ELDORADO 185 



number would mount his fleet, well-trained animal and 

 make his way into the middle of the herd, hunting for 

 unbranded stock. Swinging his riata, the vaquero 

 would seek to lasso the chosen animal, while the herd 

 would race away, bellowing, pawing and raising clouds 

 of dust. When the animal was caught in the loop by 

 the horns, neck, or foot, it was led to the branding 

 place and the hot iron pressed deep upon the hip or 

 shoulder. 



Lassoing grizzly bears was attended with some clan- 

 ger, but the Mexican vaquero feared nothing when 

 armed with the riata and mounted upon his sturdy and 

 well-trained iiorse. Generally three or more, thus 

 armed, would scour the gulches and mountain sides 

 until they found their game, which soon would find 

 itself snared with two or three rawhide ropes, one end 

 of each fast to the saddle pommel, and the horses draw- 

 ing in opposite directions. Thus, half strangled, leap- 

 ing and biting at the riata, the bear was caught around 

 the legs by the other riders, and either killed by the 

 hunter's knife or led captive to the rancho. there 

 eventually to play his part in the "bear and bull fight" 

 for the delectation of the crowd. 



In the early days of California beef was sold by the 

 yard ,and this custom still prevails in Lower California 

 and other Spanish-American countries. The meat is 

 cut into long strips and hung on trees to dry. Xo salt 

 is put upon it. After it is thoroughly cured, which, in 

 the pure, dry atmosphere of California, is rapidly ac- 

 complished, it is coiled up like a rope and carried on 

 the pommel of the saddle, upon the long journeys of 

 the vaquero, for food, or to market. Such w^ere the 

 customs and conditions of the country when the pion- 



