Morning journal and courier., 1885-08-10
Handling the Lariat.

From d MOnIlna LeCCer
 noti .ed variety of lariats with round up party, nearly all of which were made of the very best quality of hemp, twisted so ex- tremely tight that it was almost impossible to untwist the strands Others were made of sinew chords, and were braided very neatly, the ends or lassoing parts being greased so as to slip easily. Their lassos were about to or 65 feet long, one-third of which forms the moose, and when swinging it is grasped a lit tie above the loop, so as to prevent the same from slipping until lau1 ed through the air. The lasso is swung o1. .r the head and left shoulder and back over the right shoul- der, peculiar turn of the wrist as it begins to return keeping the loop wide open. When living through the air the moose takes a slightly oval form, but remains open, and settles quietly around the object aimed at McGaigan exhibited to me the modus oper- andi of handling the rope, and some of his feats performed ill my presence were not only executed with marvellous precision, but were also beautiful to look at. The model cowboy is certainly an expert in his profession, perhaps the best rider and lassoist iRthe whole Northwest. What Slosson is to ~bil- lizards McGaigan is to his profession.
 Ore afternoon, while loafng around the camp fire on the Musselshell, McGaigau and l got talking about the skill he had acquired in throwing cattle, and I had very little diff
 
 secrets of his wonderful dexterity and actual ly showing me some of the fine points of the business. Mounting 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 pummel of the saddle and first showed me many fancy shots, throwing the lasso from or to any point, over either shoulder, behind or it front.
 He caught tremendous bull by the horns, who looked up in surprise and started off like steam engine, but the pony be- strode by the cowboy planted his forefeet firmly in the ground and checked MT. Bull in his mad career before the latter got well started. The enraged steer went round and round in circle at 2:40 gait the pony acting as a perfect pivot and turning slowly around with him; but it was use; the bull was prisoner, and would have remained so had not Michigan taken pity on him and passed the wonderful ring down the line, upon which the rope leaped from around the horns and fell to the ground.
 Michigan remarked that 1t was no credit to catch bull by the horns, for he cannot be thrown by them, and Is simply held q prisoner but the skill of throwing 1asse is te pitch the moose just in front of an animal when he is going at full gallop, 50 that at the next step he treads into 1t, lie trisd 1t en
 
 jumping along on dead run, The old fel= low was going about as fast as we were, but the fatal loop shot through the air at tan= gent, and fell, wide open, just in front of him, on the ground, The left forefoet plung- ed square into the circle, the rope was tight ensd with sudden jerk, and the steer rolled over in the dust, as eleyerly caught as any. thing ever saw. The broncho, too, under. stood his part of the business thoroughly. foI he bore at the right moment in the opposite direction, else he might have been throwr instead of the bull, to which he was mucl inferior in weight.
 Michigan also caught great big steers gal loping past at an angle by any leg named Not once was his judgment at fault Tn, moose whizzing through the air in every di rection went as true to the mark as a bulle shot from rife.
 was much taken with the free and easy sort of life experienced by this roundup party and enjoyed the trip of camping out ex perience so hugely that was almost tempted to give up the profession of a scribe and be come cowboy myself, but thought better of it next day, and, although I had lots O fun and enjoyment, concluded that cowboy life must have its dark as well as it's bright | sunny side.