pretty faithful picture of the cowboy of twenty-five years
ago.

It remains to say something of the "shooting irons." In the days of
which I write there was no restriction to the bearing of arms. Every man
carried a six-shooter. We, and most of our outfit, habitually carried a
carbine or rifle as well as the smaller weapon. The carbine was carried
in a scabbard, slung from the horn, under the stirrup flap, and so under
the leg. This method kept the weapon steady and left both arms free. By
raising the leg it was easily got at, and it interfered in no way with
the use of the lariat (La Riata). The hang of the six-shooter required
more particular consideration; when needed it would be needed _badly_,
and therefore must be easily drawn, with no possible chance of a hitch.
The butt of a revolver must point forwards and not backwards, as shown
in the accompanying illustration, a portrait of one of our men as he
habitually appeared at work. We ourselves did not go the length of
wearing three belts of cartridges and two six-shooters; but two belts
were needed, one for the rifle and the other for the smaller weapon.
Some of the boys were always getting into scrapes and seemed to enjoy
protracted fights with the Mexicans. There must be no flap to the
scabbard, and the point must be tied by a leather thong around the thigh
to keep it in correct position; and of course it was hung on the right
side and low down on the hip, so as to be easily got at. Only when
riding fast was a small loop and silver button passed through the
trigger guard to prevent the gun from jolting out and being lost. The
chambers were always kept full and the weapons themselves in perfect
working order. Very "bad" men tied back or removed the trigger
altogether, cocking and releasing the hammer with the thumb, or
"fanning" it with the left hand. This permitted of very rapid firing, so
that the "aar would be plumb full of lead."

[Illustration: ONE OF OUR MEN. (To show the hand of six-shooter.)]

As an instance of quick shooting, two of our neighbours had threatened
to kill each other at sight: and we were all naturally interested in the
results. When the meeting did take place, quite unpremeditated, no
doubt, each man saw the other about the same instant, but one of them
was just a little the quicker, and put a bullet through his enemy's
heart. It was a mortal wound of course; but before the unlucky man fell
he was also able to "get his work in," and both