Page:Pictures of life in Mexico Vol 2.djvu/136

112 unoffending-herd become the prey of their cruel and dastardly enemies.

The inducements presented to the cattle-hunters for the destruction of these animals consist in the hides which form a considerable article of commerce; and, in the fat, which they melt down into vessels and hogsheads, also for sale.

"Thy blessing, holy father!" exclaimed one of these hunters, to a priest located in one of the northern villages,—"thy blessing, holy father, and that of Our Lady on my expedition. I am about to set out that I may reach the 'red point' of the prairie at sunset, to be ready for the morning. I have promised Zio a whole cargo of hides—as many as my horse will carry—in two days from this. Grant thy benediction then, holy father, upon my journey!"

The priest muttered some words over him in an incongruous mixture of the Latin and Spanish languages; and the hunter immediately commenced his journey in the highest possible spirits, and with the fullest certainty that his expedition would be happy and productive.

Urging his horse to its utmost speed, he