A COLORADO COWBOY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8336, 12 April 1889, Page 4

A COLORADO COWBOY.

Tlie following is nn extract from " The New Zealander Abroad," by W. M'Hut cheson:— Small and lithe of body, keen and bright of eye, reckless and duHaat of bearing ; this cowboy is characteristically dressed. Greasy pants and raw-hide knee boots blend harmoniously with a dclapidated sombrero, evidently an heirloom in 1 the family for generations ; and a blue open-necked homespun shirt sets off a face and throat burnt and tanned by constant exposure to the weather to a deep brick-red color. Surmising that under this promising exterior exists a fund of interesting frontier information, I lay my--1 self out to explore the depths thereof. Our acquaintancehip begins by him of the nntanned boots and monstrous Mexican spurs producing from his left hippocket—the, right one being occupied by a revolver— a whisky flask, and inviting me to " wire in," and the game acquaintanceship nearly ends " rk'ht thar ' on ray refusing to imbibe. The state- ■ meut that Ido not drink whisky is received with unmistakable looks of incredulity, not to say of contemptuous disbelief; but when I volunteer the further statement that I hail from New Zealand, and have never tasted intoxicating liquor of any kind, the look, of blank astonishment is quickly succeeded by one of honest curiosity to know more of so strange a customer from so distant a shore. After a few interchanges my friend breaks out: "Say, mister, yer a sketcher or a writer, I guess?" I modestly disikimed any artistic ability, but admitted the occasional use of the pen. "Ah, I thought you was one of them chaps." •' How's that ? " " Wai," with a-gooH. humored laugh, "yer all so, cussed cnr'us over everything," responds J my friend, and presently we sit down on the steps of the platform for a bit of a yarn. After a few leading questions my newly-found acquaintance gets fairly started, and waxes voluble on the various phases of a Colorado cowboy's life, describes graphically and enthusiastically the intricacies of lasso-throwing, shows the peculiar turn of the wrist and throw of the hand necessary for the "leg" or "body" ropiag, and grows absolutely eloquent on the riding of untamed horses. | He modestly deprecates his own abilities as a rider or "roper," but offers to find a man on the train, who for a consideration, will spring on the back of the wildest horse that can be found, as he dashes with the mob out through the gate of a corral without saddle or bridle. Or he ■'■ill back this same individual (" Spanish ■' his mate) to gallop alongside any >• -«c on the open prairie and mount - Joe, Mug from his own saddle on given ho.. _ '--d steed ; and, finally, him by spriDh. 20 dol that Joe will to the bare-baCKv of hss f c j hew.lllaylOOdol to When it «^ lasso a horse round either . .„ . j neck, or body, as desired. . explained that for the leg-thro>, necessary that the lasso shall be thro, so that the loop shall' be tying on the ground in the right place, and just a 8 the exact moment, when the- particular foot is coming down, and that this must be done when both pursuer and pursued are racing at full speed, it will be at. once seen how marvelleus is the feat and how delicate the manipulation. Many are the tales of this wonderful "roper," and but for the generous, almost ido/atrous, admiration of Joe's equestrian accomplishments by one who is unmistakably a first-class exponent himself, I could hardly credit some of the tough yams that are spun. .... Among other yarns he told of an exciting scene where presence of mind was displayed "down Texas way last fall." A party of "ropers" were assembling for a hunt, when one of the horses bolted just as the rider was about to mount, and the man's foot catching in the stirrup, be was thrown down and dragged across the prairie at full speed. A dozen comrades flew to the rescue, but to save his life was impossible. With a mighty convulsive effort the "roner," clutching the flying leather, partially raised himself up with one hand, while with the other he drew his revolver and shot the horse dead in his tracks.