Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-06-26
OALIFoRNIA's WILD CATTLE,
Good Horssmsnshlp Required to
Effect Their Capture.

/
I The youthfulness Of the coas
range and its typical volcanic origin
doubtless explain the occurrence o
localities which are literally inextric
able mazes of narrow canyons lead
ling in and out of each other, man,
beginning with precipitous water
fall and ending in much the sam,
fashion, says the Overland Monthly
When it is borne in mind that il
these recent formations every canyon
opening upon the main valleys AND
potreros has bewildering number
of tributaries, and every tributary
subcanyons ramifying lad infnitum'
from both sides, each an exact
counterpart of the other, the state
ment that there is a great deal OF
country among the San Rafael and
Sierra Madre del Sur mountains I'M
trodden by man or horse will be
given ready credence.
Thus it happens that there are
wild cattle running among these
iabyrinths which have never seen a
human being and probably. never
will. Scarcity of water and feed
drives stock into unwonted places,
and percentage never finds its way
back. The exploration Of these
canyons, therefore, is attended with
constant surprises, mostly unpleas-
ant, as a steer eight or nine years
old, unaccustomed to the sight of
man, is as undesirable a companion
in narrow gulch as grizzly.
Fleet as deer, and entirely with
out fear OF horse or rider, their cap
ture and subjugation involve a dis
play of nerve and Craftsmanship
surely without parallel. Tail in the
air, the steer would race up the
the moment he caught
sight of the vaqueros. Up the sleeps,
the brush, over barriers,
the vaqueros, neither sparing horse
nor needing obstacles, would sue
coed in heading off the fugitive, who
would Immediately show fight. While
a rush at one rider, as quick
as a fash the steer is lassoed by an
other around the horns, and checked
with a jerk which filings its hind
quarters skyward. Before the as
tonished animal can gather its wits
the vaquero who has him by the
horns turns his horse and begins to
drag the steer toward the main
band Other vaqueros beat it on the
tanks with their riatas, and seek to
overcome the brute's reluctance by
iostling and kicking it from behind |
with their heavy tapaderos-one Of
the multitudinous uses to which the |
leather covering of the |
;tirrups on a Mexican saddle is put.
In this manner, with many wild
plunges from side to side, the open
bullock is snaked close to
the rest of the cattle, lassoed by the
hind feet, stretched out, thrown,
and the rope slipped from OF 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 a
below and rush, seeing every other
channel blocked, he cuts right
through the herd, and is off across
the potrero at swinging gallop.
Before many yards are covered, he is
again "lass'd," dragged back to the
herd, thrown and released. Moth
ing daunted, with lowered horns he
makes a vicious rush at one of the
horses, which is either avoided, or,
if unavoidable, received on the
thick leather flap from which the
STRIPS and tapaderos are pendent.
Recovering for another charge, the
now thoroughly infuriated brute
finds himself strung up by the head
and heels, and thrown on his side.
This time one horn is secured to q
front foot, before the steer is al
lowed to rise. 1t was found neces-
sary to handicap more than dozen
head of cattle in this manner; many
being bronco cows, as wicked in
every respect as steers. Fifty miles
and more they travelled on three
legs and a hobble. .....
While the condition of the major
ity of the stock was indifferent,
proportion being rejected by the
butchers with contumely, the wild
cattle were sleek and fat, their flesh
firm, sweet and of splendid color.