Chasing a little cow bareback and riding loosely she made a quick turn
and the mare stuck to her just where we had worn a track bringing the
adobes for houses. Man's head struck the track and a native woman
carried the remains into a house and doctored him. Another time,
sitting on a blanket strapped around a tall black beast with a back
like the roof of a church, and leading a mare, dogs came and scared
the mare, man held but the rope was only around the mare's neck and,
as she was faster than the horse, man was pulled forward over the
horse's head, one hand full of reins, revolver, and mane, the other
of the mare. Strap round the blanket loosened and away went man
onto his back. Mare dragged him fifty yards over burned camp and the
skin came off his arms and the black stuff rubbed in. Took some time
to heal and he could not get up for a while because he thought his
back was broke; also he had to swear at the dog owners when they ran
up. One day, as we stood about among some piles of brick, a cow stood
pawing the dust up near, suddenly she charged and all got on brick
piles except one who thought it was all right because he was behind a
heap; but the cow turned round the corner and came at him head down
and tail up. Now would you think that that man stood perfectly still
and watched the cow's shoulder wondering if he had a sword whether he
could hit the right spot? We had been seeing a good many bull fights
lately. Anyway when he jumped to one side he did it mechanically and
the cow's horn tore his coat. She kept straight on though.
[Illustration: The Mare Wins Easy.]
[Illustration: El Hombre ò la Vaca.]