arizona nights-第12节

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of　the　wranglers；　and　made　out　a　cloud　of　dust。　　In　a　moment　the

first　of　the　remuda　came　into　view；　trotting　forward　with　the

free　grace　of　the　unburdened　horse。　　Others　followed　in

procession：　those　near　sharp　and　well　defined；　those　in　the

background　more　or　less　obscured　by　the　dust；　now　appearing

plainly；　now　fading　like　ghosts。　　The　leader　turned

unhesitatingly　into　the　corral。　　After　him　poured　the　stream　of

the　remudatwo　hundred　and　fifty　saddle　horseswith　an

unceasing　thunder　of　hoofs。



Immediately　the　cook…camp　was　deserted。　　The　cowboys　entered　the

corral。　　The　horses　began　to　circle　around　the　edge　of　the

enclosure　as　around　the　circumference　of　a　circus　ring。　　The　men；

grouped　at　the　centre；　watched　keenly；　looking　for　the　mounts

they　had　already　decided　on。　　In　no　time　each　had　recognised　　　

his　choice；　and；　his　loop　trailing；　was　walking　toward　that　part

of　the　revolving　circumference　where　his　pony　dodged。　　Some　few

whirled　the　loop；　but　most　cast　it　with　a　quick　flip。　　It　was

really　marvellous　to　observe　the　accuracy　with　which　the　noose

would　fly；　past　a　dozen　tossing　heads；　and　over　a　dozen　backs；　to

settle　firmly　about　the　neck　of　an　animal　perhaps　in　the　very

centre　of　the　group。　　But　again；　if　the　first　throw　failed；　it

was　interesting　to　see　how　the　selected　pony　would　dodge；　double

back；　twist；　turn；　and　hide　to　escape　second　cast。　　And　it　was

equally　interesting　to　observe　how　his　companions　would　help　him。



They　seemed　to　realise　that　they　were　not　wanted；　and　would　push

themselves　between　the　cowboy　and　his　intended　mount　with　the

utmost　boldness。　　In　the　thick　dust　that　instantly　arose；　and

with　the　bewildering　thunder　of　galloping；　the　flashing　change　of

grouping；　the　rush　of　the　charging　animals；　recognition　alone

would　seem　almost　impossible；　yet　in　an　incredibly　short　time

each　had　his　mount；　and　the　others；　under　convoy　of　the

wranglers；　were　meekly　wending　their　way　out　over　the　plain。　

There；　until　time　for　a　change　of　horses；　they　would　graze　in　a

loose　and　scattered　band；　requiring　scarcely　any　supervision。　

Escape？　　Bless　you；　no；　that　thought　was　the　last　in　their　minds。

　　　　　

In　the　meantime　the　saddles　and　bridles　were　adjusted。　　Always　in

a　cowboy's　〃string〃　of　from　six　to　ten　animals　the　boss　assigns

him　two　or　three　broncos　to　break　in　to　the　cow　business。　　

Therefore；　each　morning　we　could　observe　a　half　dozen　or　so　men

gingerly　leading　wicked　looking　little　animals　out　to　the　sand

〃to　take　the　pitch　out　of　them。〃　　One　small　black；　belonging　to　a

cowboy　called　the　Judge；　used　more　than　to　fulfil　expectations　of

a　good　time。

　　　　

〃Go　to　him；　Judge！〃　someone　would　always　remark。

　　　　

〃If　he　ain't　goin'　to　pitch；　I　ain't　goin'　to　make　him〃；　the

Judge　would　grin；　as　he　swung　aboard。

　　　　　

The　black　would　trot　off　quite　calmly　and　in　a　most　matter　of

fact　way；　as　though　to　shame　all　slanderers　of　his　lamb…like

character。　　Then；　as　the　bystanders　would　turn　away；　he　would

utter　a　squeal；　throw　down　his　head；　and　go　at　it。　　He　was　a　very

hard　bucker；　and　made　some　really　spectacular　jumps；　but　the

trick　on　which　he　based　his　claims　to　originality　consisted　in

standing　on　his　hind　legs　at　so　perilous　an　approach　to　the

perpendicular　that　his　rider　would　conclude　he　was　about　to　fall

backwards；　and　then　suddenly　springing　forward　in　a　series　of

stiff…legged　bucks。　The　first　manoeuvre　induced　the　rider　to

loosen　his　seat　in　order　to　be　ready　to　jump　from　under；　and　the

second　threw　him　before　he　could　regain　his　grip。

　　　　　

〃And　they　say　a　horse　don't　think！〃　exclaimed　an　admirer。

　　　　　　

But　as　these　were　broken　horsessave　the　mark！the　show　was　all

over　after　each　had　had　his　little　fling。　　We　mounted　and　rode

away；　just　as　the　mountain　peaks　to　the　west　caught　the　rays　of　a

sun　we　should　not　enjoy　for　a　good　half　hour　yet。

　　　　　　

I　had　five　horses　in　my　string；　and　this　morning　rode　〃that　C　S

horse；　Brown　Jug。〃　　Brown　Jug　was　a　powerful　and　well…built

animal；　about　fourteen　two　in　height；　and　possessed　of　a　vast

enthusiasm　for　cow…work。　　As　the　morning　was　frosty；　he　felt

good。

　　　　　


At　the　gate　of　the　water　corral　we　separated　into　two　groups。　

The　smaller；　under　the　direction　of　Jed　Parker；　was　to　drive　the

mesquite　in　the　wide　flats。　　The　rest　of　us；　under　the　command　of

Homer；　the　round…up　captain；　were　to　sweep　the　country　even　as

far　as　the　base　of　the　foothills　near　Mount　Graham。　　Accordingly

we　put　our　horses　to　the　full　gallop。

　　　　

Mile　after　mile　we　thundered　along　at　a　brisk　rate　of　speed。　

Sometimes　we　dodged　in　and　out　among　the　mesquite　bushes；

alternately　separating　and　coming　together　again；　sometimes　we

swept　over　grassy　plains　apparently　of　illimitable　extent；　

sometimes　we　skipped　and　hopped　and　buck…jumped　through　and　over

little　gullies；　barrancas；　and　other　sorts　of　malpaisbut　always

without　drawing　rein。　　The　men　rode　easily；　with　no　thought　to

the　way　nor　care　for　the　footing。　　The　air　came　back　sharp

against　our　faces。　　The　warm　blood　stirred　by　the　rush　flowed

more　rapidly。　　We　experienced　a　delightful　glow。　　Of　the　morning

cold　only　the　very　tips　of　our　fingers　and　the　ends　of　our　noses

retained　a　remnant。　　Already　the　sun　was　shining　low　and　level

across　the　plains。　　The　shadows　of　the　canons　modelled　the

hitherto　flat　surfaces　of　the　mountains。



After　a　time　we　came　to　some　low　hills　helmeted　with　the　outcrop

of　a　rock　escarpment。　　Hitherto　they　had　seemed　a　termination　of

Mount　Graham；　but　now；　when　we　rode　around　them；　we　discovered

them　to　be　separated　from　the　range　by　a　good　five　miles　of

sloping　plain。　　Later　we　looked　back　and　would　have　sworn　them

part　of　the　Dos　Cabesas　system；　did　we　not　know　them　to　be　at

least　eight　miles'　distant　from　that　rocky　rampart。　　It　is　always

that　way　in　Arizona。　　Spaces　develop　of　whose　existence　you　had

not　the　slightest　intimation。　　Hidden　in　apparently　plane

surfaces　are　valleys　and　prairies。　　At　one　sweep　of　the　eye　you

embrace　the　entire　area　of　an　eastern　State；　but　nevertheless　the

reality　as　you　explore　it　foot　by　foot　proves　to　be　infinitely

more　than　the　vision　has　promised。

　　　　　

Beyond　the　hill　we　stopped。　　Here　our　party　divided　again；　half

to　the　right　and　half　to　the　left。　　We　had　ridden；　up　to　this

time；　directly　away　from　camp；　now　we　rode　a　circumference　of

which　headquarters　was　the　centre。　　The　country　was　pleasantly

rolling　and　covered　with　grass。　　Here　and　there　were　clumps　of

soapweed。　　Far　in　a　remote　distance　lay　a　slender　dark　line

across　the　plain。　　This　we　knew　to　be　mesquite；　and　once　entered；

we　knew　it；　too；　would　seem　to　spread　out　vastly。　　And　then　this　

grassy　slope；　on　which　we　now　rode；　would　show　merely　as　an

insignificant　streak　of　yellow。　　It　is　also　like　that　in　Arizona。



I　have　ridden　in　succession　through　grass　land；　brush　land；

flower　land；　desert。　　Each　in　turn　seemed　entirely　to　fill　the

space　of　the　plains　between　the　mountains。

　　　　

From　time　to　time　Homer　halted　us　and　detached　a　man。　　The

business　of　the　latter　was　then　to　ride　directly　back　to　camp；

driving　all　cattle　before　him。　　Each　was　in　sight　of　his　right…　

and　left…hand　neighbour。　　Thus　was　constructed　a　drag…net　whose

meshes　contracted　as　home　was　neared。

　　　　

I　was　detached；　when　of　our　party　only　the　Cattleman　and　Homer

remained。　　They　would　take　the　outside。　　This　was　the　post　of

honour；　and　required　the　hardest　riding；　for　as　soon　as　the

cattle　should　realise　the　fact　of　their　pursuit；　they　would

attempt　to　〃break〃　past　the　end　and　up　the　valley。　　Brown

Jug　and　I　congratulated　ourselves　on　an　exciting　morning　in

prospect。

　　　　　

Now；　wild　cattle　know　perfectly　well　what　a　drive　means；　and　they

do　not　intend　to　get　into　a　round…up　if　they　can　help　it。　　Were

it　not　for　the　two　facts；　that　they　are　afraid　of　a　mounted　man；

and　cannot　run　quite　so　fast　as　a　horse；　I　do　not　know　how　the

cattle　business　would　be　conducted。　　As　soon　as　a　band　of　them

caught　sight　of　any　one　of　us；　they　curled　their　tails　and　away

they　went　at　a　long；　easy　lope　that　a　domestic　cow　would　stare　at

in　wonder。　　This　was　all　very　well；　in　fact　we　yelled　and

shrieked　and　otherwise　uttered　cow…calls　to　keep　them　going；　to

〃get　the　cattle　started；〃　as　they　say。　　But　pretty　soon　a　little

band　of　the　many　scurrying　away　before　our　thin　line；　began　to

bear　farther　and　farther　to　the　east。　　When　in　their　judgment

they　should　have　gained　an　opening；　they　would　turn　directly　back

and　make　a　dash　for　liberty。　　Accordingly　the　nearest　cowboy

clapped　spurs　to　his　horse　and　pursued　them。

　　　　　　

It　was　a　pretty　race。　　The　cattle　ran　easily　enough；　with　long；

springy　jumps　that　carried　them　over　the　ground　faster　than

appearances　would　lead　one　to　believe。　　The　cow…pony；　his　nose

stretched　out；　his　ears　slanted；　his　eyes　snapping　with　joy　of

the　chase；　flew　fairly　〃belly　to　earth。〃　　Th