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e rooster was dead； for at the first strong clutch his neck was broken； so that there was no unnecessary torture。 The stream of riders flowed on； and at last one lucky fellow gave the right kind of a pull； and out came the rooster； to be swung around his head with a fierce yell of triumph。
Pursuit of the Victor。 Now the real sport begins。 With a shout that only Indian lungs can produce； every rider darts after the possessor of the rooster； and for an hour； more or less； it is a question of hard riding； dodging； evading； whirling to and fro。 Over the sand…hills they go； pursued and pursuers； yelling and shouting like demons。 The victor's horse seems to know all about the sport。 He watches and dodges and doubles； like a hunted hare。 Now a stalwart ruffian has caught the rooster carrier； and hangs on like grim death； while he is beaten over head and breast and shoulders with the rooster as a weapon。 Others join in。 Surely someone will get hurt！ Watch the horses。 They nip and pinch each other； and squeal with pain and anger。 Ah； the winner still keeps his prize！ Again he is caught； and this time it seems as if he must succumb。 But his horse helps him out and； by clinging desperately to the horn of the saddle and his horse's mane； he wrests himself away from his pursuer； aided by the shying of the pursuing horse； which is kicked and bitten by his own animal。 But where is the pursuer？ His horse is dashing riderless away。 Is he trampled to death in that swirling； sandy conflict？ No； he is hanging on to the man with the rooster； belabored the while with the now bloody and dilapidated bird。 Regardless of this he still clings； although the horse is bounding along at great speed； and a hundred or more are following； all yelling and encouraging him not to let go。 With a superb effort； he swings himself onto the horse behind the saddle； and with a second sudden move grabs the rooster and wrests half of it out of the original victor's hands。 Seeing a chance to escape he drops upon the sand； picks himself up unhurt； and is soon seated upon a new horse。 Now he becomes the pursued； and two bands； instead of one； of howling； raving； shouting demons； occupy the attention。
Finish of Contest。 And thus the struggle goes on； good…naturedly； yet with a fierceness of energy that is exhausting in its wild excitement； exhausting to the onlooker； as well as the participant。 When the unlucky bird is all dismembered； and the racers smeared from head to heels with blood； and it seems impossible to divide the pieces any smaller； then； and not till then； the conflict ceases。
Two Thousand Horsemen。 But for superb riding watch nearly two thousand of these sons of the desert as they train their young men and boys in daring control of their horses。 The greatest chief of the Navahos is a good friend of mine； and it was by his kind invitation that I was privileged to see this never…to…be…forgotten sight。 He commanded the 〃regiment〃shall I call it？riding alongside at times； and again standing where he could signal his demands and note the result。
An Exhibition of Riding。 Let us stand with him。 These riders are about to dash past。 Just before they reach us； a signal is given； and every rider； in an instant； disappears over the side of his mount； while the horses continue running under perfect control。 Simultaneously； every Indian reappears upon his saddle； sits about as long as one might count three； and then slides over to our side of his horse； fully in our sight； holding on by stirrup and mane； but completely hidden from one who might be looking from the other side。
Wonderful Agility。 The chief was delighted； in his dignified quiet way； as I burst into warm encomiums； and told me I should soon see 〃some more〃 riding。 Again the horsemen dashed past。 This time I watched for their disappearance and saw where and how they went； but I was scarcely prepared to see many of them peeping at me from under the bellies of their animals。 This was done several times； then Pacoda gave me another treat。 The riders came toward us。 At a sign； every man sprang from his horse to the ground； to our left； gave three or four wild jumps； sprang completely over the saddle to the other side of his horse； where he gave more jumps； and then； with a yell of joyful triumph； landed into his saddle； the horse； meanwhile； keeping up his speed。
An Impressive Spectacle。 But to see the whole party ride furiously away from us； nothing but black hair； sturdy backs； horses' tails and hindquarters with galloping feet presented； and then； in the twinkle of an eye it almost seemed； to have the same party dashing towards you； was a feat in horsemanship which impressed me most profoundly。
Horsemen almost from Birth。 It is not to be wondered at that the Navaho is an expert horseman。 He is as nearly born on horseback； literally； as he can be； for on several occasions I have ridden with Navaho friends； among whom was an expectant mother； have stopped half an hour for the birth； and then； with the new…born babe strapped on the mother's back； have resumed the trip； completing； perhaps； forty or fifty miles in a day。 Children born under such conditions could not fail to be skilful horsemen。
CHAPTER XXII。 From El Tovar To The Havasupai Indians And Their Wonderful Cataract Canyon Homes
Havasu Canyon。 The Grand Canyon has two important tributary canyons。 The most important of these is the Havasu Chic…i…mi…mi （canyon of the blue water）。 This is where the Havasupai Indians live。
First White Visitor。 The first white man to visit the Havasu； as far as we know； was Padre Francisco Garces； of whom I have written in another chapter。 Four times he made long journeys into the interior； visiting a large number of Indian tribes。 Among these were the Wallapais and the Havasupais。
Garces' Diary。 Dr。 Elliott Coues； who visited the Havasupais in 1881 with a governmental party； has translated Garces' diary； and it was published a short time ago by Francis P。 Harper； of New York。 In this translation； he describes the descent of his （Coues's） party into the Canyon； and his description is so vivid that it is well worth repetition here。
Dr。 Coues' Description of Trail to Havasu Canyon。 〃On the 10th； a march of ten miles in the same direction brought us abruptly to the brink of the precipicea sharp…edged jump…off of perhaps a thousand feet。 There was no side canyon here for gradual descent； the firm level ground gave no hint of the break before us until we were actually upon the verge； and when the soldiers lined up to look down an involuntary murmur of astonishment ran through the ranks。 Dismounting and going in single file； each man leading his horse； we took the dizzy traila narrow footpath； in many parts of which a misstep would have been destruction to man or beast。 The way zigzagged at first for some distance； on the 'switchback' principle by which railroads sometimes make grades otherwise impracticable； the face of the precipice was so steep that； as we filed along； those of us at the head of the procession looked up to see the other sections of the train almost overhead； certainly a fall of any man there would have been right on top of us。 Then the trail took a long lurch to the left with little descent； hugging the face of the cliff； and we looked like a row of ants on a wall。 This brought us at length to the head of a great talus； down which the trail zigzaggedthe incline was too steep for straight descent； probably at an angle of forty…five degrees。 This fetched us into the bed of Cataract Canyon； perfectly dry。 The trail was nearly a mile long； and it took us an hour to make our creepy way down。 The Havasupai chief； who had been advised of our coming； was there to meet us with some of his men； all mounted； and he took us up the canyon about five miles to a place where there was a scanty aguage； not sufficing for the wants of the whole party。 Next morning we retraced our steps down the canyon and kept on in its bed until we reached the wonderful blue spring above described and the wonderful rancheria of the Indians； a distance from last night's camp of about twenty…five miles； as we had struck the canyon some twenty miles above the living water。〃
Other Trails to the Canyon。 Garces came into the canyon by another trail； entirely distinct from this； commonly known as the Wallapai Trail。 He left Havasu Canyon by still another trail； known as the Moki Trail； which leads directly from this canyon to the home of the Hopis。
In 1857； Lieutenant Joseph C。 Ives made the descent into Havasu Canyon down the Wallapai Trail。 His account of the journey reads like a novel； and people who are unfamiliar with the wonderful engineering feats of the Havasu Indians can scarcely believe that Ives did not allow his imagination to run away with him； in his descriptions of the Havasupais' trails。
Later； Lieutenant Cushing； guided by his Indian friends； rode across country to the Hopis； and then secured a Hopi guide who took him to see the Havasupais over the Moki Trail。 He confirms all that Ives and Coues have written of the astonishing character of these trails。 Having been up and down these trails many times during the last dozen years； I can say without hesitation that there are no more startling trails to be f