Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1020 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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Barney Blake, t We had a first-rate day’s sport, considering that we were sailors, We killed three antelope and about a dozen of the large hares, which have since won the name of jackass-rabbits. The name is not altogether inappropriate—so faras it applies to the animal’s ears, which are of extraordinary length and size. The animals themselves are of the hare species. They do not jump as a rabbit, but run as a fox, and with surprising swiftness withal. They are very large, much larger than the English hare, and are excellent eating. It was growing late in the afternoon when we concluded to relinquish our hunt, and return homeward. So we siung our game across the necks of our steeds, and proceeded westward, over the faintly-distinguished trail whereby we had come. We had not traveled many miles before we witnessed a singular and novel sight, Oid Bluefish called my attention to a great cust in our advance, which we soon perceived to be caused by four Mexican hunters in pursuit cfagrizziy bear. We took our stand ona little eminence, and waited to see the sport, The bear could run almost as fast as the horses of his pursuers, and on they all came ata terrific pace, the Mexicans shouting at the top of their lungs and brandishing taeir lassoes at a great rate. We nowsaw that their intention was to take his bearship alive, Just as the grizzly came opposite our point of observation, one cf the Californians let his lariat fly, and, catching Bruin by the hind paw trip- ped him up, while the rest of the horsemen be- gan to circle round the beast on their wild steeds, swinging their lariats, and watching for a chance to noose tae monster. The latter rose up on his hind feet, clutched the line which bald him, and began to draw his entrapper toward him—horse and all. I never saw amore striking instance of the great mus- eular strength of the grizzly than this. He seemed to draw the horse and rider toward him with the most perfect ease, We expected to see the Californian draw his knife and cut the line immediately, thus releas- ing himself from his unpleasant predicament. But he did nothing of the kind. Ho retained his seat with the most perfect coolness—exhibit- ing his exquisite horsemanship in so doing; for, although the horse which he bestrode gave tokens of the utmost fright, the horseman kept him in perfect subjection to his will, and calmly ape the bear to pull him forward inch by inch. I was almost ready to yell out with excite- ment when I saw the fearless horseman dragg up to within afew feet of the ferocious beast. But, at this instant, whiz went another lariat through the air, and Bruin was caught around the gullet and choked so taut that he could hardly breathe. This caused him to release his hold on the line of his first captor and make at the new assailant, But another noose quickly followed the second, catching him by one of his forepaws, while his remaining hind-foot was quickly caught up by the remaining hunter. Poor Bruin was fairly in the toils, for his pro- digious strength could now avail him noth- ing. The horsemen commenced circling around him on their swift and well-trained steeds, in such a - manner as to wind their long, stout lariats of hide repeatediy round the body and limbs of their prey. When he was no longer capable of effective exertion, the horsemen dismounted, and completed their work by a few ingenious HAOee, so that the bear was completely power- ess. A light wagon cr cart, which had been wait- ing in the distance, then came up, and, after a great deal of pulling and hauling and leverage, the monster was safely loaded. We now made our appearance, and made friends with the hunters, as well as imperfect knowledge of their language would admit of. Wewere surprised and gratified to learn that the bear had been entrapped for a show—a bear and bull fight—which was to take place at Santa Barbara in a few days. So, as we all had one destination, we started homeward together, and arrived at the town shortly after dark, CHAPTER XV. BULL VERSUS BEAR. Two days after this, a great festival came off, and almost all the people of the Queer Fish were on shore to see the fun. Mexican holy days are a singular institution, if the one about to becited may be considered a kair sample of them all, é Church-going forms a small portion of the ceremonies, It is true, the priests went through the tewn in the morning, jingiing their little bells, and asking for alms, while the people of the place almost prostrated themselves before them, and the miserable old bell in the belfry of the adobe cathedral kept up a dismal clang all the time, asif tolling the burial service of all mankind. But then, a few nours later, and the PopuaHon were amusing themselves with firing off cannon at imaginary demons in the air—the Pree directing the guns to the proper spots. could not believe this at first, and it was only | upon diligent inquiry that I found it to be true. But I never betore heard of this duty being numbered among the sacerdotal functions of any country —even those ef a Catholic persuasion, Horse-racing was the next celebration in or- der, and we experienced considerable pleasure in seeing the Californians compete with each other on their swift steeds. After the horse-racing came the bull and bear fight, in which old Bluefish and myself evinced an especial interest. A broad tract of sward was inctosed in palings and ropes, just outside the town, on the ocean- shore. Long before the animals appeared, the merry people of Santa Barbara crowded round this inclosure, smoking their cigarettoes and having @ good time generally, while the distin- guished visitors from the Queer Fish were aliot- ted a good place of observation underneath a little pavilion, which was reared at the com- manda, and for the benefit, of the commandant and his family. We waited a good while, but it was almost sunset, and the heat was not oppressive. At last, amid the cheers of the populace, the cart appeared bearing the grizzly. He was driven, still bound, within the inclosure, and there dumped unceremoniously upon the ground. Then the bull,a very fine and ferocious one, was driven into the inclosure. While he was prancing and bellowing about, taking his ‘bearings,’ the strong gates of the palisades were Closed, aud one of the Californians, who officiated, proceeded to cut the thongs which fettered the bear, by meansof a knife made fast to the end of a long pole, thus enabling him to perform the operation and stand outside the stockade at the same time. Released from his long confinement, Bruin staggered to his feet and stretched himself. He was pretty soon himself again, and now began to eye the bull with suspicious glances, keeping on the opposite side of the ring, and not seem- ing especially anxious for anearer acquaintance. The bull appeared somewhat more belligerent, but likewise averse to commence the fight. He would advance this way and that, pawing the ground and lashing his flanks with his an tail, while the great bear—which propaniy outweighed his antagonist by several hundred ounds, aithough he was not quite so bulky— shifted as the bull did, keeping his nose close to the ground, but apparently ready for any emer- gency. The ceremony of making each other’s ac- quaintance becoming rather tedious to the im- patient spectators, the latter began to yell and shriek in a hideous manner, in the apparent hope of inducing a commencement of thescrimmage. But both bull and bear still being wary and cautious, the man who had cut the thongs of the former commenced to goad, now the bull and then the bear with his pole-knife. This had the desired effect, for presently the bull lowered his horns, and rushed upon the bear with a fierce bellow. Bruin took it coolly, stood on his hind legs, avoided the coming horns, and fetched his antagonist such a wipe with one of his terrible forepaws that the bull staggered back to his side of the arena, with one side of his neck raw and bloody. But Bruin, elated with his success, no doubt, forgot his caution, and followed up his an- tagonist, fetching him another wipe between the hips, but receiving, in his turn, one of the formidable horas under his left shoulder, which seemed to paralyze one of hispaws. He then retreated in his turn, walking on three feet, and watching the bull witha distrustful wari- ness, The spectators were very much excited at this exhibition, and began to make wagers as to the result of thecombat. But I took notice that almont all of them preferred to bet on the ull, At length the bull lowered his head again and made another rush, but only to be repulsed a second time by his powerful antagonist. But this time the ‘‘round’’ was much more pro- tracted than before, and both of the beasts were much injured, v he Boy Frivateer. 15 The bear moved about with evident pain, but his injuries were more of the character of bruises than otherwise, while those of the bull occasioned much loss of blood, the effects of which were already beginning to tell painfully upon him. Hiscourage wassublime. He did all the attacking, charging repeatedly, in spite of the terrible slashing he received from the forepaw of the grizzly, until at last both of his sides were streaming with gore, and his eyes were almost blinded with his blood. But now the bull, evidently feeling that his strength would soon be exhausted, gathered himselt up for a prodigious effort, and sprung upon his adversary with the momentum cf a locomotive. In vain did Bruin lash out with those long sharp talons of his; the bull would nct be denied, and goring him to the ground, fairly pinned him to the earth. One of his horns held the bear by the neck and the other pierced deeply into his breast. The bear bellowed with pain and fought with allhis paws, but hisstrug- gles grew gradually feebler, anil the bull held him down bravely, until et last the movements of Bruin ceased altogetoer, a token that he breathed no more. Then, and only then, did the bull extract his horns from the fallen body and lift his bloody head. The plaudits of the spectators rung loud, but the brave animal only staggered a few paces, when he fell in the center of the arena and expired. His victory had cost him his life, CHAPTER XVI. ACAPULCO—ANOTHER YARN FROM BLUEFISH. AFTER a delay of a week or mors with our friends at Santa Barbara we weighed anchor one bright morning in the middle of January and started southward for Acapulco, intending to pick up what prizes might chance to cross our path on the way thither. But our passage southward was scarcely broken by a single event so important as the capture of a British trader. We had splendid weather all the way down. When off Cape St. Lucas I for the first time witnessed that phenomenon of the desert and of the ocean which is denominated a mirage. It happened just about an hour before sunset, The day had been characterized by a peculiar kind of haze ever since noon. This silvery haze or va- por completely banked the western horizon, and was smitten by the beams of the descending sun into many beautiful hues, when—about the time before mentioned—the lookout suddenly sung out: ‘¢ A sail on the larboard bow!” then again in a few seconds: ‘* A sail on the starboard bow!” At last he sung out in a tone of amazement: ‘¢ Sails all around the ships!” This was true enough, but they were visionary sails, not on the ocean, but high up in the mist air, and probably belonging to those vessels which came tothe poet in his visions, when he ‘*Saw the heavens fill with commerce, argosies of magic sails, Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping down with costly bales; Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rained a ghastly dew From the nations’ airy navies grappling in the cen- tral blue.” Some of these visionary vessels were very distinctly seen, with men on their decks and fiags flying, but, as the apparitions were color- less, of course, the character of the airy flags could not be determined, We were almost be- calmed while we were the witnesses of this strange phenomenon, and we had an hour or so to observeit in. But, asthe nigat began to fall, an easterly gale sprung up, and, ina few moments, our ‘‘ airy navies’’ vanished away. We arrived at Acapulco, after a prosperous voyage of only a few days’ duration, and re- mained there two days. Acapulco was much then asitisnow, It isa very solidly-built place, resembling Panama in this, and is possessed of more than one handsome ecclesiastical building. The bay of Acapulcois one of the finest in the warld—by far the finest in America. It is well sheltered, is capacious, deep and excellent in everyrespect, Ths region around Acapulco equals any in Mexicoin point of fertility. Almost every tropical fruit flourishes profusely, and most of us were down somewhat with dysentery, through indulgiag too freely. ; Our ship was surrounded most of the time while in port by natives, most of them childres “i eomicbooks.com