The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-22
HANDLING WIN CATTLE.
In the ThOrny ChnDaraI of the Cali
fOrnia Foothills,
Alan owen Dbl Overland MonfhlY.

Alan owen in Overland Monthly.
1t is not given to every one to become
expert at handling wild cattle, and with
the rope, even on the prairies, where the
work is comparatively plain sailing. II
certainly requires a temperament out Of
the common to be able to work stock in
the San Rafaels Driven cattle will take
10 scrub oak and chaparral, growing eight
and ten. feet high, to hide; and into the
brush, however dense, horse and rider
must be trained TO plunge. Few horses
overcome their fear OF the prickly growth
fewer men, and both emerge from the en-
therefore, OF the raw-hide apron, tarmosi
worn by the vaqueros in the mountains
will be self-evident. They take the place
Of chapareJos, over which they possess
several advantages, not the least being
their great GOODNESS, and the facility with
which they are donned and DOTTED Tam
ned buck or shecpskin, capable Of turning
mesquite, grease-wood, or sage, would not
prevent scrub oak from wrenching a rid
er's knee-cap well-ngh out OF its sock
ct. or the burned stubs penetrating the
leather and the horseman's flesh.
The youthfulness Of the coast range and
It's typically volcanic origin, doubtless ex-
plain the occurrence Of localities which
are literally inextricable mazes of narrow
canyons, leading into and out Of each
other: many beginning with a precipitous
waterfall and ending in much the same
fashion. When IL is borne IN mind that IN
these recent formations every CANYON
opening upon the main valleys and po-
treros has a bewildering number Of trfbu-
taries. and every tributary sub-canyons
ramifying "ad hnitum" from both sides.
each an exact counterpart of the other
the statement that there Is a great deal
Of country among the San Rafael and
Sierra Madre del Sur mountains untrod-
den By man or horse will be given ready
credence.
Thus it happens that there are wild
cattle running among these labyrlnths,
which nave never seen a human being
and probably never will. Scarcity of wa
ter and feed drives stock into unwonted
places, and a percentage never finds its
way back. The exploration Of these can
yons is therefore attended with constant
surprises, mostly unpleasant as a steer
eight or nine years old. unaccust toned
companion in narrow gulch as a griz-
Ely.
Fleet as dear, and entirely without fear
of horse or rider, their capture and sub
jugation involved a display Of nerve and
horsemanship surely without a parallel
the mountain the moment he caught sight
Of the vaqueros. Up the sleeps, through
the brush, over barrancas the VaquerOs
neither sparlng horse nor needing OBJ
stacles, would succeed in heading or
the fugitive, who would Immediately show
der, as quick as fash the steer IS
lassOed by another round the horns. and
checked with a jerk which filings lfs
headquarters skyward Before the aston
ished animal can gather its wits, the
vaquero who has him BY the horns turns
his horse and begins TO drag the steer
toward tho main band. Other vaqueros
beat IL on the TANKS with their riatas and
seek to overcome the brute's resistance
bY iostling and kicking II from behind