　and　recording　the　brands；　there　was　plenty　of　opportunity
for　cheating。　　For　instance；　a　man　would　often　see　unbranded　cattle
when　riding　about；　and　there　was　nothing　to　prevent　his　dismounting；
building　a　fire；　heating　his　iron；　and　putting　his　own　brand　on　them。
Then；　at　the　next　rodeo；　they　were　simply　turned　over　to　him；　for；　as
I　say；　the　brand　was　absolute　ownership。'


'Whene'er　I　take　my　rides　abroad；
　　　How　many　calves　I　see；
And；　as　I　brand　them　properly；
　　　They　all　belong　to　me；'


said　Bell。

'How　I　should　like　to　see　a　rodeo！'　sighed　Elsie。　　'I　can't　imagine
how　the　vaqueros　can　fling　the　reata　while　they　are　riding　at　full
speed。'

'It　isn't　so　very　wonderful；'　said　Polly；　nonchalantly　'the　most
ordinary　people　can　learn　it；　why！　your　brother　Jack　can　lasso　almost
as　well　as　a　Mexican。'

'And　I　can　〃lass〃　any　stationary　object　myself；'　cried　Bell；　'a
hitching…post；　or　even　a　door…knob；　I　can　do　it　two　or　three　times
out　of　ten。'

'That　shows　immense　skill；'　answered　Jack；　'but；　as　the　thing　you
want　to　〃lass〃　never　does　stay　still；　and　as　it　is　absolutely
necessary　to　catch　it　more　than　three　times　out　of　ten；　you　probably
wouldn't　make　a　name　and　fortune　as　a　vaquero。　　Juan　Capistrano；　by
the　way；　used　to　be　famous　with　the　lariat