arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第23节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The calf sprang up； was appropriated and smelled over by his worried
mother； and the two departed into the herd to talk it over。
＇3＇ For the benefit of the squeamish it might be well to note that the
fragments of the ears were cartilaginous； and therefore not bloody。
It seems to me that a great deal of unnecessary twaddle is abroad as
to the extreme cruelty of branding。 Undoubtedly it is to some extent
painful； and could some other method of ready identification be devised； it
might be as well to adopt it in preference。 But in the circumstance of a
free range； thousands of cattle； and hundreds of owners； any other method
is out of the question。 I remember a New England movement looking
toward small brass tags to be hung from the ear。 Inextinguishable
laughter followed the spread of this doctrine through Arizona。 Imagine a
puncher descending to examine politely the ear…tags of wild cattle on the
open range or in a round…up。 But； as I have intimated； even the
inevitable branding and ear…marking are not so painful as one might
suppose。 The scorching hardly penetrates below the outer tough skin
only enough to kill the roots of the hairbesides which it must be
remembered that cattle are not so sensitive as the higher nervous
organisms。 A calf usually bellows when the iron bites； but as soon as
released he almost invariably goes to feeding or to looking idly about。
76
… Page 77…
ARIZONA NIGHTS
Indeed； I have never seen one even take the trouble to lick his wounds；
which is certainly not true in the case of the injuries they inflict on each
other in fighting。 Besides which； it happens but once in a lifetime； and is
over in ten seconds； a comfort denied to those of us who have our teeth
filled。 In the meantime two other calves had been roped by the two
other men。 One of the little animals was but a few months old； so the
rider did not bother with its hind legs； but tossed his loop over its neck。
Naturally； when things tightened up； Mr。 Calf entered his objections；
which took the form of most vigorous bawlings； and the most comical
bucking； pitching； cavorting； and bounding in the air。 Mr。 Frost's bull…
calf alone in pictorial history shows the attitudes。 And then； of course；
there was the gorgeous contrast between all this frantic and
uncomprehending excitement and the absolute matter…of…fact
imperturbability of horse and rider。 Once at the fire； one of the men
seized the tightened rope in one hand； reached well over the animal's back
to get a slack of the loose hide next the belly； lifted strongly； and tripped。
This is called 〃bull…dogging。〃 As he knew his business； and as the calf
was a small one； the little beast went over promptly； bit the ground with a
whack； and was pounced upon and held。 Such good luck did not
always follow； however。 An occasional and exceedingly husky bull
yearling declined to be upset in any such manner。 He would catch
himself on one foot； scramble vigorously； and end by struggling back to
the upright。 Then ten to one he made a dash to get away。 In such case
he was generally snubbed up short enough at the end of the rope； but once
or twice he succeeded in running around a group absorbed in branding。
You can imagine what happened next。 The rope； attached at one end to a
conscientious and immovable horse and at the other to a reckless and
vigorous little bull； swept its taut and destroying way about mid…knee high
across that group。 The brander and marker； who were standing； promptly
sat down hard； the bull…doggers； who were sitting； immediately turned
several most capable somersaults； the other calf arose and inextricably
entangled his rope with that of his accomplice。 Hot irons； hot language；
and dust filled the air。
Another method； and one requiring slightly more knack； is to grasp the
77
… Page 78…
ARIZONA NIGHTS
animal's tail and throw it by a quick jerk across the pressure of the rope。
This is productive of some fun if it fails。 By now the branding was in
full swing。 The three horses came and went phlegmatically。 When the
nooses fell； they turned and walked toward the fire as a matter of course。
Rarely did the cast fail。 Men ran to and fro busy and intent。 Sometimes
three or four calves were on the ground at once。 Cries arose in a
confusion： 〃Marker〃 〃Hot iron！〃 〃Tally one！〃 Dust eddied and
dissipated。 Behind all were clear sunlight and the organ roll of the cattle
bellowing。 Toward the middle of the morning the bull…doggers began
to get a little tired。 〃No more necked calves；〃 they announced。
〃Catch 'em by the hind legs； or bull…dog 'em yourself。〃 And that went。
Once in a while the rider； lazy； or careless； or bothered by the press of
numbers； dragged up a victim caught by the neck。 The bull…doggers
flatly refused to have anything to do with it。 An obvious way out would
have been to flip off the loop and try again； but of course that would have
amounted to a confession of wrong。 〃You fellows drive me plumb
weary；〃 remarked the rider； slowly dismounting。 〃A little bit of a calf
like that！ What you all need is a nigger to cut up your food for you！〃
Then he would spit on his hands and go at it alone。 If luck attended his
first effort； his sarcasm was profound。 〃There's yore little calf；〃 said
he。 〃Would you like to have me tote it to you； or do you reckon you
could toddle this far with yore little old iron？〃 But if the calf gave
much trouble； then all work ceased while the unfortunate puncher wrestled
it down。 Toward noon the work slacked。 Unbranded calves were
scarce。 Sometimes the men rode here and there for a minute or so before
their eyes fell on a pair of uncropped ears。 Finally Homer rode over to
the Cattleman and reported the branding finished。 The latter counted the
marks in his tally…book。 〃One hundred and seventy…six；〃 he
announced。 The markers； squatted on their heels； told over the bits of
ears they had saved。 The total amounted to but an hundred and seventy…
five。 Everybody went to searching for the missing bit。 It was not forth…
coming。 Finally Wooden discovered it in his hip pocket。 〃Felt her
thar all the time；〃 said he； 〃but thought it must shorely be a chaw of
tobacco。〃
78
… Page 79…
ARIZONA NIGHTS
This matter satisfactorily adjusted； the men all ran for their ponies。
They had been doing a wrestler's heavy work all the morning； but did not
seem to be tired。 I saw once in some crank physical culture periodical
that a cowboy's life was physically ill…balanced； like an oarsman's； in that
it exercised only certain muscles of the body。 The writer should be
turned loose in a branding corral。 Through the wide gates the cattle
were urged out to the open plain。 There they were held for over an hour
while the cows wandered about looking for their lost progeny。 A cow
knows her calf by scent and sound； not by sight。 Therefore the noise was
deafening； and the motion incessant。 Finally the last and most foolish
cow found the last and most foolish calf。 We turned the herd loose to
hunt water and grass at its own pleasure； and went slowly back to chuck。
79
… Page 80…
