The Stirrups Are Covered Or Boxed Up In Front, To Prevent
Their Catching When Riding Through The Woods; And The Saddles Are
Large And Heavy, Strapped Very Tight Upon The Horse, And Have
Large Pommels, Or Loggerheads, In Front, Round Which The "Lasso"
Is Coiled When Not In Use.
They can hardly go from one house to
another without getting on a horse, there being generally several
standing tied to the door-posts of the little cottages.
When they
wish to show their activity, they make no use of their stirrups
in mounting, but striking the horse, spring into the saddle as
he starts, and sticking their long spurs into him, go off on
the full run. Their spurs are cruel things, having four or five
rowels, each an inch in length, dull and rusty. The flanks of
the horses are often sore from them, and I have seen men come in
from chasing bullocks with their horses' hind legs and quarters
covered with blood. They frequently give exhibitions of their
horsemanship, in races, bull-baitings, etc.; but as we were not
ashore during any holyday, we saw nothing of it. Monterey is also
a great place for cock-fighting, gambling of all sorts, fandangos,
and every kind of amusement and knavery. Trappers and hunters, who
occasionally arrive here from over the Rocky mountains, with their
valuable skins and furs, are often entertained with every sort of
amusement and dissipation, until they have wasted their time and
their money, and go back, stripped of everything.
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