Coyote Hunting on the Plains of Colorado 87 



Now we notice two mounted cowboys, some two miles dis- 

 tant, bringing in a drove of horses. From these were to be 

 selected the ones the six cowboys were to ride on their regular 

 work, and enough for our host and his visitors in the chase of 

 the coyote. Each cowboy has five horses which he rides in 

 turn. The whole lot are corralled every morning. The horses 

 which are to be used next are caught or roped, and saddled 

 ready for the day. The others are then liberated to roam at 

 will until the following morning. One day's work and five 

 days' rest. Their one work day is very severe, they are under 

 saddle from sunrise until nearly dark. The saddle weighs 

 from forty to fifty pounds and the distance covered is very 

 great. 



Now we look about at the ranch buildings. In addition to 

 the little detached one-story box building, which we occupied 

 for the night, there was a similar building occupied by the cow- 

 boys of the ranch. A building about 10 x 14 with four bunks 

 on each side wall, two upper and two lower, and two at the 

 end of the room opposite the door and window. These were 

 the sleeping quarters for the regular ranch hands that vary 

 from six to eight, with an extra bunk or two for visiting cow- 

 boys, who may chance to be in that neighbourhood looking for 

 stray cattle. 



The owner's quarters were also built one story high of sod^ 

 which is cut from the spot into blocks about 4 x 8 x 12 inches. 

 These blocks or sods of earth were laid up like so manj?^ stones 

 or bricks, in a thin mud (mortar) of the same material. The 

 walls themselves are about 8 inches thick, studded, lathed and 

 plastered on the inside. This main building contained three 

 rooms, a kitchen or mess-room, and two bedrooms, one for the 

 proprietor, the other for the ranch foreman and his wife, who 

 in this case cooked for all. 



Another detached 10 x 14 earth building was devoted to 

 provision, general stores and ranch supplies. The stables, also 



