AND OTHER HUNTING ADVENTURES. 319 



the most dangerous, for the best rider is liable to be 

 caught at a disadvantage when off his guard and 

 thrown, and many a poor cowboy has been crippled 

 for life, and many killed outright by these vicious 

 brutes. 



I have seen "pilgrims" inveigled into riding 

 "bucking cayuses," either for the sake of novelty, 

 or because they wanted a mount and there was no 

 other to be had; but in every instance the trial of 

 skill between the man and the pony was of short 

 duration. For an instant there would be a confused 

 mass of horse, hat, coat-tails, boots, and man, flying 

 through the air. The horse, on his second upward 

 trip would meet the man coming down on his first; 

 the man would see whole constellations whole 

 milky ways of stars; the horse would meander off 

 over the prairie free and untrameled, and as we 

 would gather up the deformed and disfigured remains 

 -of the pilgrim and dig the alkali dirt out of his 

 mouth, ears, and eyes, he would tell us, as soon as 

 he recovered sufficiently to be able to speak, that in 

 future he "had racher walk than ride." 



But, fortunately for the poor cowboys, there are 

 many of these ponies who are not vicious, and let us 

 do full honor to the genuine, noble cow- horse who 

 is so sure and fleet of foot that he will speedily put 

 his rider within roping distance of the wildest, swift- 

 est, longest-horned Texan on the range. Such a horse 

 always knows when the riata falls right for head or 

 heels, and if it does not will never slacken his speed, 

 but keep right on until his rider can recover and 

 throw again. But when it does fall fair, he puts it 

 taut, wheels to right or left as directed by a gentle' 



