Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-02-19
AN EXCITING MOUNTAIN RIDE.
A woman's Ezperisnee I'm the Rocky
Mountains.

dashing rider was TO take part in n
grand cattle hunt, In which Evans had
begged her TO lend hand. The cattle
were TO be driven fifteen miles at
height of $500 feet. On all sides noun
tains rose to an altitude OF from ii 900
to $4,000 feet, their skirts shaggy with
pitch-pine forests, and SCARED by deep
tanyons wooded and boulder strewn.
Two thousand head of half wild Texan
cattle were scattered in herds through
out the canyon, living on more or less
suspicious terms with the other inhabi-
tants of the lonely and romantic region.
On this occasion the herds were driven
down in n body for muster, and for
the purpose of branding the calves.
After $50 breakfast this morning.
we started, the party being composed Of
my host, a hunter from the snowy range,
two stockmen from the plains, one OF
whom rode violent buck Jumper, and
was said by his comrade TO be the best
rider in North Americay," and myself.
We were all mounted on Mexican sad
dies, rode, as the custom is, with light
snafiie brides, leather guards over our
feet, and broad wooden stirrups, and
each carried his lunch in pouch slung
on the lassoing horn Of his saddle. Four
big, badly trained dogs accompanied us.
1t was "A ride of nearly thirty miles, and
of many hours, one of the most splendid
| ever took. We never got off our horses
except TO tighten the girths, we ate our
lunch with our brides knotted over our
saddlehorns. started over the level at
full gallop, leapt over trunks of trees.
dashed madly down hillsides rugged
with rocks or strewn with great stones,
forded deep, rapid streams. saw lovely
lakes and views of surprising magnifi-
cence. started herd OF elk with uncouth
heads and monstrous antlers, and in the
chase, which for some distance was un-
successful, rode TO the very base o.
Longs Peak, over l4,0O0 feet high,
where the bright waters of one Of the
affluents of the Platte burst from the
eternal SHOWS through canyon of indie,
scribable majesty. The sun was hot,
but at a height OF over eight thousand
feet the air was crisp and frosty, and
the enjoyment Of riding good horse
under such exhilarating circumstances
was extreme. In one wild part Of the
ride weshad TO come down steep hill.
thickly wooded with pitch pines. 10
leap over the fallen timber, and steer be-
tween the dead and living trees 10 avoid
being snaggcd," or bringing down
heavy dead branch by an unwary touch
Emerging from this, we caught sight
Of thousand Texan cattle feeding in a
valley below. The leaders scented us.
and, taking fright, began to move off in
the direction Of the open park. while
we were about mile from and above
ihem.
Head them off. boys" our leader
shouted; 'all aboard. bark awaym and
with something sf the High. ially-ho
in the morningm away we all went at
hand-gallop down hill. / could not
hold my excited ammal; down hill. up
hill. leaping over rocks and timber,
faster every moment the pace grew, and
still the leader shouted, GO IL, boysm
and the horses dashed on at racing
speed, passing and repassing eachEother,
till my small but beautiful bay was
keeping pace with the immense strides
of the great buck, Jumper ridden by the
finest rider in North Anericay." and
| was diZzied and breathless by the pace
at which we were going. A shorter
time than ii takes TO tell il brought us
close 20 and abreast Of the surge of cat
tie. The bovine waves were a grand
sight; huge bulls. shaped like bufaloes,
beloved and roared, and with great
oxen and cows with yearling calves,
Railoped Ike racers, ana we galloped
alongside of them. and shortly headed
them, and in no time were placed as
sentinels across the mouth of the valley.
1t seemed like infantry awaiting the
shock of cavalry. as we stood as still as
our excited horses would allow.
almost quailed as the surge came on.
but when it got close TO us my comra1es
hooted fearfully, and we dashed forward
with the dogs, and. with believing.
roaring and thunder Of hCofs, the wave
receded rs 1t came. ] rode up 10 our
leader, who received me with much
laughter. He said was good cattle
man." and that he had forgotten that
lady was of the party until he saw me
come leaping over the timber and
driving with the Others"
It was not for two hours after this
that the real business OF driving began.
and i was obliged TO change my thor
oughbred fora well-trained cattle horse.
a broncho. which could double like
hare. and go over any ground. 1 had
not expected to work like vahncro. but
so Il was. and my Hawaiian experience
was very useful We hunted the vari-
Gus canyons and known camps" drIv-
ing the herds out Of them; and, until
We had secured $50 head in the corral
some hours afterward, we scarcely saw
each other to speak to. Our first diff
Guilty was with a herd which got into
some swampy ground. when cow,
which afterward gave me an infinity of
trouble, remained at bay for nearly an
hour, tossing the dog three times, and
resisting all efforts TO dislodgc. She had
large ycarling calf with her, and
Evsns told me that the attachment of
COW 10 her first calf Is sometimes so
great that she will kill her second that
The first may have her milk. | got
herd of over hundred out of the canyon
by myself. and drove them down to the
river with the aid of one badly. broken
dog. which gave me more trouble than
the cattle. The getting over was most
troublesome; n few took TO the water
readily and went across, but others
smelt it. and then doubling back ran in
various directions; while some attacked
the dog as he was swimming, and
others after crossing headed hack in