Hard Riding in California 365 



provised sleds. This was a game, one might 

 think, for a dozen men, but I have known Cali- 

 fornians who have roped the most powerful 

 grizzly, single-handed, and thought no more of 

 it than a hunter would of shooting a deer. 



According to the late Hancock Johnston, 

 Ronmlo, the son of Don Andreas Pico, almost 

 a boy, accomplished the feat alone, and to him 

 I am indebted for the account of a similar 

 catch made by Don Jose Castenada. Don Jos6 

 was living at the time at the Chino ranch 

 about fifty miles east of Los Angeles, and one 

 day, when riding through the willows to in- 

 spect his cattle, came suddenly, without warn- 

 ing, upon a grizzly that had come down from 

 the hills on a marauding trip. The first warn- 

 ing Don Jose had was of something flying 

 by his face, striking his horse a fearful blow 

 on the rump. The object was the paw of a 

 big grizzly. The animal had reared up in the 

 brush and struck at Don Jose, missing him, as 

 he intuitively had put spurs to his horse and 

 rushed into a clearing, trailing his riata, that 

 on the range was always coiled loosely on the 

 fuste or pommel. The bear followed on the dead 

 run, mouth open, red jaws dripping. 



Don Jos6 was now T in a grass clearing the size 

 of a large circus tent, and directed his horse 

 around in a circle, riding slowly until the grizzly 

 came within ten feet of him, gradually leading 



