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DAWN AND THE DONS 108 It was the ranch, and its accompanying necessities in connection with the cattle industry, that carried the marvelous horsemanship of California to its highest degree of skill and perfection. From the beginning, the horse was the popular means

of passenger

transportation

in

that far off land. Indeed, it was almost exclusive in that regard. But it was left to the vaquero to develop and display those feats of spectacular skill and daring that fired the youthful ambition of the native sons of that day. All writers and historians emphasize this phase of life in California during the period of Spanish and Mexican rule. Richman says, “The early California ranch developed the most expert horsemen the world has ever known. His pride was his horse, his

saddle,

his

bridle

and

his

spurs.

To promote good fellowship or to greet his lady, the ranchero, while mounted, would sing and play the guitar, his steed stepping in time to the tune. For a wager, he would pick up at full dash a coin or a kerchief from the ground; nor was a pause needed to light a cigarette. It was, however, in throwing the lasso—an

instrument of twisted hide and horse hair—that the ranchero found the diversion most congenial to him. Sometimes his