LASSO. 



161 



ther beast is driven out of the corral, and caught 

 in the same manner. 



On begging to know why so many lassos were 

 thrown at once on these occasions, we learned that 

 the first rush of these cattle, when driven out of 

 the corral, is generally so impetuous, that few " 

 single cords are strong enough to bear the jerk 

 without breaking. As an experiment, a cow in a 

 very furious state was let out, and directions given 

 for only two men to attempt to stop her. The 

 first lasso fell over her head, which it drew round, 

 so that the horns almost touched her back, but the 

 thongs snapped without stopping her ; the second 

 was intentionally placed round the fore part of the 

 body, and it also broke without materially check- 

 ing her progress. Away went the cow, scouring 

 over the country, followed by two fresh horsemen 

 standing erect in their stirrups, with their lassos 

 flying round their heads, and their ponchos stream- 

 ing out behind them, an animating and charac- 

 teristic sight. The cow galloped, and the horses 

 galloped, and such is the speed of cattle when ac- 

 customed to run wild, that at first the horses had 

 but little advantage. The ground being covered 



VOL. I. L 



