a summer in a canyon-第37章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


wouldn't　make　a　name　and　fortune　as　a　vaquero。　　Juan　Capistrano；　by
the　way；　used　to　be　famous　with　the　lariat。　　I　had　heard　of　his
adventure　with　a　bull　on　the　island　of　Santa　Rosa；　and　I　asked　him
about　it　to…day；　but　he　had　so　exhausted　himself　telling　stories　to
Bell　that　he　had　very　few　words　for　me。　　You　see　there　was　a　bull；　on
Santa　Rosa　island；　so　wild　that　they　wanted　to　kill　him；　but　nobody
could　do　it；　though　he　was　a　terror　to　any　one　who　ventured　on　the
island。　　They　called　him　〃Antiguelo；〃　because　of　his　long　horns　and
long　tail。　　He　was　such　a　terrible　fighter　that　all　the　vaqueros　were
afraid　to　lass'　him；　for　he　always　broke　away　with　the　lariat。　　You
see　a　horse　throws　a　bull　by　skill　and　not　by　strength；　of　course。
You　can　choke　almost　any　bull；　but　this　one　was　too　smart！　he　would
crouch　on　his　haunches　and　pull　back　until　the　rope　nearly　choked　him
and　then　suddenly　〃make〃　for　the　horse。　　Juan　Capistrano　had　a
splendid　horseyou　see　as　much　depends　on　the　horse　as　the　man　in
such　a　caseand　he　came　upon　Antiguelo　on　the　Cerro　Negro　and　lass'd
him。　　Well；　did　he　fight？　I　asked。　　〃Si；　Senor。〃　　Well；　what
happened？　　〃Yo　lo　mate〃　（I　killed　him）；　he　said；　with　a　shrug　of　his
shoulders；　and　that's　all　I　could　get　out　of　Juan　regarding　his
adventure。'

'But　you　haven't　done　your　share；　you　lazy　boy；'　objected　Bell。　　'You
must　tell　us　more。'

'What　do　you　want　to　hear？　　I　am　up　on　all　the　animal　and　vegetable
life　of　Southern　California；　full　of　interesting　information
concerning　its　old　customs；　can　give　you　Spanish　names　for　all　the
things　that　come　up　in　ordinary　conversation；　and　am　the　only　man
present　who　can　make　a　raw…hide　reata；'　said　Jack；　modestly。

'Go　on　and　tell　us　how；　O　great　and　wise　reatero；'　said　Bell。

'I'll　tell　you　that　myself；'　said　Elsie；　'for　I've　seen　him　do　it
dozens　of　times；　when　he　should　have　been　studying　his　little
lessons。　　He　takes　a　big　piece　of　raw　hide；　cuts　a　circle　right　out
of　the　middle；　and　then　cuts　round　and　round　this　until　he　has　one
long　continuous　string；　half　an　inch　wide。　　He　then　stretches　it　and
scrapes　the　hair　off　with　a　knife　or　a　piece　of　glass；　gets　it　into
four　strands；　and　braids　it　〃round。〃'

'Perhaps　you　think　braiding　〃round〃　is　easy　to　do；'　retorted　Jack；　in
an　injured　tone；　'but　I　know　it　took　me　six　months　to　learn　to　do　it
well。'

'I　fail　to　see；'　said　his　mother；　'how　a　knowledge　of　〃braiding
round〃　and　lassoing　of　wild　cattle　is　going　to　serve　you　in　your
university　life　and　future　career。'

'Oh　yes；　it　will。　　I　shall　be　the　Buffalo　Bill　of　Harvard；　and　I
shall　give　charming　little　entertainments　in　my　rooms；　or　in　some
little　garden…plot　suitable　to　the　purpose。'

'Shall　you　make　a　point　of　keeping　up　with　your　class？'　asked　Mrs。
Winship。

'Oh　yes；　unless　they　go　too　fast。　　My　sports　won't　take　any　more　time
than　rowing　or　baseball。　　They'll　be　a　little　more　expensive；　because
I'll　have　to　keep　some　wild　cattle　constantly　on　hand；　and　perhaps　a
vaquero　or　two；　but　a　vaquero　won't　cost　any　more　than　a　valet。'

'I　didn't　intend　furnishing　you　with　a　valet；'　remarked　his　mother。

'But　I　shall　be　self…supporting；　mother　dear。　　I　shall　give
exhibitions　on　the　campus；　and　the　gate…money　will　keep　me　in
luxury。'

'This　is　all　very　interesting；'　said　Polly；　cuttingly；　'but　what　has
it　to　do　with　California；　I'd　like　to　know？'

'Poor　dear！　　Your　brain　is　so　weak。　　Can't　you　see　that　when　I　am　the
fashion　in　Cambridge；　it　will　be　noised　about　that　I　gained　my
marvellous　skill　in　California？　　This　will　increase　emigration。　　I
don't　pretend　to　say　it　will　swell　the　population　like　the　discovery
of　gold　in　'48；　but　it　will　have　a　perceptible　effect。'

'You　are　more　modest　than　a　whole　mossy　bank　of　violets；'　laughed　Dr。
Paul。　　'Now；　Margery；　will　you　give　us　your　legend？'

'Mine　is　the　story　of　Juan　de　Dios　（literally；　Juan　of　God）；　and　I'm
sorry　to　say　that　it　has　a　horse　in　it；　like　Polly's；　only　hers　was　a
snow…white　mare；　and　mine　is　a　coal…black　charger。　　But　they　wouldn't
tell　us　any　romantic　love…stories；　they　were　all　about　horses。'


STORY　OF　JUAN　DE　DIOS。

'In　early　days；　when　Americans　were　coming　in　to　Santa　Barbara；　there
were　many　cattle…buyers　among　them；　and　there　were　large　bands　of
robbers　all　over　the　country　who　were　ready　to　pounce　on　these
travellers　on　their　way　to　the　great　cattle　ranchos；　kill　them；　and
steal　their　money　and　clothes；　as　well　as　their　horses　and　trappings。
No　one　could　understand　how　the　robbers　got　such　accurate　information
of　the　movements　of　the　travellers；　unless　they　had　a　spy　somewhere
near　the　Mission；　where　they　often　stopped　for　rest　and　refreshment。

'Now；　there　was　a　certain　young　Indian　vaquero　in　the　employ　of　the
padres　at　La　Mission　de　la　Purisima。　　He　was　a　wonderful　horseman；
and　greatly　looked　up　to　by　his　brother　vaqueros；　because　he　was　so
strong；　alert；　and　handsome；　and　because　he　was　always　dressed
elegantly　in　rich　old　Spanish　embroideries　and　velvets；　given　to　him；
he　said；　by　men　for　whom　he　had　done　great　services。

'One　day　a　certain　traveller；　a　Spanish　official　of　high　degree；　came
from　Monterey　to　wed　his　sweetheart；　the　daughter　of　the　richest
cattle…owner　in　all　the　country　round。　　His　spurs　and　bit　and　bridle
were　of　solid　silver；　his　jaquima　（halter）　was　made　of　a　hair　rope
whose　strands　had　been　dyed　in　brilliant　colours；　his　tapaderos
（front　of　the　stirrups）；　mochilas　（large　leather　saddle　flaps）；　and
sudaderos　（thin　bits　of　leather　to　protect　the　legs　from　sweat）；　were
all　beautifully　stamped　in　the　fashion　used　by　the　Mexicans；　his
saddle　blankets　and　his　housings　were　all　superb；　and　he　wore　a　broad
sombrero　encircled　with　a　silver　snake　and　trimmed　with　silver　lace。

'The　traveller　stayed　at　La　Purisima　all　night；　and　set　out　early　in
the　morning　to　ride　the　last　forty　miles　that　separated　him　from　his
bride。　　But　Juan　and　two　other　robbers　were　lying　in　wait　for　him
behind　a　great　rock　that　stood　at　the　entrance　of　a　lonely　canyon。
They　appeared　on　horseback；　one　behind　the　unfortunate　man　and　two　in
front；　so　that　he　could　escape　neither　way。　　They　finally　succeeded
in　lassoing　the　horse　and　throwing　him　to　the　ground　with　his　rider；
who　defended　himself　bravely　with　his　knife；　but　was　finally　killed
and　robbed；　Juan　taking　his　clothes　and　trappings；　and　the　other　two
dividing　the　contents　of　his　purse。　　They　could　not　have　buried　their
victim　as　successfully　as　usual；　or　else　they　were　surprised；　and　had
to　escape；　for　the　body　was　found；　and　Juan；　whom　the　padres　had
begun　to　view　with　suspicion；　was　nowhere　to　be　found　about　the
Mission。　　Troops　were　sent　out　in　pursuit　of　him；　for　this　particular
traveller　was　a　high　official；　and　it　was　necessary　that　his　death
should　be　avenged。　　They　at　last　heard　that　Juan　had　been　seen　going
towards　Santa　Ynez　Mission；　and；　pursuing　him　thither；　they　came　upon
him　as　he　was　driving　a　band　of　horses　into　a　corral；　and　just　in　the
act　of　catching　his　own　horse；　a　noble　and　powerful　animal；　called
Azabache；　because　of　his　jet…black　colour。　　The　men　surrounded　the
corral；　and　ordered　him　to　surrender。　　He　begged　them　to　wait　until
he　had　saddled　Azabache；　and　then　they　might　shoot　them　both　down
together。　　He　asked　permission　to　call　three　times　（pegar　tres
gritos）；　and　after　the　third　call　they　were　to　shoot。　　His　last　wish
was　granted。　　He　saddled　and　mounted　his　splendid　horse；　called　once…
…twicethrice；but　when　the　last　shout　faded　in　the　air；　and　the
troops　raised　their　muskets　to　fire；　behold；　there　was　no　Juan　de
Dios　to　be　seen。　　They　had　been　surrounding　the　corral　so　that　no　one
could　have　ridden　out；　they　looked　among　the　horses；　but　Asabache　was
nowhere　to　be　found。

'Just　then　a　joyous　shout　was　heard；　so　ringing　and　triumphant　that
every　man　turned　in　the　direction　from　which　it　came。　　There；
galloping　up　the　hillside；　nearly　half　a　mile　distant；　was　Juan　de
Dios；　mounted　on　his　coal…black　Azabache！　　But　it　was　no　common
sunshine　that　deepened　the　gorgeous　colours　of　his　trappings　and
danced　upon　his　silver　spurs　till　they　glistened　like　two　great
stars！　　It　was　a　broad；　glittering　str