HORSE-DEALING IN CALIFORNIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 319, 27 December 1862, Page 6

HORSE-DEALING IN CALIFORNIA.

fi.fi ■■ ; I*JTRQM;TO;__.N^RE^ ~;-; Sfifiiy.fififijfi?.^ a , Itfhitp^heid^thaij; oivajourney, early'iri4foer same rsummer, some? twenty "feMes from: Mine,"' I^Md cohie iipori"{jfiband:df Ifors^s feedirfgoif: ,tlie prafrie;'^H dowii tH^yell6W*sfopj6;'aria tli^ (halting just'! out Of ;lasso p&ch,. stopped to reijonnoitfe tiigy ; Animals '■■ afe.always e'ag&r"to'' observe ffiHV 'Ferhaps'.'tlVe^'Wantitteas aghiiVs't'th^ -Ei^rie*"©^tlielr jjromofioii't^ }iaMaIfiify,_sothat'tltey'nesd: not? be'; awkwiar'd, *faiid' introduce:" qtmd'flipcd" habits! intb^biped 'circles; '■'^liS iri'-iss'of'th'e ; herd: inspect^ ' Man to th£m fiHS'A-pmferfi and ebe—a- lasso- . tlrpwinV "^ machine—something that put cruel bits into equine mouths, on equine 3 backs, and forced equine legs to gallop until they were stiff. Man Avas therefore something to admire, but to avoid; so these horses seeme.d to think, and if they had known man as brother man alone knows him, perhaps their opinion would have been confirmed. One horse, however, among them, had more courage, or more curiosity, or more faith. He withdrew from the gregarious commonalty—the haughty aristocrat!—and approached me, circling about, as if he felt a certain centripetal influence, as if he knew himself a higher being than his mustang comrades—nearer to man, and willing to offer him his friendship. He andl divided the attention of the herd. He seemed to be, not their leader, but rather one who disdained leadership. Facile Princeps! He was too far above the noblest of the herd to care for their unexciting society. I slipped quietly down from my little Mexican caballo, and, tethering him to a buah with the lariat, stood watching the splendid motions of this free steed of the prairie. He was an American horse (so they distinguish in California one brought from the Old States), a superb young stallion, perfectly black, without mark. It was magnificent to see him as he circled about me, fire in his eye, pride in his nostril, tail flyipg like a banner, power and grace from tip to tip. No one would ever mount him, or ride him, unless it was his royal pleasure. He was conscious of his representative position, and showed his paces handsome^. It is the business of all beautiful things to exhibit. Imagine the scene. A little hollow in the prairie, forming a perfect amphitheatre; the yellow grass and wild oats grazed short *, a herd bf horses staring from the slope, myself standing in the middle, like the ring-master in a circus, and his wonderful horse performing at his own free wiil. He trotted powerfully, he gallopped gracefully, he thundered at full speed, he lifted his fere legs to welcome, he flung out his hind legs to repel, he leaped as if he were springing over bayonets, he pranced and curvetted as if he were the pretty plaything oi a girl; finally, when he had amused himself and delighted me sufficiently, he trotted up and snuffed about me just out of reach. A horse knows a friend by instinct. So does a man. But a man, vain creature! is willing to repel instinct, and trust intellect, and so suffers from the attempt to revise his first impressions, which, if he is healthy, are infallible. _ The black, instinctively knowing me for a friend, came forward and made the best speech he could of welcome—a neigh, and no more. .Then, feeling a disappointment that his compliment could not be more melodiously or gracefully turned, he approached nearer, and, not without shying and starts,|of which I took no notice, at last licked my hand, put ins head upon my shoulder, suffered me to put my arm round his neck, and, in fact, lavished upon me every mark of confidence. We were growing fast friends, when I heard the sound of coming hoofs. The black tore away with a snort, and galloped off with the herd after him; A Mexican vaquero dashed down the stope in pursuit. I hailed him. "A quien es ese caballo—el negrito?" " Aquel diablo! es del Senor Gerrian." And he sped on. I found Gerrian a lank, wire-drawn man, burnt almost Mexican colour, lounging in the shade of his adobe house. I told him my business in a word. "No beuno, stranger," said he. " Why not ? Do you want to keep the horse?" No, not partickler. Thar ain't a better stallion nor him this side the South Pass; but I can't do nothing with him no more'nyer can with a steamboat when the cap'n says, 'Beat or bust!' He's a black devil, ef thar ever was a devil into a horse's hide. Somebody's tried to break him down when he was a colt, an' now he won't stan' nobody goan near him." " Sell him to me, and I'll try him with kindness." No, stranger, I've tuk a middlin' shine to you from the way you got off that Chinaman them Pikes was goan to hang fur stealing the mule what he hadn't stoled. I've tuk a .middlin 1 kinder shine to you, and I don't want to see yer neck broke, long er me. That thar black '11 shut up the hinge in yer neck so tight that yer'll never look up to ther top of a red-wood a-iain. Allowin' you haint got an old ox-yoke into yer fur backbone, yer'll keep off that thar black kettrypid, till the Tnjir.s tie yer on, aud motion yer to let him slide or be shot." "My backbone is pretty stiff," said I; " I will risk my neck." " The Greasers is some on bosses, you'll give in, I reckou. Well, their aint a Greaser on my ranch that '11 put leg over that thar streak er four-legged lightning ; no, not ifyer'd chain off for him- a claim six squar leagues in the raal old Garden of Paradise, an' stock it with ther best gang er bullocks this side er Santer Fee." " But I'm not a Mexican; I'm the stiffest kind of Yankee. I don't give in to horse or man. Besides, i he throws me and breaks my neck I get my claim in Paradise ot once." " Well, stranger, you've drawed yer bead on that thar black" as anybody can see. An' ef a man's drawed his bead, thar aint no use tellin' him to pint off" "No. If you'll sell I'll buy." . . ."Have the black caught," said I, " and we'll clinch the bargain at once." Tliere was a Mexican vaquero slouching about. Gerrian called to him " O Hozay! kesty Sinaw comprader curwolyow nigereeto. Wamos addelanty! Corral curwolyo^e toethoso." The bukkarer, as Gerrian's Spanish entitled Hozay, comprehended enough ofthe order to know that he was to drive up the horses. He gave me a Mexican sulky stare, muttered a caramba at mv rashness, and lounged off, first taking a lasso from its peg in the court. . . . After hobnobbling with cracked tumblers of the Mission Dolorez wine, Gerrmn and I mounted our mustangs and rode toward the corral. All about on the broad slopes the ranchero's countless cattle were feeding. It was a patriarchal scene. The cattle scampered away from us as we rode, hardly less wild than the buffaloes on the Platte. Whenever we rose on the crest of a hillock we could, see several thousands of the little, fierce-bullocks, somerolling away in flight, in a black breadth, like a shaken carpet; some standing in little groups, like field officers at a review, watchin* the movements, as squadron after squadron came and went over the scene; some as arbi- • tratorsand spectators, surrounding a pair of champion bulls, butting and bellowing in some amphitheatre among the swells of the land. .; . ; . It was agrand^/si^lescghe^HAat opencount^ i; nortltandisgutlifas;i&;as^he' eye could see; /^Eastward rose the r noble blue barrier of the' Sierra, with here and; thsfea 'field; a slope*, a spot, or a pinhacle of -the |h|w that; names'it Nevada. '"-TfifV;-. '-'■■ It wai^te A.uc;ust. . All the tall grass, arid wild oats^and barley, oyer lift, level, ancl hollow, were ripe yellow or warm brown ;agolden mantle over the golden soil. There were but two' colours in the; simple f broadpietiire,;clear, deep; scin^ , blue sky, melting blue in the mouh r tains, and all earth ;a".golcfeh^surging'^sea^ -Afi' ■ '.'* As^e/rode^n^ den mthe dry,, t rustling grafe^-of/a^ihollow^a trapp of hoofs came^to us; with the tvind y-a thrilling sound!- With: something <free aidvigorous iii it that the charge Oftraihfed %quad»: fons never has. "Thar they come!*'' cried Gerrian, " that's a rigiment wuth seeing.

i Tjiey j canft show you: old iStites.'? . ■ft^^'ito ) pa^^tf^omic^^ pf-'riderless;>teedsi in, rewew^; TKiejce^ . tbey : fi Gemaii's >whble : Ban^of Jlpfe^ JhJhllj career; fi 1 Mrst, vtheir; ibeadsaifu|tdeidy; jifted jabeve^a biajst pveis lil^ii^ Joam "and's|>fay! pf^lbl^t tstormy blast^stril^^jf.it,, wildly! k^ept-; by • us,>i with • .^manes. aiid; ta|}s -.flaringj ih: ibe^Wihd;*' 1 was-magnificent fi> _ M.yhear.ndf "a'.'librs'eiriah Ifeaped -iri! myl breast. i'.'.JTurrab;!".!! qriplV: '"Hurrah 't is!" said .Gerrjdri. fi The herd dashed by in ajhuddle, making for the corral. Just behind, aloof from, the rush and scamper of his less noble.breth-r ren, came the black,, my purchase, my old friend, "Ef you ever ride or back that curwolyow," says Gerrian, " I'll eat a six-shooter, loaded and capped." " You'd better begin theii at once," rejoined I, "whetting your teeth on Derringers. I mean to ride him, and you shall be by when Ido it." It was grand to see a' horse that understood and respected himself' so perfectly. One, too, that meant the world j sbould k' ow that he was the verychief est*| chief of his race, proud with the blood- of a | thousand -kinnrs. How masterly he looked! ! How unfainably. he stepped! The herd was galloping furiously. He disdained to break into a gallop. He trotted after^ a hundred feet behind the hindmost, with large and liberal action. And even at this half speed easily overtaking his slower comrades, he from time to time paused, bounded in the air, tossed his head, flung out his legs, and then strode on again,; writhing all over with suppressedpower. .i There was not a white spot upon him,; except' where a flake of foam from bis indignant nostril had caught upon bis flank. A thoroughbred horse, with the perfect tail and silky, mane of a noble race. His coat glistened, as if the best groom in England had just given him the final toucl es of his toilette for a canter in Rotten-row. But it seems a sin to compare such a free rover ofthe prairie with any less favoured brother, who needs a groom and has felt a currycomb. Hard after the riderless horses came Jose, the vanquero, on a fast mustang. As he rode he whirled his lasso with easy turn of the wrist. The black trotting still to curvet and caracole, turned back his head contemptuously at his pursuer. . . . Jose dug cruel .spurs into his horse. The mustang leaped forward. The black gave a tearing bound and quickened his pace, but still waited the will ot his pursuer. They were just upon us, chased and chaser, thundering down the slope, when the vaquero, checking his wrist at the turn, flung his lasso straight as an arrow for the black's head. I could hear the hide rope sing through the summer air, for a moment breezeless. tf ill he be taken ? Will horse or man be victor ? The loop of the lasso opened like a hoop. It hung poised for one instant a few feet before the horse's bead, vibrating in the air, keeping its circle perfect, waiting for tbe vaquero's pull to tighten about that proud neck and: those swelling shoulders. Hurrah! Through it Avent the black. With one brave bound he dashed through the open loop. He touched only to spurn its vain assault with his hindermost hoof. " Hurrah!" I cried. " Hurrah! 't is," shouted Gerrain. Jose dragged in his spurned lasso. The black, with elated head and tail weaving like a banner, sprang forward, and closed in with the caballada; they parted for his passage, he took his leadership, and presently was lost with his suite over the swells of the prairie. Meantime, loping on, we had come in sight of the corral. There, to oar great surprise, the whole band of horses bad voluntarily entered. They were putting their heads together, as the manner of social horses is, and going through kissing manoeuvres in little knots, which presently were broken up by tbe heels of some ill-mannered or jealous brother. They were very probably discussing the black's act of horsemanship, as men after the ballet discuss tbe first entrechat of the danseuse. We rode up and fastened our horses. The black was within the corral, pawing the ground, neighing, and whinnj-ing. His companions kept at a respectful distance. "Don't send in Jose," said I to 'Gerrian., " Only let him keep, off the horses, so that I shall not be kicked, ancl I wil try my hand at the black alone.'' " 111 liev 'em all turned out except that black devil, and tben you ken go in and take your own resk with him. AkkeeJose!" continued the ranchero, "fwarer toethose ! Dayher hei di'ablo!" Jose; drove the he;d out ofthe staked enclosure. The black showed no special disposition to follow. He trotted about at his ease, snuffling at the stakes and bars. I entered alone. Presently he. began to repeat the scene of our first meeting on the prairie. It was not many minutes before we were good friends. He Avould bear my caresses and my arm about his neck, and that was all fbr an hour. At last, alter a good hour's work, I persuaded him to accept a halter. Then,-by gentle seductions, I induced hira to start and accompany me homeward. Gerrian and the Mexican looked on in great wonderment. " Praps that is the best way," said the modern patriarch, " ef a man has got patience. Looker here, stranger, ain't you a terrible fellow among women?" "I confess my inexperience." " Well you will be when N your time comes. I allowed from seeing you handle that thar hoss, that you had got your hand in on women; they is the wust devils to tame I ever seed." ... My wooinoof the black occupied all my leisure durin° my last few days. Every day a circle of Pikes collected to see my management.' I hope they took lessons in the law of kindness. The horse was Avell known throughout the country, and my bargain with Gerrian was noised abroad. The black would tolerate no one but me. With me he established as close a brotherhood as can between man and beast. He gave me to understand, by playful protest, tbat it was only by his good pleasure that he endured saddle and bridle; as to spur or whip they were not thought of by either. He did not obey but consented. I exercised no control. We were of one mind. We became a Centaur. I loved that horse as I have loved nothing else yet, except the other personages with whom and for whom he acted in this history.