180 RIDING 



up and down and never ceases to deliver his fatal blows to the 

 patient beasts below him. 



The highly strung nervous horse suffers far more than 

 the heavier bullock, nor does the pole-axe come to end his 

 misery. Instead, a noose is let down by the man on the plank, 

 which is presently slipped dexterously over his head, while with 

 the other end of the rope the stockman takes a turn round the 

 post. The unfortunate beast, now finding himself actually in 

 the hands of his tormentors, struggles with almost supernatural 

 strength, till one would think the post must snap and the neck be 

 dislocated ; but at last the horse falls insensible and exhausted. 

 Instantly two or three men spring upon him as he falls to the 

 ground, his legs are hobbled, and when he recovers he finds 

 himself powerless. 



For such work as this it is needless to say that well-trained 

 horses and firm-seated riders are essential. Western American 

 cowboys, Mexican vaqueros, and Australian stockmen rival each 

 other in the possession of both of these ; their horses will hunt 

 cattle and wild horses like collie-dogs, without it being necessary 

 for the rider even to hold the reins in his hands. 



Those who saw the manner in which Buffalo Bill and his 

 men sat their buck-jumping 'cayooses' at Earl's Court will not 

 need to be assured that men used to such work in any 

 country acquire a remarkable fixity of tenure of their saddles. 

 There are many who consider this method of catching what 

 are in fact the wild horses of Australia needlessly cruel and 

 brutal ; but it must be borne in mind that before the horse falls 

 to the ground the brain has been deprived of its supply of 

 oxygen, and' a result similar to the use of anaesthetics is thereby 

 obtained. Where horses are cheap and labour dear we must 

 not expect that men will be found ready to incur expense in 

 order to save horses from some fear and a little knocking 

 about. 



It must not be supposed that every time there is a ' round 

 up ' of wild horses on a run the results are attended with success. 

 It not infrequently happens that just as the ' mob ' has been 



