Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1884 — The Mexican Lasso. [ARTICLE]

The Mexican Lasso.

The lasso itself is a rope made of the twisted fiber of the maguey, or aloe, known in European markets as Sisal hemp. There is a great difference in the quality; the best and strongest are twisted so extremely tight that it is almost impossible to untwist the strands. One end is worked into a Hop, lined inside wiih leather, through which, when about to throw the la’so. the other end is passed. The rope is about .thirty feet long, about one-third of it formed into a noose which is grasped a little above the loop—to wit: where the rope is doubled; the rest of it is coiled round and held in the left hand, ready to let go, the extreme end bing kept separate and, of course retained. The noose should hang well clear of the ground when held level with the shoulder, and, when open, forms a circle four or five feet in diameter. The lasso is swung over the head and left and back over the right shoulder- a peculiar turn of the wrist as it begins to return, keeping the noose open. It is thus made to circle round and round his head by the thrower until lie is within distance of his object, when it is launched and flies off at a tangent, the noo-e assuming a circular form, and settling, quietly round the object aimed at Before it settles the thrower siezes the other end with his right hand, and gives it two rapid turns round the cabeza of his saddle, so as t o get a purchase. If he is not quick enough at this, and the bull tightens the rope before a good purchase has been effected, the result is that the fingers get caught* between the rope and the cabeza and very much injured. It is no infrequent tiling to see a man who has lost one or two fingers in learning the art It is beautiful to see the exactitude with which an adept will throw a lasso from or to any point, over either shoulder, behind or in front. There is no credit in catching a bull by the horns, for he cannot be thrown by them; but considerable skill is required to pitch the noose just in front of him, when he is at full gallop, so that at the next step he treads into it; then, on its being lightened with a sudden jerk, rolls over in the dust. The horse, too, has to learn his part of the business and bear at the right moment in the opposite direction, or he might be tin own instead of the bull, to which indeed he is often inferior in weight. It is considered disgraceful to have to loosen the lasso, and to let the bull carry it off with him. A good hand at it will catch by either leg alone a bull galloping past at any angle. The most difficult feat of all is to lasso him round the quarters when at full gallop at the moment when his hind legs are doubled up under him. Usually the noose slips off, and nothing happens; but if it be thrown at precisely the light instant his hind legs are pinned right up under his belly, and he is brought to a stand still in the position of a sitting dog, looking indescribably silly in such an unwonted position. These and other feats of lassoing are seen at thenbest at a hacienda, on the occasion of the annual herradcro, when the young bulls are driven in from the plains, thrown down and marked with a hot iron with the initials of the proprietor's name. Friends and neighbors come together from afar, and vie with one another in the display of dexterity and horsemanship.— London Saturday Review.