AGRICULTURE. 279 



of cattle in a rodeo, forming a solid body about a quarter of 

 a mile in diameter in every direction. The visiting rancheros 

 who have come from the greatest distance are permitted to 

 enter the mass first, select their cattle, and drive them out. 

 Each man has a position chosen at a distance of half a mile or 

 a mile, whither he drives his cattle ; and there are several men 

 there mounted, to prevent them from returning to the main 

 herd. When a rauchero sees one of his cows in the herd, he 

 calls to a friend, and the two chase her out. She does not 

 wish to go, and tries to hide herself among the other cattle. 

 The horses, accustomed to the rodeo, soon recognize the cow 

 that is to be parted out, and enjoy the work. They turn 

 with every turn of hers, and she is soon tired and compelled 

 to go out. If the cow be accompanied by a large unmarked 

 calf, the latter is often caught with the lasso, thrown down, 

 and then marked with the knife. While these rancheros a/e 

 riding about among the herd, and seeking their own, the cattle 

 are driven by a few vaqueros belonging to the ranch, so as to 

 move about in a circular manner. As the cattle are thus 

 moving round in one direction, the rancheros of the immediate 

 neighborhood, whose time has not yet come for entering the 

 center of the rodeo, ride round in a direction contrary to the 

 course of the herd, and thus are enabled to see them to more 

 advantage than if they were standing still. After the ran- 

 cheros from a distance have parted out all their cattle, those of 

 the vicinity ride in, and the whole day is thus spent in racing 

 and chasing after cattle. 



The man who gives the rodeo does not attempt to examine 

 the cattle which are driven away. He takes it for granted 

 that every one will drive off only his own animals. Some- 

 times several days are necessary to complete the general rodeo 

 of a ranch, and the work is continued from day to day until 

 finished. All the rodeos of a neighborhood are usually held 

 in a regular and close connection. The rancheros from a dis- 

 tance, therefore, stay until they have attended all the rodeos 



