The Portland daily press., 1896-03-31
COAST RANGE WILD CATTLE.
Nerve and Good Horsmanship Are Requi-
site in Capturing Them.

The youthfuiness of the coast range
and its typically volcanic origin doubt
less explain the occurrence of localities
which arc literally inextricable mazes Of
narrow oanons, leading into and out of
each other; many beginning with a pre-
oipitous waterfall, and ending in much
the same fashion. When 1t is born In
mind that in these recent formations every
canon opening upon the main valleys and
potreros has bewildering number Of
tributaries. and every tributary sub
canons ramifying lad indnitum" 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 noun
tains untrodden by man or horse will be
given ready credenoe.
Thus it happens that there are wild cat
tie running among these labyrinths
which have never seen human being,
md probably never will. Scarcity of
water and feed drives stock into unwont-
ed places, and a percentage never finds its
way back. The exploration of these
canons, therefore, is attended with con-
stanG surprises, mostly unpleasant, as a
steer eight or nine years old, unaoous-
toned to the. sight of man, is as undesira-
bic companion in a narrow guloh as a
grizzly.
fear of horse or rider, their capture and
subjugation involved display Of nerve
and Workmanship surely without par
allel. Tail in the air, the steer would
race up the mountain the moment he
caught sight Of the vaqueros. Up the
sleeps, through the brush, over barrancas
the yaqueros, neither sparing horse nor
needing obstacles, would succeed IN head
ing off the fugitive, who would imme-
diately show fight. While making rush
at one rider, as quick as a flash, the steer
Is lassooed by another round the horns.
and checked with jerk which filings it's
headquarters skywards. Before the as
tonished animal can gather its wits, the
yaquero who has him by the horns turns
his horse, and begins to drag the steer
toward the main band. Other vac ueros
beat it on the TANKS with their raitas,
and seek to overcome the bruJes reluc-
tanoe by jostling and kicking it from be-
hind with their heavy tapaderos-one of
the many uses to which the ornamental
leather covering Of the stirrups on u
Mexican saddle. is put.
III ILLS Induu6f, WIFI ulduy WlIu pluD&-
es from side to side, the open mouthed
bullock is snaked close to the rest of the
cattle, lassoed by the hind feet, stretched
out, thrown, and the rope slipped from
off its horns. AS he rises the steers hind
feet are allowed to free themselves. AS
a rule, refractory beeve, after such a
dressing, will at once join the main band
Our nine-year- old friend does nothing OF
the sort. With below and rush, see
ing every other channel blocked, he cuts
right through the herd, and is off across
the potrero at a swinging gallop Before
many yards are covered he is again
LASS d." dragged back to the herd,
thrown and released. Nothing daunted,
with lowered horns he makes a vicious
rush at one of the horses, which is eitter
avoided or, If unavoidable, received on
| the thick leather flap from which the
| stirrups and tapaderos are pendant. Re-
covering for another charge, the now
thoroughly Infatuated brute finds himself
strung up by the head and heels, and
thrown on his side. This time one horn
is secured to front foot before the steer
is allowed to rise. 1t was found neces-
sary to handicap more than dozen head
of cattle in this manner; many being
broncho COWS, as wicked in every respect
as steers. Fifty miles and more they
travelled on three legs and hobble.
| = While the condition of the majority OF
the stock was Indifferent, proportion
| being rejected by the butchers with con-
| tumely, the wild cattle were sleek and
| fat, their flesh, firm, sweet, ana of splen.
| did color. Overland.