arizona nights-第13部分

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endless　procession　of　men　returning　to　the　herd；　and　of　those

whom　they　replaced　coming　for　their　turn　at　the　grub。

　　　

We　found　the　herd　quiet。　　Some　were　even　lying　down；　chewing

their　cuds　as　peacefully　as　any　barnyard　cows。　Most；　however；

stood　ruminative；　or　walked　slowly　to　and　fro　in　the　confines

allotted　by　the　horsemen；　so　that　the　herd　looked　from　a　distance

like　a　brown　carpet　whose　pattern　was　constantly　changinga

dusty　brown　carpet　in　the　process　of　being　beaten。　　I　relieved

one　of　the　watchers；　and　settled　myself　for　a　wait。

　　　　

At　this　close　inspection　the　different　sorts　of　cattle　showed

more　distinctly　their　characteristics。　　The　cows　and　calves

generally　rested　peacefully　enough；　the　calf　often　lying　down

while　the　mother　stood　guard　over　it。　　Steers；　however；　were　more

restless。　　They　walked　ceaselessly；　threading　their　way　in　and

out　among　the　standing　cattle；　pausing　in　brutish　amazement　at

the　edge　of　the　herd；　and　turning　back　immediately　to　endless

journeyings。　　The　bulls；　excited　by　so　much　company　forced　on

their　accustomed　solitary　habit；　roared　defiance　at　each　other

until　the　air　fairly　trembled。　　Occasionally　two　would　clash

foreheads。　　Then　the　powerful　animals　would　push　and　wrestle；

trying　for　a　chance　to　gore。　　The　decision　of　supremacy　was　a

question　of　but　a　few　minutes；　and　a　bloody　topknot　the　worst

damage。　　The　defeated　one　side…stepped　hastily　and　clumsily　out

of　reach；　and　then　walked　away。

　　　　　

Most　of　the　time　all　we　had　to　do　was　to　sit　our　horses　and　watch

these　things；　to　enjoy　the　warm　bath　of　the　Arizona　sun；　and　to

converse　with　our　next　neighbours。　　Once　in　a　while　some

enterprising　cow；　observing　the　opening　between　the　men；　would

start　to　walk　out。　　Others　would　fall　in　behind　her　until　the

movement　would　become　general。　　Then　one　of　us　would　swing　his

leg　off　the　pommel　and　jog　his　pony　over　to　head　them　off。　　They

would　return　peacefully　enough。

　　　　　　

But　one　black　muley　cow；　with　a　calf　as　black　and　muley　as

herself；　was　more　persistent。　　Time　after　time；　with　infinite

patience；　she　tried　it　again　the　moment　my　back　was　turned。　　I

tried　driving　her　far　into　the　herd。　　No　use；　she　always

returned。　　Quirtings　and　stones　had　no　effect　on　her　mild　and

steady　persistence。

　　　　

〃She's　a　San　Simon　cow；〃　drawled　my　neighbour。　　〃Everybody　knows

her。　　She's　at　every　round…up；　just　naturally　raisin'　hell。〃

　　　　

When　the　last　man　had　returned　from　chuck；　Homer　made　the

dispositions　for　the　cut。　　There　were　present　probably　thirty　men

from　the　home　ranches　round　about；　and　twenty　representing　owners

at　a　distance；　here　to　pick　up　the　strays　inevitable　to　the

season's　drift。　　The　round…up　captain　appointed　two　men　to　hold

the　cow…and…calf　cut；　and　two　more　to　hold　the　steer　cut。　

Several　of　us　rode　into　the　herd；　while　the　remainder　retained

their　positions　as　sentinels　to　hold　the　main　body　of　cattle　in

shape。

　　　　　

Little　G　and　I　rode　slowly　among　the　cattle　looking　everywhere。　

The　animals　moved　sluggishly　aside　to　give　us　passage；　and　closed

in　as　sluggishly　behind　us；　so　that　we　were　always　closely　hemmed

in　wherever　we　went。　　Over　the　shifting　sleek　backs；　through　the

eddying　clouds　of　dust；　I　could　make　out　the　figures　of　my

companions　moving　slowly；　apparently　aimlessly；　here　and　there。

　　　　　

Our　task　for　the　moment　was　to　search　out　the　unbranded　J　H

calves。　　Since　in　ranks　so　closely　crowded　it　would　be　physically

impossible　actually　to　see　an　animal's　branded　flank；　we　depended

entirely　on　the　ear…marks。

　　　　　

Did　you　ever　notice　how　any　animal；　tame　or　wild；　always　points

his　ears　inquiringly　in　the　direction　of　whatever　interests　or

alarms　him？　　Those　ears　are　for　the　moment　his　most　prominent

feature。　　So　when　a　brand　is　quite　indistinguishable　because；　as

now；　of　press　of　numbers；　or；　as　in　winter；　from　extreme　length

of　hair；　the　cropped　ears　tell　plainly　the　tale　of　ownership。　　As

every　animal　is　so　marked　when　branded；　it　follows　that　an　uncut

pair　of　ears　means　that　its　owner　has　never　felt　the　iron。

　　　　　

So；　now　we　had　to　look　first　of　all　for　calves　with　　uncut　ears。　

After　discovering　one；　we　had　to　ascertain　his　ownership　by

examining　the　ear…marks　of　his　mother；　by　whose　side　he　was　sure；

in　this　alarming　multitude；　to　be　clinging　faithfully。

　　　　　

Calves　were　numerous；　and　J　H　cows　everywhere　to　be　seen；　so　in

somewhat　less　than　ten　seconds　I　had　my　eye　on　a　mother　and　son。　

Immediately　I　turned　Little　G　in　their　direction。　　At　the　slap　of

my　quirt　against　the　stirrup；　all　the　cows　immediately　about　me

shrank　suspiciously　aside。　　Little　G　stepped　forward　daintily；

his　nostrils　expanding；　his　ears　working　back　and　forth；　trying

to　the　best　of　his　ability　to　understand　which　animals　I　had

selected。　　The　cow　and　her　calf　turned　in　toward　the　centre　of

the　herd。　　A　touch　of　the　reins　guided　the　pony。　　At　once　he

comprehended。　　From　that　time　on　he　needed　no　further　directions。



Cautiously；　patiently；　with　great　skill；　he　forced　the　cow

through　the　press　toward　the　edge　of　the　herd。　　It　had　to　be　done

very　quietly；　at　a　foot　pace；　so　as　to　alarm　neither　the　objects

of　pursuit　nor　those　surrounding　them。　　When　the　cow　turned　back；

Little　G　somehow　happened　always　in　her　way。　　Before　she　knew　it

she　was　at　the　outer　edge　of　the　herd。　　There　she　found　herself；

with　a　group　of　three　or　four　companions；　facing　the　open　plain。　

Instinctively　she　sought　shelter。　　I　felt　Little　G's　muscles

tighten　beneath　me。　　The　moment　for　action　had　come。　　Before　the

cow　had　a　chance　to　dodge　among　her　companions　the　pony　was　upon

her　like　a　thunderbolt。　　She　broke　in　alarm；　trying　desperately

to　avoid　the　rush。　　There　ensued　an　exciting　contest　of　dodgings；

turnings；and　doublings。　　Wherever　she　turned　Little　G　was　before

her。　　Some　of　his　evolutions　were　marvellous。　　All　I　had　to　do

was　to　sit　my　saddle；　and　apply　just　that　final　touch　of　judgment

denied　even　the　wisest　of　the　lower　animals。　　Time　and　again　the

turn　was　so　quick　that　the　stirrup　swept　the　ground。　　At　last　the

cow；　convinced　of　the　uselessness　of　further　effort　to　return；

broke　away　on　a　long　lumbering　run　to　the　open　plain。　　She　was

stopped　and　held　by　the　men　detailed；　and　so　formed　the　nucleus

of　the　new　cut…herd。　　Immediately　Little　G；　his　ears　working　in

conscious　virtue；　jog…trotted　back　into　the　herd；　ready　for

another。



After　a　dozen　cows　had　been　sent　across　to　the　　cut…herd；　the

work　simplified。　　Once　a　cow　caught　sight　of　this　new　band；　she

generally　made　directly　for　it；　head　and　tail　up。　　After　the

first　short　struggle　to　force　her　from　the　herd；　all　I　had　to　do

was　to　start　her　in　the　proper　direction　and　keep　her　at　it　until

her　decision　was　fixed。　　If　she　was　too　soon　left　to　her　own

devices；　however；　she　was　likely　to　return。　　An　old　cowman　knows

to　a　second　just　the　proper　moment　to　abandon　her。



Sometimes；　in　spite　of　our　best　efforts　a　cow　succeeded　in

circling　us　and　plunging　into　the　main　herd。　　The　temptation　was

then　strong　to　plunge　in　also；　and　to　drive　her　out　by　main

force；　but　the　temptation　had　to　be　resisted。　　A　dash　into　the

thick　of　it　might　break　the　whole　band。　　At　once；　of　his　own

accord；　Little　G　dropped　to　his　fast；　shuffling　walk；　and　again

we　addressed　ourselves　to　the　task　of　pushing　her　gently　to　the

edge。

　　　　

This　was　all　comparatively　simplealmost　any　pony　is　fast　enough

for　the　calf　cutbut　now　Homer　gave　orders　for　the　steer　cut　to

begin；　and　steers　are　rapid　and　resourceful　and　full　of　natural

cussedness。　　Little　G　and　I　were　relieved　by　Windy　Bill；　and

betook　ourselves　to　the　outside　of　the　herd。

　　　　

Here　we　had　leisure　to　observe　the　effects　that　up　to　this　moment

we　had　ourselves　been　producing。　　The　herd；　restless　by　reason　of

the　horsemen　threading　it；　shifted；　gave　ground；　expanded；　and

contracted；　so　that　its　shape　and　size　were　always　changing　in

the　constant　area　guarded　by　the　sentinel　cowboys。　　Dust　arose

from　these　movements；　clouds　of　it；　to　eddy　and　swirl；　thicken

and　dissipate　in　the　currents　of　air。　　Now　it　concealed　all　but

the　nearest　dimly…outlined　animals；　again　it　parted　in　rifts

through　which　mistily　we　discerned　the　riders　moving　in　and　out

of　the　fog；　again　it　lifted　high　and　thin；　so　that　we　saw　in

clarity　the　whole　herd　and　the　outriders　and　the　mesas　far　away。　

As　the　afternoon　waned；　long　shafts　of　sun　slanted　through　this

dust。　　It　played　on　men　and　beasts　magically；　expanding　them　to

the　dimensions　of　strange　genii；　appearing　and　effacing

themselves　in　the　billows　of　vapour　from　some　enchanted　bottle。

　　　　　

We　on　the　outside　found　our　sinecure　of　hot　noon…tide　filched

from　us　by　the　cooler　hours。　　The　cattle；　wearied　of　standing；

and　perhaps　somewhat　hungry　and　thirsty；　grew　more　and　more

impatient。　　We　rode　continually　back　and　forth；　turning　the　slow

movement　in　on　itself。　　Occasionally　some　particularly

enterprising　cow　would　conclude　that　one　or　another　of　the

cut…herds　would　suit　her　better　than　this　mill　of　turmoil。　　She

would　start　confidently　out；　head　and　tail　up；　find　herself

chased　back；　get　stubborn　on　the　question；　and　lead　her　pursuer　a

long；　hard　run　before　she　would　return　to　her　companions。　　Once

in　a　while　one　would　even　have　to　be　roped　and　dragged　back。　　For

know；　before　something　happens　to　you；　that　you　can　chase　a　cow

safely　only　until　she　gets　hot　and

winded。　　Then　she　stands　her　ground　and　gets　emphatically　〃on　the

peck。〃



I　remember　very　well　when　I　first　discovered　this。　It　was　after　I

had　had　considerable　cow　work；　too。　　I　thought　of　cows　as　I　had

always　seen　themafraid　of　a　horseman；　easy　to　turn　with　the

pony；　and　willing　to　be　chased　as　far　as　necessary　to　the　work。　

Nobody　told　me　anything　different。　　One　day　we　were　making　a

drive　in　an　exceedingly　broken　country。　　I　was　bringing　in　a

small　bunch