登陆注册
5421300000019

第19章

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 horses--save 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 Shorse, 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 malpais--but 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.

同类推荐
  • 寂调音所问经

    寂调音所问经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 毗耶娑问经

    毗耶娑问经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 薛仁贵征辽事略

    薛仁贵征辽事略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 释门归敬仪

    释门归敬仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 谷山笔麈

    谷山笔麈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 倾世韶华,将门凤女舞江山

    倾世韶华,将门凤女舞江山

    为保郑氏一世太平,郑昭容敛去一身傲气甘愿成为薄桓良的棋子,助他登上帝位。陷害忠诚,谋杀与自己指腹为婚的夫君,玩弄朝野,欺君罔上,坏事做绝。而她得到的,是一纸休书,终身囚禁冷宫。但又因一道密信,身世之谜被缓缓揭开。她哪是什么郑将军之女郑昭容,她分明是前朝的公主。是她,帮着仇人之子登上皇位。是她,忠良之臣通通赶尽杀绝。是她,亲手将自己推到了悬崖。可那又如何,她要弄乱这棋局——万里江山,有能者得!
  • 直播帝国

    直播帝国

    斗鱼小员工撞破上司奸情,被逼的家破人亡,重生到斗鱼出世前夕,一手创立了举世无双的斗牛直播平台。想来直播?男的请自便,女的得展示才艺!比如......想看直播?这里有草根主播,有LOL界泰斗,有职业队员,有明星,有世界名人,比如faker,小智,小苍,小漠,蛋糕,冯提莫,五五开,炫神,mini,饼干,超级小杰......。直播分类?游戏,户外,元气,影视,棋牌......
  • 快穿女配:一不小心就成了白月光

    快穿女配:一不小心就成了白月光

    暮敛敛言情女配组小花旦,撩男技巧get却不自知,在维护剧情的道路上惨遭滑铁卢。在三个世界男主殉情后,暮敛敛赔光了所有积蓄。暮敛敛果断表示:宝宝心累,但宝宝不说。最为上司的季琅玉表示,只要改变女配命运,逆袭成神即可,否则没赚够钱就不要回来了。暮敛敛:嘤嘤嘤嘤苏苏苏,甜甜甜。女主肤白貌美大长腿,呆萌可爱小可怜,一见钟情梗。
  • 楼兰梦

    楼兰梦

    一场楼兰一场梦,梦醒楼兰一场空,痴心不悔……情节虚构,请勿模仿!
  • 大话西游之爱你一万年

    大话西游之爱你一万年

    当石人诞生的那一刻,这个世界就此改变……欢迎加入大话西游之爱你一万年,群聊号码:658248722
  • 不可不知的成功方法全集

    不可不知的成功方法全集

    在人生的道路上,不知要经历多少的坎坷。每一次的成功,也许都要经历唐僧取经般的九九八十一难。如果我们的生命真有无限长的话,即使把所有的路都走一遍都无所谓,但事实是生命有限,人生苦短,人生真正能够做事的时间不过是短短的几十年。鉴于此,我们编著了这套《不可不知丛书》,作为读者朋友面对现实生活的一面旗帜,来感召和激励人生,共同朝着美好的未来前进。
  • 明星学苑:恨君不怜情

    明星学苑:恨君不怜情

    明星学院,风云骤起。实力派?偶像派?戏中情?情外戏?酷少爷遇到苹果女,浪漫偶像剧悄然上演——你会是我的巨星男友?他是身世显赫的未来巨星,她是学识渊博的教授女儿,不过在超级美男方临星的眼中,她和一只没思想的苹果差不多。还有他,致力于表演的阳光老师,想帮助自己可爱的表妹完成她的梦想。风花雪月,刀枪剑棒,柔情蜜意,悲欢离合,青春渐长,究竟是在演戏,还是在假戏真做?这里是明星学院,制造未来之星的超级学府,美女如云,帅哥如草,所以无论你是偶像派还是实力派,无论是假戏还是真情,在这里,都必须全力投入演出,否则——不要想毕业!(快乐小白文,酸甜青春味,偶尔小虐,慎入哟~~~~)
  • 基督山伯爵(青少版)

    基督山伯爵(青少版)

    人类智慧中蕴藏的神秘宝库,需要用逆境来挖掘。 这世界上无所谓幸福或不幸福,有的只是两者的相互比较而已。只有体会过极度不幸的人才能体会到幸福。应该幸福地生活下去,我心爱的孩子,永远不要忘记,在上帝俯允向人类揭示美好未来的那天来到之前,人类的全部智慧可概括为以下几个字:等待和希望!
  • 修仙风云

    修仙风云

    志人虽小但在村里那可是一个人见人恨的孩子,虽然大家伙都对这孙志有三分恨意,但却并没有一人敢对他说三道四,只因这孙寡妇太强悍了。
  • 重生之千金大小姐

    重生之千金大小姐

    这文,好吧,小舞觉得这文,咳咳,大家还是先别看,等小舞改好了再看,免得浪费币。=========================================前世,她无权无势,无亲无故,一无所有,唯有黎彬不离不弃,相爱相伴。无奈,身份地位导致他们生死相离,阴阳相隔。重生后的她,是千金大小姐,站在金字塔尖,金钱,地位,亲情,前世所渴望的今生都拥有。前世的爱人变成今生的陌路,仇人成为了挚友,她该何去何从。原以为今生可以平平淡淡的生活,可是出生就告诉她,她没得选择自己的人生,家族联姻,她无法选择自己的爱人。她,林江舞,不甘。她要自己掌握自己的人生,不允许任何人来指手画脚。她用前世的知识,对未来信息的把握,建立了自己的商业帝国,原以为一切都在自己掌握之中。然而,扑朔迷离的家族,风起云涌的势力纷争,让一直置身事外的她深陷其中。究竟是谁在背后推动着?【一】小贝红着小脸蛋,怯生生的看着面前和自己差不多大的女孩,鼓着腮帮,坚定的说到:“我不要叫你姐姐,爸爸说你答应做我的老婆,所以你要叫我老公。”江舞额头上冷汗都要掉下来了,这个小孩是在扮猪吃老虎吧!好难搞定,嘴唇微微抖动:“怎么都听你爸爸的话啊!你要有自己的主见知道不,不然怎么可以做一个男子汉呢?”小贝泪汪汪的大眼睛看着江舞,侧着头,想了一会儿说道:“爸爸说了,男子汉是没老婆的人干得,我要老婆,所以不做男子汉。”·······【二】“你是我一辈子认定的老婆,你逃不了的!”充满磁性的声音在江舞的耳边萦绕,带着诱惑与妖娆。“我干嘛要逃,你可是我在你小屁孩的时候就看上的。”江舞搂着他的脖子,鼻尖抵着他的鼻尖,嚣张的说到:“来,美人,给爷笑一个。”·······【三】“这就当是我给你最后的纪念品。”放下手中的画集,黎彬转身,走了几步,猛地定住,低着头,看着地上那滩不起眼的污渍:“我,我明天就要就去巴黎了,你可以送我吗?”背对着江舞的黎彬,眼眶慢慢的浸湿了,却忍着不让自己发出一声呜咽之音。“好,”听到肯定后,泪再也忍不住,在脸上肆意的滑落。握紧了那不知是因激动还是悲伤而不停颤抖的双手,头也不会了,快速走出房间。亲们,领养开始喽!亲们可以留言自己想要领养的主角哦!领养表:小贝(由雨佳禾领养)推荐好友的文文:《成功压倒绝世王爷》《疯狂学院》《珍心有泪》《桃花朵朵压前夫》