i8 TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



The cayuse, or Indian-bred pony, breaks into a 

 rocking-horse-like lope the instant it sets out, a most 

 comfortable and easy mode of riding. And they 

 keep up this rolling canter for a very long period. 

 It was rather quaint to notice the manner some 

 butcher-boys and drivers in one or two buggies 

 manoeuvred things whenever it was necessary to 

 leave the horse alone for a minute or two. An 

 ordinary two-pound weight was fixed on to a strap 

 which ran to the horse's head, and, at a standstill, 

 the weight was slung out on to the sidewalk, or 

 roadway, and there the horse remained, anchored. 

 Mounting, the butcher-boy would slip the weight into 

 his pocket. 



The animal I sampled first had one white eye and 

 one dark brown. I saw him look at me jocosely as 

 I neared him, so I bewared. Sure enough, the in- 

 stant he felt the weight upon his back he gave two 

 stag-like bounds, and bucked and bucked. Not 

 being a broncho-breaker, I changed my mettlesome 

 steed, willy-nilly. 



The second cayuse was an amiable-tempered beast, 

 but rather uncertain in the feet. He never appeared 

 to be able to judge the distance of the next step for- 

 ward. On the way home from the other side of 

 Goldstream one night I missed the way, and had to 

 cut through seven miles of bush as lonely and dark 

 as night could make them. In a bad place my pony 

 came down, but neither of us was hurt. He was so 

 nice about it, never made a fuss and got frightened, 

 only sort of apologized, and hoped I wasn't injured. 



