A Sportsman 27 



correspondingly, whereupon I quickly halted and put 

 myself on foot beside my horse, and drew a bead 

 upon him with my rifle; at which he, being beyond 

 casting distance, made an extensive detour around 

 and below me, and, after seeing him disappear on the 

 trail below, I mounted and retraced my way back 

 to our encampment. I was not much alarmed, for, 

 though my rifle was a muzzle-loader, I had my navy 

 revolver at my belt, with which I was tolerably 

 proficient, and I felt qviite competent to stand off 

 one or two Mexicans before they could come within 

 casting distance. 



Some portions of the region about us were oc- 

 cupied as cattle ranges, and some of the semi-wild 

 bulls met with were well to avoid. We made no 

 scruples in knocking over a calf or a young heifer 

 occasionally for a change of diet, at which no in- 

 quiries ever arose. At one time near us there was 

 an encampment of cattle rustlers engaged in scoop- 

 ing small herds, which they would cut out and drive 

 to the extent of a day's trip and turn over to an 

 associate band, which in turn would deliver to another 

 which would market or distribute at some distant 

 point. Those camped near us were a bad lot, being 

 mostly Americans from the Middle West, and our 

 relations w^ere the least friendly with them. They 

 were soon after driven away by the settlers in the 

 valley. 



Some wild horses were about, but it was seldom 

 that we saw any, and when seen they were a long 

 distance away. 



A few Digger Indians still inhabited the region, 

 but kept well out of sight, although their presence 



