50 RANCH LIFE AND THE HUNTING-TRAIL 



impossibility properly to break so many animals in the short time at our 

 command for we had to use them almost immediately after they were 

 bought. In consequence, very many of my horses have to this day traits 

 not likely to set a timid or a clumsy rider at his ease. One or two run 

 away and cannot be held by even the strongest bit ; others can hardly 

 be bridled or saddled until they have been thrown ; two or three have a 

 tendency to fall over backward ; and half of them buck more or less, 

 some so hard that only an expert can sit them ; several I never ride 

 myself, save from dire necessity. 



In riding these wild, vicious horses, and in careering over such very 

 bad ground, especially at night, accidents are always occurring. A man 

 who is merely an ordinary rider is certain to have a pretty hard time. On 

 my first round-up I had a string of nine horses, four of them broncos, only 

 broken to the extent of having each been saddled once or twice. One of 

 them it was an impossibility to bridle or to saddle single-handed ; it was 

 very difficult to get on or off" him, and he was exceedingly nervous if a 

 man moved his hands or feet ; but he had no bad tricks. The second 

 soon became perfectly quiet. The third turned out to be one of the worst 

 buckers on the ranch : once, when he bucked me off, I managed to fall on 

 a stone and broke a rib. The fourth had a still worse habit, for he would 

 balk and then throw himself over backward : once, when I was not quick 

 enough, he caught me and broke something in the point of my shoulder, 

 so that it was some weeks before I could raise the arm freely. My hurts 

 were far from serious, and did not interfere with my riding and working as 

 usual through the round-up ; but I was heartily glad when it ended, and 

 ever since have religiously done my best to get none but gentle horses in 

 my own string. However, every one gets falls from or with his horse now 

 and then in the cow country ; and even my men, good riders though they 

 are, are sometimes injured. One of them once broke his ankle ; another 

 a rib ; another was on one occasion stunned, remaining unconscious for 

 some hours ; and yet another had certain of his horses buck under him so 

 hard and long as finally to hurt his lungs and make him cough blood. 

 Fatal accidents occur annually in almost every district, especially if there 

 is much work to be done among stampeded cattle at night ; but on my 

 own ranch none of my men have ever been seriously hurt, though on one 

 occasion a cowboy from another ranch, who was with my wagon, was 

 killed, his horse falling and pitching him heavily on his head. 



For bedding, each man has two or three pairs of blankets, and a tar- 

 paulin or small wagon-sheet. Usually, two or three sleep together. 

 Even in June the nights are generally cool and pleasant, and it is chilly 



