TRAVELS IN THE CALIFORNIA S. 
361 
master of the animal, and riding fearlessly over the brinks of 
precipices, into rushing streams, and elsewhere, in places 
where the coward dare not go, unless borne by his fearless 
and faithful steed. 
These bronze Californians, when on horseback, however, 
are by no means contemptible in some few respects. Their 
bear hunts are conducted with much spirit and hazard. Six 
or eight, or more of them, ride into the lower ground called 
talares, and make war upon a group of grisly bears, weighing- 
seven or eight hundred pounds each, with no other weapon 
than the lasso and a hunter’s knife. This lasso is a rope 
attached to the girth of the saddle at one end, and with a run 
ning noose at the other. This being coiled and hang on the 
right hand, at full speed of the horse is thrown around the 
neck of the bear they are pursuing, and the well-trained 
horse wheeled to the right or left, Bruin chokes himself at his 
leisure. Sometimes, however, the bear gives battle to his 
pursuers, in which case, horses and sometimes men are killed 
and devoured. 
On the fete day, called “ Rodea,” when the cattle belong¬ 
ing to the Haciendas and Missions are brought in to be 
branded, the Cavalleros have a fine opportunity to show their 
horsemanship and their skill in lassoing. On such occasions, 
the whole country side is usually assembled to engage in the 
sports of the day, unfed except by the joys of brandy and beef 
and beans, incident to the day. And when the company are 
gathered, they sally into the plains, and drive the cattle into a 
large carat, or enclosure ; the entrance to which is then 
closed except so much as will allow them to escape one at a 
time. Then commences the branding. The older members 
of the herd, which have eluded the brand at former ingather¬ 
ings, are first let out; and as they severally issue from the 
gate-way of the carat, a bevy of lasso cavalry start at full 
speed after them, the one casting his noose around a fore leg, 
another a hind leg, and another the head ; and the animal 
rolls upon the plain. Immediately thereupon, the horsemen 
