Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-06
swinging the Lariat.
From q kontana Letter.

noticed variety of lariats with a
roundup party, nearly all OF which were
made of the very best quality of hemp,
twisted so extremely tight that it was al
most impossible to uptwist the strands.
Others were made OF sinew cords, and
were braided very neatly, the ends or
lass0ing parts being creased so as to slip
easily. These lassos were about 80 or s.
feet long, One-third of which forms the
moose, and when swinging 1t it is grasped
little above the loop, so as to pre-
vent the same from slipping until
launched through the air. The lasso is
swung over the head and left shoulder
and back over the right shoulder, a pecu-
liar turn of the wrist as it begins to re-
turn keeping the loop wide open. When
flying through the air the moose takes
slightly oval form. but remains open, and
settles quietly around the object aimed
at. Michigan exhibited TO me the
modus operRndi Of handling the rope,
and some OF his afeats performed In my
presence were not only executed with
marvellous precision, but were also beau
titul to look at. The model cowboy is GER
taInly an expert in his profession, per-
haps the best rider and lassOist in the
whole Northwest. What SlossOn is to bill
lizards McGaigan is to his profession.
One afternoon, while lOafng around the
camp fire on the Musselshell, McGaigRn
and got talking about the skill he had
acquired in throwing cattle, and | had
little difficulty in persuading him to let
me into the secrets OF Its wonderful dex-
terity and actually showing me some OF
the fine points OF the business Mount
ing our bronchOs we rode off through the
sagebrush and out upon the open prairie,
where numberless cattle were peacefully
munching the luXuriant buffalo grass.
My friend had his best lariat fastened TO
the pOmmel of the saddle and first showed
me many fancy shots, throwing the lassO
from or 10 any point, over either shoulder,
behind or in front.
He caught a tremendous bull by the
horns, who looked up in surprise and
started OFF like a steam engine, but the
pony bestrode by the cowboy planted his
forefeet firmly in the ground and checked
Mr. Bull in mis- mad career before the lat
GER got we'll started. The enraged steer
went round and round in a circle at a 2:40
gait, the pony acting as perfect pivot
aud turning slowly around with him; but
IL was no use; the bull was a prisoner,
and would have remained 50 had not Nc
Gaigan taken pity on him and passed the
wonderful ring down the line, upon which
the rope leaped from around the horns and
fell 10 the ground.
mcQdlHdn ItInhThcu bnhb III was no
credit to catch "a bull by the horns, for he
can not be thrown by them, and Ia SIM
ply held as a prisoner, but the skill OF
throwing lassO il to pitch the moose Just
in front OF an animal when ne is going at
full gallOp, so that at the next step he
treads into 1t. He tried 10 on another
bull while both of our ponies were jump
ing along on o dead run. The old fellow
was going about as fast as we were, but
the fatal loop shot through the air at
tangert, and fell, wide open, just in front
Of him, on the ground. The left forefOOt
plunged square into the circle. the rope
was tiRhtened with sudden jerk, and
the steer rolled over in the dust, as clev-
erly caught as anything ever saw. The
DrOBchO. too, understOOd his part OF the
business thoroughly, for he bore at the
right moment in the opposite direction,
else he might have been thrown instead
Of the bull, 20 which he was much infe.
rior in weight.
Michigan also caught great big steers
gallOpng past at an angle by any leg
named. Not once was his judgment At
fault. The moose whizZing through the
air in every direction went as true TO the
mark as a bullet shot from a rifle.