arizona nights-第14节

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enveloped　us；　and　we　knew　little　more；　save　the　anxiety　lest　we

overlook　laggards　in　the　brush；　until　we　came　out　on　the　edge　of

that　same　white　plain。

　　　

Here　were　more　cattle；　thousands　of　them；　and　billows　of　dust；

and　a　great　bellowing；　and　slim；　mounted　figures　riding　and

shouting　ahead　of　the　herd。　　Soon　they　succeeded　in　turning　the

leaders　back。　　These　threw　into　confusion　those　that　followed。　

In　a　few　moments　the　cattle　had　stopped。　　A　cordon　of　horsemen

sat　at　equal　distances　holding　them　in。

　　　

〃Pretty　good　haul；〃　said　the　man　next　to　me；　〃a　good　five

thousand　head。〃







CHAPTER　SIX

CUTTING　OUT



It　was　somewhere　near　noon　by　the　time　we　had　bunched　and　held

the　herd　of　some　four　or　five　thousand　head　in　the　smooth；　wide

flat；　free　from　bushes　and　dog　holes。　　Each　sat　at　ease　on　his

horse　facing　the　cattle；　watching　lazily　the　clouds　of　dust　and

the　shifting　beasts；　but　ready　at　any　instant　to　turn　back　the

restless　or　independent　individuals　that　might　break　for　liberty。

　　　

Out　of　the　haze　came　Homer；　the　round…up　captain；　on　an　easy

lope。　　As　he　passed　successively　the　sentries　he　delivered　to

each　a　low　command；　but　without　slacking　pace。　　Some　of　those

spoken　to　wheeled　their　horses　and　rode　away。　　The　others　settled

themselves　in　their　saddles　and　began　to　roll　cigarettes。



〃Change　horses；　get　something　to　eat；〃　said　he　to　me；　so　I　swung

after　　the　file　traveling　at　a　canter　over　the　low　swells　beyond

the　plain。



The　remuda　had　been　driven　by　its　leaders　to　a　corner　of　the

pasture's　wire　fence；　and　there　held。　　As　each　man　arrived　he

dismounted；　threw　off　his　saddle；　and　turned　his　animal　loose。　

Then　he　flipped　a　loop　in　his　rope　and　disappeared　in　the　eddying

herd。　　The　discarded　horse；　with　many　grunts；　indulged　in　a

satisfying　roll；　shook　himself　vigorously；　and　walked　slowly

away。　　His　labour　was　over　for　the　day；　and　he　knew　it；　and　took

not　the　slightest　trouble　to　get　out　of　the　way　of　the　men　with

the　swinging　ropes。

　　　

Not　so　the　fresh　horses；　however。　　They　had　no　intention　of　being

caught；　if　they　could　help　it；　but　dodged　and　twisted；　hid　and

doubled　behind　the　moving　screen　of　their　friends。　　The　latter；

seeming　as　usual　to　know　they　were　not　wanted；　made　no　effort　to

avoid　the　men；　which　probably　accounted　in　great　measure　for　the

fact　that　the　herd　as　a　body　remained　compact；　in　spite　of　the

cowboys　threading　it；　and　in　spite　of　the　lack　of　an　enclosure。

　　　　

Our　horses　caught；　we　saddled　as　hastily　as　possible；　and　then　at

the　top　speed　of　our　fresh　and　eager　ponies　we　swept　down　on　the

chuck　wagon。　　There　we　fell　off　our　saddles　and　descended　on　the

meat　and　bread　like　ravenous　locusts　on　a　cornfield。　　The　ponies

stood　where　we　left　them；　〃tied　to　the　ground〃；　the

cattle…country　fashion。

　　　

As　soon　as　a　man　had　stoked　up　for　the　afternoon　he　rode　away。　

Some　finished　before　others；　so　across　the　plain　formed　an

endless　procession　of　men　returning　to　the　herd；　and　of　those

whom　they　replaced　coming　for　their　turn　at　the　grub。

　　　

We　found　the　herd　quiet。　　Some　were　even　lying　down；　chewing

their　cuds　as　peacefully　as　any　barnyard　cows。　Most；　however；

stood　ruminative；　or　walked　slowly　to　and　fro　in　the　confines

allotted　by　the　horsemen；　so　that　the　herd　looked　from　a　distance

like　a　brown　carpet　whose　pattern　was　constantly　changinga

dusty　brown　carpet　in　the　process　of　being　beaten。　　I　relieved

one　of　the　watchers；　and　settled　myself　for　a　wait。

　　　　

At　this　close　inspection　the　different　sorts　of　cattle　showed

more　distinctly　their　characteristics。　　The　cows　and　calves

generally　rested　peacefully　enough；　the　calf　often　lying　down

while　the　mother　stood　guard　over　it。　　Steers；　however；　were　more

restless。　　They　walked　ceaselessly；　threading　their　way　in　and

out　among　the　standing　cattle；　pausing　in　brutish　amazement　at

the　edge　of　the　herd；　and　turning　back　immediately　to　endless

journeyings。　　The　bulls；　excited　by　so　much　company　forced　on

their　accustomed　solitary　habit；　roared　defiance　at　each　other

until　the　air　fairly　trembled。　　Occasionally　two　would　clash

foreheads。　　Then　the　powerful　animals　would　push　and　wrestle；

trying　for　a　chance　to　gore。　　The　decision　of　supremacy　was　a

question　of　but　a　few　minutes；　and　a　bloody　topknot　the　worst

damage。　　The　defeated　one　side…stepped　hastily　and　clumsily　out

of　reach；　and　then　walked　away。

　　　　　

Most　of　the　time　all　we　had　to　do　was　to　sit　our　horses　and　watch

these　things；　to　enjoy　the　warm　bath　of　the　Arizona　sun；　and　to

converse　with　our　next　neighbours。　　Once　in　a　while　some

enterprising　cow；　observing　the　opening　between　the　men；　would

start　to　walk　out。　　Others　would　fall　in　behind　her　until　the

movement　would　become　general。　　Then　one　of　us　would　swing　his

leg　off　the　pommel　and　jog　his　pony　over　to　head　them　off。　　They

would　return　peacefully　enough。

　　　　　　

But　one　black　muley　cow；　with　a　calf　as　black　and　muley　as

herself；　was　more　persistent。　　Time　after　time；　with　infinite

patience；　she　tried　it　again　the　moment　my　back　was　turned。　　I

tried　driving　her　far　into　the　herd。　　No　use；　she　always

returned。　　Quirtings　and　stones　had　no　effect　on　her　mild　and

steady　persistence。

　　　　

〃She's　a　San　Simon　cow；〃　drawled　my　neighbour。　　〃Everybody　knows

her。　　She's　at　every　round…up；　just　naturally　raisin'　hell。〃

　　　　

When　the　last　man　had　returned　from　chuck；　Homer　made　the

dispositions　for　the　cut。　　There　were　present　probably　thirty　men

from　the　home　ranches　round　about；　and　twenty　representing　owners

at　a　distance；　here　to　pick　up　the　strays　inevitable　to　the

season's　drift。　　The　round…up　captain　appointed　two　men　to　hold

the　cow…and…calf　cut；　and　two　more　to　hold　the　steer　cut。　

Several　of　us　rode　into　the　herd；　while　the　remainder　retained

their　positions　as　sentinels　to　hold　the　main　body　of　cattle　in

shape。

　　　　　

Little　G　and　I　rode　slowly　among　the　cattle　looking　everywhere。　

The　animals　moved　sluggishly　aside　to　give　us　passage；　and　closed

in　as　sluggishly　behind　us；　so　that　we　were　always　closely　hemmed

in　wherever　we　went。　　Over　the　shifting　sleek　backs；　through　the

eddying　clouds　of　dust；　I　could　make　out　the　figures　of　my

companions　moving　slowly；　apparently　aimlessly；　here　and　there。

　　　　　

Our　task　for　the　moment　was　to　search　out　the　unbranded　J　H

calves。　　Since　in　ranks　so　closely　crowded　it　would　be　physically

impossible　actually　to　see　an　animal's　branded　flank；　we　depended

entirely　on　the　ear…marks。

　　　　　

Did　you　ever　notice　how　any　animal；　tame　or　wild；　always　points

his　ears　inquiringly　in　the　direction　of　whatever　interests　or

alarms　him？　　Those　ears　are　for　the　moment　his　most　prominent

feature。　　So　when　a　brand　is　quite　indistinguishable　because；　as

now；　of　press　of　numbers；　or；　as　in　winter；　from　extreme　length

of　hair；　the　cropped　ears　tell　plainly　the　tale　of　ownership。　　As

every　animal　is　so　marked　when　branded；　it　follows　that　an　uncut

pair　of　ears　means　that　its　owner　has　never　felt　the　iron。

　　　　　

So；　now　we　had　to　look　first　of　all　for　calves　with　　uncut　ears。　

After　discovering　one；　we　had　to　ascertain　his　ownership　by

examining　the　ear…marks　of　his　mother；　by　whose　side　he　was　sure；

in　this　alarming　multitude；　to　be　clinging　faithfully。

　　　　　

Calves　were　numerous；　and　J　H　cows　everywhere　to　be　seen；　so　in

somewhat　less　than　ten　seconds　I　had　my　eye　on　a　mother　and　son。　

Immediately　I　turned　Little　G　in　their　direction。　　At　the　slap　of

my　quirt　against　the　stirrup；　all　the　cows　immediately　about　me

shrank　suspiciously　aside。　　Little　G　stepped　forward　daintily；

his　nostrils　expanding；　his　ears　working　back　and　forth；　trying

to　the　best　of　his　ability　to　understand　which　animals　I　had

selected。　　The　cow　and　her　calf　turned　in　toward　the　centre　of

the　herd。　　A　touch　of　the　reins　guided　the　pony。　　At　once　he

comprehended。　　From　that　time　on　he　needed　no　further　directions。



Cautiously；　patiently；　with　great　skill；　he　forced　the　cow

through　the　press　toward　the　edge　of　the　herd。　　It　had　to　be　done

very　quietly；　at　a　foot　pace；　so　as　to　alarm　neither　the　objects

of　pursuit　nor　those　surrounding　them。　　When　the　cow　turned　back；

Little　G　somehow　happened　always　in　her　way。　　Before　she　knew　it

she　was　at　the　outer　edge　of　the　herd。　　There　she　found　herself；

with　a　group　of　three　or　four　companions；　facing　the　open　plain。　

Instinctively　she　sought　shelter。　　I　felt　Little　G's　muscles

tighten　beneath　me。　　The　moment　for　action　had　come。　　Before　the

cow　had　a　chance　to　dodge　among　her　companions　the　pony　was　upon

her　like　a　thunderbolt。　　She　broke　in　alarm；　trying　desperately

to　avoid　the　rush。　　There　ensued　an　exciting　contest　of　dodgings；

turnings；and　doublings。　　Wherever　she　turned　Little　G　was　before

her。　　Some　of　his　evolutions　were　marvellous。　　All　I　had　to　do

was　to　sit　my　saddle；　and　apply　just　that　final　touch　of　judgment