The herald., 1893-05-29
THE ART or RATA THROWING,
Arizona Charlie Tells Some
thing About the Matter.
It Is Purely a White Mans Weapon
of Offense and Defense.
Arizona Charlie Gives an Interesting 3
Talk About tho Use OF the Rata
and the Cooperation of
the Horse.


cone curious thing about the riata,"
said Arizona Charlie yesterday, lis that
there isn't tribe OF Indians that can
use it,"
"Why curious2"
"I have always understood" replied
the tall proprietor of the Wild West
show. putting his long hair behind his
ears, that the Comanche Indians were
once exp perts with the rope and there
is tradition that they were the pa
tentees, 60 to speak, Of its use in this
country. They don't know the tirat
principles at the present time, or any
other Indians I know anything about"
'Is it such difficult thing to learn"
''No, can't say thatit is among the
white people. They seem to have
knack for learning, but the Indians can't
do it. 1t seems strange, too, because
they are good horsemen. 1t depends
great deal on the horse as well as the
man."
''Did you ever see the lariat, or 80 the
Speniuh word 10, Ia rata, used IN the
foreign countries whore you have traV-
eled?''
"Not one. There were no people any
where who knew anything about IT,
and it was a constant source OF amuee-
ment TO me to zee the amazement with
which they saw how catsle conid
be handled in that way. In Australia
they use kind of whip, and the cow
| 4 = - than II
an art that as far as know is peculiar
to America at the present time.
"Now, IN tell you," said Charlie,
warming np as if the subject interested
him, "the native Californian, to my
mind, is The best in the line OF tie lariat.
By that mean, OF course, the Arizonans
and through the territories, because
they nearly all came from native Cali
fornia stock. In the early days they
were the experts and they. have kept on
being that, although they are hard
pressed by the husky young fellows
from all over the country who have
made the name Of cowboy distinct
term in the history of the west. When
comes to the get there people who
throw the riata as if 1t belonged to
them, though, the native Californian is
| the boss Before the present day,
whom everything ia becoming civilized,
there were no better horsemen or rata
| throwere In the world than the Califor-
uians, II seemed to come natural to
thom, ard they whispered in the ears OF
their horeer.
"The horses" continued Charlie, after
thoughtfully putting big clouds of smoke,
knew 40 much as the native Oalif0r-
mans, also. They were just as much in
terested in obeying the slightest touch
and standing or going when they ought
to do 40 az their riders. You see, it de-
renda on the horse as much ae the man.
| The slightest mistake OF the horse some
times means death when handling
cattle.
''I have seen my horse all but speak
when was in tight place.
~ remember once when we had to tie
up g couple of wild steers to tree be-
fore we could get after the rest. set
tied the rope around the one | went
after, and, inch by inch, as gave the
signel Bonnie Bees advanced step, re-
lieving the strain on the rope. Finally,
when ! got the big steer within 10 feet
OF the tree, Bess came up too far, and
the slack was such that the ---- animal
made at mo with a surge
l Jnhb WOut0 hhNO ARhNON AaAO
| into the middle OF next week.
If something had not prevented it.
did nothing. But that horse at the end
Of the rope took two steps backward,
brsced every muscle, and when the
horna OF the steer were just grazing me,
brought him up square and lifted him
off his feet. Maybe you think | didn't
try to express my gratitude. BY -, il
ueems to me today that Bess understood
me-"
"dow is the riste nader"
"It is rather an interesting process
A green hide 10 taken and put in salt fol
dsy or two. The hair is rubbed up
and the cutting is done in circle, be-
Qining in the middle and running about
in rings, which grow larger until the
whole hide ie uned. The long string
thus produced is stretched with weights
to take the stiffness out, and finally j
plated into long rope. Four strands
are generally used, and then 1t 10 treated
still further 30 that it becomes as soft
and pliable as necessary, much more 81
than anv graeB rope that was ever in
vented, After it 10 made 1t is generally
stiff until uaed for time, and when j
finally is eli right q cowboy wouldn'
part with it unless he was induced b,
liberal considerations. The lariats ar
generally long enough to make throw
Of so or 80 feet, but some are still longe
, than that"
"How far can certain throw b
mado?"
81 don't know exactly. 1t is safe t
cay not more than 40 or 80 feet.
course, there ars remarkable throws
but you can't put them as an average
You see the aim of the cowboy in actus
work ie to get there, and he doesn'
take any more chances than he cal
help. There have been some wonder
ful throws though. The longest | eve
knew wac about rs feet"
'Ie there any danger to the cowboy ?
"To be Rure. You see there Is pt
3 culiar motion with the hand, and ther
ars many men who are minus finger
from the unexpected turns of the rop'
have had some 16 years experienC
with it but beyond fingers off, and sue
4 things as that, / never saw any one VIII
a was actually killed by the latist--thi
+ is, I mean, OF course, his own rope"
= Thare was something serdonic abot
L.