BEAR HUNTING IN MEXICO. 53 



hand on me. Indeed_, a young Mexican, taking me for a 

 Yankee, asked me when we '^ were going to annex 

 Mexico/' "I don't know when/' I replied. "Til tell 

 you when/' he said ; whea there are no more men, and 

 no more of these left/' suddenly drawing out his knife. 

 He wanted to frighten me, I suppose, but I merely put 

 my hand mechanically in my breeches pocket, at which 

 he put up his weapon. Don Miguel, however, who had 

 seen him, without the slightest ceremony took up my 

 carbine and instantly knocked him down with it from 

 behind, and I verily believe would have shot him for a 

 pin's head. " Why, you d — d scamp ! draw a knife on 

 my guest ? Why the devil didn't you pot him ? Why, 

 he'd cut your throat for a rial." These sentiments 

 seemed to be echoed by the whole party, and gave me 

 rather a queer idea of manners and customs in Lower 

 California. On coming to, he was told to take himse f 

 off, which he did, swearing vengeance. 



In the morning the vaqueros lassoed three or four of 

 the wickedest bulls on the ranch, and brought them in, 

 and about mid-day we all turned out to see the fun. 

 Brain had quite recovered from the effects of his yester- 

 day's manoeuvres; he appeared as spry as a four-year 

 old colt, and considerably more so when five or six dogs 

 were let loose at him. After some half-hour of this 

 work, and when the animal was supposed to be suffi- 

 ciently excited, a bull was introduced into the inclosure, 

 and, after a look round, caught sight of his natural 

 enemy. Whether the bull was afraid or what, it ended 

 in the bear chasing him round the inclosure, amid shouts 

 from the rancheros and vaqueros. After this had been 

 going on for some time, the bull was lassooed a>nd 

 dragged out, and, with a parting " tickling " from a 



