Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-02-09
TURKEY oouRslNa IN MEXICO.
Caught With Deg and Lariat After an
Exciting Chnae

n WilbSi S4NSS tiS lullOWlHB DTlpnl
picture of wild turkey hunt in Mex.
leo, He is the guest of an old friend in
the San Bernardino bottoms, and from
his hacienda they thus sally forth for
their sport:
1--WE are in the saddle at daybrealx,
for the turkeys come down early to
drink and feed in the open vegas, or
parks, The grcyhounds, which have
not been fed since shutdown, have an
eager, hungry look about them that
presages a keen, quick run when the
game is found 1t is gathering en-
famille. The young ladies are mount
ed-one on stylish-loolting pinto; the
other on fiea-bitten roam, who is bet
ter than he looks, You are surprised
to see them astride and in semi-mascu-
line costume; but no matter, You will
see riding to-day, and of a kind that
disbars the use of habit And then
who could expect to use the RATA in any
other position?
The Don on his big black, and Pedro
| (the peon) on his clay bank, leading q
| pack mule, bring up the rear. For our
selves we have a pair of iron grays well
Injured to the business, and at each
pommel hangs Il light bucksl1in lariat,
| made especially for this work. Pedro
alone carries my Winchester, in case of
emergency, or on the chance of big
game, and with the hounds in leash,
we head for the mesa, near Elias creek
We are on the ground now, in the
shelter of the timber, and every eye is
strained for the sight of the game.
Dolores points quickly toward NOV
ing object in the edge of the woods,
two hundred yards away, and you ut
ter an exclamation of establishment,
! for, there, with an. undulated sweep
like wave on the sea beach, you see a
line of glossy plumage surge out on
the open stretch. Ten, fifteen, twenty
minutes pass, and still they come. Then
the last straggler has entered the
chaparral, and we uncoil our lariats
Sit deep in your saddle now and ride
as you never rode before The air in
front of you is black with rushing
forms, but their fight will be short,
and there is open ground ahead. The
thorny chaparral tears at your legs,
and you know now why the senoritas
ride astride and eschew riding habits,
Mark them in the van, with lassoS
playing a rataplan on their horses
TANKS, and their hair streaming in the
wind. Now we, have reached the open
ground, and already we see the lead
ers drop to the ground and break into
n run. The hounds are closing up rap
idly, and in n moment will be upor
them, A frantic gobble of terror, and
the hindmost springs into the air, but
his fat body has been over-nurtured by
the abundance of mast, and the take
off is slow. A streak of tan-coloreC
hair springs up after him, and in an
other second we hear the champ of the
jaws as he rolls him over in The
loose soil. Another leap through tn,
cloud Of dust, and the other hound il
fast to a magnificent gobbler, which
is still kicking as we ride up
"Bravol Flash! Good dog Swift
After them, boys!" and leaving the dy
ing birds for Pedro to pick up, we fy
onward in swift pursuit. Three times
is this repeated, but the flights are get
ting shorter, and now the hounds xii
them on the ground, They seattle
confusedly, and Dolores swings her lar
lat over her head Zip! and there is
laughing cry of triumph as the flying
moose encircles the head of a big COB
bier and doubles him up with broker
neck Whizz! and my own lariat crosse
Conehita's, as we both pull our bird
up standing, and rapidly haul them il
hand over hand A blow on the hea,
from the loaded end of our Cuerta
(whips), and we leave them where the,
lie, and coil our ropes anew. But yoI
. have not been idle. Well thrown, M
L. friend! But your loop was triflc large
. and the outstretched neck is very lon
I and thin. The moose catches hin
, around the body just in front of tn
J wings and he will be loose immediate
5 ly. Turn your horse now and gallo
like mad through yonder clump G
> greasewood, dragging him through
4 where he shall catch and break hi
. neck in the branches. "Bueno! Am
+ 60" and you have roped and l1ille
: your bird in gallant style. But Sc
t yonder! For the third time the oil
Don is coiling his rope on the run.
/ huge turkey leaves the ground in las
D spasmodic flight, but the big black
r almost on him as he raises. Once, twice
thrice the old mans arm whirl
i above his head; then the slende
. coil leaves his hand in an unbro6e
circle, and, gradually diminishing as
{ goes, falls in an eight-inch ring direct
{ ly in front of the turkey, who drive
mis- neck into it with thud which
! distinctly audible from where we sill
l watching that superb cast The train
e ed black wheels instantly, and in
i. cloud of dust and glory, with his priz
e bounding like huge rubber ball q
l. the end of his taut rata, the old va
b quero comes galloping up to us, bow
ing to his pommel in graceful a
:, acknowledgement of the enthusiast
h praise we shower upon him.
d We literally choke off TIM dogs no
t and assist Pedro in picking up an
e packing our game. We have eightee
v turkeys in the panniers, and only ste
y long enough to let you try your han
o again on one old fellow of alderman
proportions which we find slsulking
d the brush. Amid running fire of je
e and laughing raillery we run him to
Is standstill, and, after score of futi
lie attempts, in which you successive'
catch your hat your horses neck, an
innumerable mesquite boughs, yo1
rope settles down fairly on his bron;
u neck, and he is hauled out amid mir
ic thunder of applause. Shooting an