At our feet lay the prairie, spread before us like a green carpet, and bounded upon the farther side by a dark wall of forest-trees. Several clumps7 of timber grew like islands on the plain, adding to the picturesque8 character of the landscape.
Near the centre of the prairie stood a small rancho, surrounded by a high picket9 fence. This we at once recognised as the “corral” mentioned by Don Cosmé.
At some distance from the inclosure thousands of cattle were browsing10 upon the grassy11 level, their spotted12 flanks and long upright horns showing their descent from the famous race of Spanish bulls. Some of them, straggling from the herd13, rambled14 through the “mottes”, or lay stretched out under the shade of some isolated15 palm-tree. Ox-bells were tinkling16 their cheerful but monotonous17 music. Hundreds of horses and mules19 mingled20 with the herd; and we could distinguish a couple of leather-clad vaqueros (herdsmen) galloping22 from point to point on their swift mustangs.
These, as we appeared upon the ridge23, dashed out after a wild bull that had just escaped from the corral.
All five—the vaqueros, the mustangs, and the bull—swept over the prairie like wind, the bull bellowing24 with rage and terror; while the vaqueros were yelling in his rear, and whirling their long lazos. Their straight black hair floating in the wind—their swarthy, Arab-like faces—their high Spanish hats—their red leather calzoneros, buttoned up the sides—their huge jingling25 spurs, and the ornamental26 trappings of their deep saddles—all these, combined with the perfect manège of their dashing steeds, and the wild excitement of the chase in which they were engaged, rendered them objects of picturesque interest; and we halted a moment to witness the result.
The bull came rushing past within fifty paces of where we stood, snorting with rage, and tossing his horns high in the air—his pursuers close upon him. At this moment one of the vaqueros launched his lazo, which, floating gracefully27 out, settled down over one horn. Seeing this, the vaquero did not turn his horse, but sat facing the bull, and permitted the rope to run out. It was soon carried taut28; and, scarcely checking the animal, it slipped along the smooth horn and spun30 out into the air. The cast was a failure.
The second vaquero now flung his lazo with more success. The heavy loop, skilfully31 projected, shot out like an arrow, and embraced both horns in its curving noose32. With the quickness of thought the vaquero wheeled his horse, buried his spurs deep into his flanks, and, pressing his thighs33 to the saddle, galloped34 off in an opposite direction. The bull dashed on as before. In a moment the lariat35 was stretched. The sudden jerk caused the thong36 to vibrate like a bowstring, and the bull lay motionless on the grass. The shock almost dragged the mustang upon his flanks.
The bull lay for some time where he had fallen; then, making an effort, he sprang up, and looked around him with a bewildered air. He was not yet conquered. His eye, flashing with rage, rolled around until it fell upon the rope leading from his horns to the saddle; and, suddenly lowering his head, with a furious roar he rushed upon the vaquero.
The latter, who had been expecting this attack, drove the spurs into his mustang, and started in full gallop21 across the prairie. On followed the bull, sometimes shortening the distance between him and his enemy, while at intervals37 the lazo, tightening38, would almost jerk him upon his head.
After running for a hundred yards or so, the vaquero suddenly wheeled and galloped out at right angles to his former course. Before the bull could turn, himself the rope again tightened39 with a jerk and flung him upon his side. This time he lay but an instant, and, again springing to his feet, he dashed off in fresh pursuit.
The second vaquero now came up, and, as the bull rushed past, launched his lazo after, and snared40 him around one of the legs, drawing the noose upon his ankle.
This time the bull was flung completely over, and with such a violent shock that he lay as if dead. One of the vaqueros then rode cautiously up, and, bending over in the saddle, unfastened both of the lariats, and set the animal free.
The bull rose to his feet, and, looking around in the most cowed and pitiful manner, walked quietly off, driven unresistingly towards the corral.
We commenced descending into the place, and the vaqueros, catching41 a glimpse of our uniforms, simultaneously42 reined43 up their mustangs with a sudden jerk. We could see from their gestures that they were frightened at the approach of our party. This was not strange, as the major, mounted upon his great gaunt charger, loomed44 up against the blue sky like a colossus. The Mexicans, doubtless, had never seen anything in the way of horseflesh bigger than the mustangs they were riding; and this apparition45, with the long line of uniformed soldiers descending the hill, was calculated to alarm them severely46.
“Them fellers is gwine to put, Cap’n,” said Lincoln, touching47 his cap respectfully.
“You’re right, Sergeant,” I replied; “and without them we might as well think of catching the wind as one of these mules.”
“If yer’ll just let me draw a bead48 on the near mustang, I kin29 kripple him ’ithout hurtin’ the thing thet’s in the saddle.”
“It would be a pity. No, Sergeant,” answered I. “I might stop them by sending forward the guide,” I continued, addressing myself rather than Lincoln; “but no, it will not do; there must be the appearance of force. I have promised. Major, would you have the goodness to ride forward, and prevent those fellows from galloping off?”
“Lord, Captain!” said the major, with a terrified look, “you don’t think I could overtake such Arabs as them? Hercules is slow—slow as a crab49!”
Now, this was a lie, and I knew it! for Hercules, the major’s great, raw-boned steed, was as fleet as the wind.
“Then, Major, perhaps you will allow Mr Clayley to make trial of him,” I suggested. “He is light weight. I assure you that, without the assistance of these Mexicans, we shall not be able to catch a single mule18.”
The major, seeing that all eyes were fixed50 upon him, suddenly straightened himself up in his stirrups, and, swelling51 with courage and importance, declared, “If that was the case, he would go himself.” Then, calling upon “Doc” to follow him, he struck the spurs into Hercules, and rode forward at a gallop.
It proved that this was just the very course to start the vaqueros, as the major had inspired them with more terror than all the rest of our party. They showed evident symptoms of taking to their heels, and I shouted to them at the top of my voice:
“Alto! somos amigos!” (Halt! we are friends).
The words were scarcely out of my mouth when the Mexicans drove the rowels into their mustangs, and galloped off as if for their lives in the direction of the corral.
The major followed at a slashing52 pace, Doc bringing up the rear; while the basket which the latter carried over his arm began to eject its contents, scattering53 the commissariat of the major over the prairie. Fortunately, the hospitality of Don Cosmé had already provided a substitute for this loss.
After a run of about half a mile Hercules began to gain rapidly upon the mustangs, whereas Doc was losing distance in an inverse54 ratio. The Mexicans had got within a couple of hundred yards of the rancho, the major not over a hundred in their rear, when I observed the latter suddenly pull up, and, jerking the long body of Hercules round, commence riding briskly back, all the while looking over his shoulder towards the in closure.
The vaqueros did not halt at the corral, as we expected, but kept across the prairie, and disappeared among the trees on the opposite side.
“What the deuce has got into Blossom?” inquired Clayley; “he was clearly gaining upon them. The old bloat must have burst a blood-vessel.”
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1
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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lulled
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| vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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orb
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| n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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cone
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| n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果 | |
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clumps
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| n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
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8
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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picket
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| n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫 | |
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browsing
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| v.吃草( browse的现在分词 )；随意翻阅；（在商店里）随便看看；（在计算机上）浏览信息 | |
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grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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rambled
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| （无目的地）漫游( ramble的过去式和过去分词 )； （喻）漫谈； 扯淡； 长篇大论 | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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tinkling
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| n.丁当作响声 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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jingling
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| 叮当声 | |
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ornamental
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| adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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taut
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| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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skilfully
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| adv. (美skillfully)熟练地 | |
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noose
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| n.绳套，绞索（刑）；v.用套索捉；使落入圈套；处以绞刑 | |
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thighs
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| n.股，大腿( thigh的名词复数 )；食用的鸡（等的）腿 | |
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galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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lariat
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| n.系绳，套索；v.用套索套捕 | |
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thong
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| n.皮带；皮鞭；v.装皮带 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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38
tightening
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| 上紧，固定，紧密 | |
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39
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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40
snared
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| v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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42
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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43
reined
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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44
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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45
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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46
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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47
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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48
bead
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| n.念珠；(pl.)珠子项链；水珠 | |
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49
crab
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| n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气 | |
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50
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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51
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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52
slashing
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| adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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53
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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54
inverse
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| adj.相反的，倒转的，反转的；n.相反之物；v.倒转 | |
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