The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-11-29

English tlOhgnt 10 the Gull McSlCuH UTdln.
The law, until Il few years ago, required that
all the State laws, documents and court records
should DE made and kept IN Spanish alone,
and even now the law is that they shall be
made and kept in both Spanish and English,
Every court must have its interpreter, and
IpIcadings are made in Spanish, in which Ian
guagc the DEGREES and laws are also printed. |
do not think the polyglot character of our ma
tiOnal life can be appreciated 10y those VINO
see simply what wc are absorbing through
Castle Garden. Under the shadow Of the som
brrro, and beneath the proudly-worn Spanish
toga Of The Mexican, Is perhaps Ind another
problem which some time may ARISE to vcX
The minds Of our statesmen
NhiC ! vas beng entertained by DR.. South
with the history Of territorial affairs and per
sonal anccdotc We had been driving through
Il lovely country, looking somewha, parched
by the unusual drought and excessive heat OF
the past summer, but on which herds of cattle
were apparently fattening as if in clover fields
Our way lay along the foothills of the span
lsh Range" but out into the plain country from
whence the startled antclOpcs were seen rush.
ing in herds into the Chappcrcl. The "Plnon'
trcc--so called because ii grows only on the
high planes, the red cedar, and an infinite va.
ricty OF cactus plant are the peculiar features
Of the landscape The first grows a nut, fla.
vored very like our Eastern beachnut only
much larger, that takes the place of our wall
nuts among the people and is the iavorlte
mast" OF the bear which abound IN their va
riOus types in these foothills. The Pnon
wood is quite rcsnous and, when burning,
cmits u delicious fragrance; SO that what with
the open hearths peculiar to the adobe cOnstruc-
ton, and the cedar and Pinon fuel, the sweet,
scented house fires, which at this elevation are
frequently required during the evenings even
in September suggest an Oriental sumptuOus-
ness and extravaganza on the part OF the en-.
tcrtancr which IS quite out Of keeping with
the domestic surroundinglns
THE CACTUS,
however, il to Il traveller from the temperate
zones the most noticeable thing that grows in
tins region. Its variety is almost infinite
from the broad, tan-llkc leaves that lay flat
upon the ground and threaten with their prCkly
sides an unwary pedestrian 10 the mammoth
branched specie which towers like a tree be
side The road Some of them look like a great
sponge; others trail their delicate green fbres,
spanglcd with red, over the dry earth while
others still shoot sharp spikes up into the air
like sentinels of the vegetable kingdom alert
and on guard against lntruders. 1t seems hard
" possible sober Dame Nature should Indulge
in SO many freaks rs she seems to have done
in planning these Mexican cactus, and why
this should be n land of cactus growths more
than Southern Illinois is another ineXpliCablc
thing For while the latitude is southern the
elevation makes the climate temperate.
The reliant villages" is another curiosity
TO the Northcrner, and, did space permit,
might tell some curious anecdotes Of their oh.
served intelligence. These villages" abound,
the sand being thrown up into conical-shaped
mounds Of from twelve to eighteen inches
h,r ,vhoCa lilpC nc yOonthly ShnIlpI 81 c
if made in mold, and red tingc is given to
them from the color Of the ants which are busy
on their sides The aunts are q beautiful trans
parent red, and fierce fighters when disturbed.
The maybe Is also indigenous here, and is
bird of great beauty though pest which
makes him as hated as he is familiar He will
come to the very doorstep and steal his meal,
and, though you shoot into flock, they will,
with the utmost nonchalancc, return to their
muttons" They are great gluttons and, if a
COW or horse is wounded, it Is said they will
light upon the ANIMALS back in locks and lit
orally worry it to death, and then feast on the
carcass.
While observing these pccuiarties of the
animal and vegetable life | had occasion to
frequently note the chief feature Of this county,
THE CATTLE RANCH.
1t is safe 10 say that ninc-tcnths of the devel-
oped wealth of the county IS in cattle. A
ranch" is usually an adobe brick house, one
story high, covering considerable ground, and
located near spring or Water.coursc. Here is
the home OF the cattle.Owner, who, accord
ing to his herd has "a range of from 1000 to
10000 acres, into which his cattle roam IN a
scmi.wild condition, watched by a few herders,
who from time to time "round them up" INTO
0roves separate the strays" from other
ranges" and set them back upon taeir limits,
and see that there are no predatory bands
running them OIL" into Texas.
The basis of every range is awatercOurse,
and whoever can get possession OF the land
along waterCourse has q recognized title
without purchase or lease to all the adjoining
grazing land. Hence the great valHe in this
country of IA wcll-watered district, 1t Is said
that ex-senator Dorsey has made himself enor-
mously rich simply by getting possession of
all the principal privileges OF Il small tract OF
land, which, however, Is the key to several
hundred thousand acres of grazing country.
Every ranchman has his brand, -" which he
is compelled to advertise and otherwise pub
licly record when it becomes his personal prop
crty and all animals bearing the brand can be
claimed by him whenever found At certain
seasons of the year the range is gone over,
every member Of the herd gathered in and
counted up, and the calves branded, The an
Huul NV llltlCdSt - w W ~ ptl 'tui diiu ~
can be easily seen that ranChman who has
from $4,000 TO 10000 head of cattle is growing
rapidly rich while he is loating and hunting
bear, deer or antelope.
Connected with every rahch is an immense
hosiery, or paddock into which runs wild
herd of from 30 to $50 horses that are used by
the herdcrs. These horses are of the hardy
Mexican breed, and are never thoroughly bro
ken, except, perhaps, few that are to be used
about the house or for hunting. One horse Is
always kept stabbed, and on him the herder
mounts when he wants a horse. With lasso
IN hand he rides INTO the paddock; stampede
ensues, he dashes after the horse he wants,
and, dexterously swinging his lasso with
swish through the air, throws 1t over the head
Of the running bronchero. The instant one
horse is laSsoed it Is amusing to see the excite
LII hon. IL Ii 4