The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-15
The Use Of the. Lass o.


A lasso is about forty feet long-seidom
exceeding fifty feet-and out Of that must
be deducted the amount taken in making
the moose and the part which is retained
in the hand Thus IL is seen that the
average cast is about twenty-five or thir-
ty feet, and the roper who can throw
anywhere near fifty feet with accuracy
is rarity. In California they sometimes
use rope as long as sixty-fve feet. but
there they seem 10 have habit OF
throwing an enormously large loop
| much larger than Is really necessary In
actual work. however. it viii be found
that mans hand Is not large enough 70
| properly hold much more than forty feet
of rope when eoiled ready 10 throw.
The Iasso is creation OF a certain en-
vironment and need It's place is on the
broad prairies and grazing lands. and its
chief utility lies in 'the stock business.
1t Is almost useless in a. wooded country.
by reason of the obstructions afforded by
branches and brushes The finest lasSOs
are OF rawhide. cut into thin strips, and
/ braided, six-ply. into a rope OF from
three-eights 10 one-half inch in diameter.
4 They are quite expensive. a good forty
/ foot rope costing about s.. on this ac-
count of late years hard-twisted grass
rope is used; but the rawhide rope IS the
/ best in a wind as IL is heavier and when
| filed with oil ii is not affected bv wet
weather. A braided rope also. has less
( tendency 10 kink than a twisted rope.
/ Cowboys have mixture OF lard and
/ beeswax with which they dress their
hemp or linen ropes, TO keep out damp
/ ness, and also to prevent them from get
+ ting too dry. The most celebrated OF the
/ genuine 'riatas" are made In Chicago,
which produces an article much superior
/ TO the rougher ones turned out in Mexico.
! There are three general methods OF
/ throwing, with many minor variations OF
/ individual habit. The rope is held IN prac-
ticaliy the same way in every case. First
Is the plain, straight cast. moose swinging
around above the head from right 10
/ left, by rotating wrist movement.
Some ropers throw a small loop, hard and
/ fast, almost on a level: others a large
/ lazier kind, which nevertheless arrives"
| Most men favor the small loop thrown
/ hard, as II seems the best ali-around
/ style. most effective against the wind or
/ rather adverse conditions
/ The aim is somewhat to the right Of the
! object 10 be roped-say a foot and half
/ on a twenty-fiye-foot throw, the exact
/ instant Of release being governed By
weight Of rape, wind, velocity Of swing
/ Ing, etc. Judgment comes instinctively
I with practice The rest OF the rope Is
/ held eoiled in the other hand and releas-
! ed as fast as desired, two or three coils
being retained.
To ''snub' the rope (wind II about the
| pommel after casting) In the instant OF
time allowed Is a trick quite as difficult
as throwing properly. The Mexicans. with
| their large diameter pommels, have 10
take only one turn; the American pom
mels being smaller, require two The
pommel often smokes from the friction
created, and is frequently deeply grooved
and almost burned by the rope. The i'm
portant part played by the trained pony
is obvious. He IS taught 70 settle back
on his launches the minute the rope be-
gins to tighten, and in many other ways
| materially to assist his master.
The second method of throwing is ex-
actly the reverse, T. G., the moose IS swung
from the left to right above the head be-
fore release. This is called the cali
fornia throw and possibly gives little
greater range. At any rate. one or two
OF the longest throwers use Il. Any good
roper can throw either way.
The third case IS the coral drag"
which, as fits name indicates. IS for use
afoot, and in confined quarters. II con-
sists in trailing out the rope on the
ground Denind one ana swapping II Tor
ward by an underhand motion.
The lasso's greatest effectiveness as a
weapon is when the wielder is mounted
When both adversaries are afoot IT'S wall
ue is very slight With cattle or horses
IT is an entirely different thing. The
whole essence Of the matter Is 10 tighten
the moose around an opponent with a
! jerk sufficient to dismount him or take
| him off his feet. To that end you may
! ride past him swiftly. or, II pursuing
him. stop your horse suddenly. or. If ne
/ is stationary, and YOU cannot ride past
him, you can wheel your horse and retire
after a successful cast. IN lassoing a
man, II done skllfulIy. the instant Of time
is too brief for him either to throw or
the Tightening moose or cut It. And It is
one of the most deceptive things 20 at
| tempt to dodge.
1t is possible to control the moose Of a
lasso by the remainder Of the rope. but
It is a dexterity which few acquire in
years. The finest roper Vicente Oropess,
champion Of Old Mexico can do this 20
perfection. and his performance IS one
OF the ablest things in that interesting
exposition OF craftsmanship. Oropesa f.
an enthusiast. The Mexicans tell me
that one night the champion dreamed Of
a new cast. and at once got up and went
out scantily clad. and IN half On hour
I had mastered IT.