Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-15

Correspondence British Columbian ]
OxAxAoox, Nov. 26.-The land boom
ID beginning TO subaide for this season,
bat With the opening Of spring Is 10
thought il viii loom up brighter than
ever. New corners still continue 70 Ar
rive. The branding season 10 passed.
and, although Il is somewhat tiresome
and dangerous, the royal sport connect
ed Herewith renders ii a period to be
looked forward to with no small amount
of pleasure. Generally two or three OF
these happy stock raisers aid one anoth-
or in this work TO their common advan-
ta9e. Early in tho morning half a dozen
or more men, well mounted, set ous TO
bring in band of cattle. They mostly
move of singing, "For they are jolly
good fellows," hymn with loud re.
frain, which echoes the hills among.
or else some patriotic song. according
as their tum-tum prompts About noon
they return with a band, and, as soon
as corraled, proceed to separate, the
calves only being left within. Next
a fire is lighted and the several
brands laid thereon. When red-hot,
three or four men, armed each
with a lariat, enter the corral. and
UIOCCCu W ld60O CuSh n ~ 1919 -
one is taken the end of the lar'at IS
passed between the logs of the corral
to the man attending the fire, who
makes il fast. Anoth lariat is thrown
around it's hind legs, then it is thrown
to the ground and quickly bounced upon
and held down by one of the men, while
another dexterOusly marks the ear with
a sharp knife; the next instant he is en-
veloped in a cloud of smoke, arising
from the heated brand burning through
the hair and coming ia cont set with the
skin. The lariats are then lOOsened
from its head and legs, when it quickly
reRains its feet, the whole operation be-
iu0 performed in less time than is re
auired to describe it. Where is the
danger here? just when the precOcious
and resentful beast gains its feet, shakes
its head and springs for the nearest
man, who springs decidedly faster for
the safety afforded in scaling the walls
Of the corral, and il only safe when the
Infatuated animal butts its head furi-
Ously against the logs, and recOils sur
veying the surroundings with a baffied
gaze. 1t is surprising how quickly each
occasionally one ia Overtaken and meas
uI0o ulo loukbu III tuO 0uosS Ainhak WAsu
a rib badly bent, or spine curved like a
crescent. From five to ten per cent OF
tie calves afford this anus ,nent. Deel
are very numerous on the mountains thif
season. Three of our Nimrods went
out lately expecting to be gone few
DAYS, but before noon of the first day
had killed eighteen. The best marks
man brought down tel of these with
twenty-five cartridges. Last spring ht
did much better, when he killed eight al
ten shots. The wolves haye lately taksr
a notion to leave their mountain haunts
and by night serenade US with theil
musical notes. As yet they have com
mitted no depredat,ons, but their pros
pectings appear suspicious, and some
are anxious for the safety vf theiI
sheep. The cayotes have done consider
able harm the past season, and always
more than the wolves. The govern
ment should place a bounty on theil
heads, as they did on the wolves. The
weather during the past week has beer
rather Indictment. 1t opened with rain
then turned Geld, and latterly to snow
The oldest inhabitant" being consult
cd. declares it without parallel, and
looks for an immediate change, and a
prolonged season of fine weather.