One day Augustus asked Newt to ride along with him, much to Newt's surprise. In the morning they saw a grizzly, but the bear was far upwind and didn't scent them. It was a beautiful day-no clouds in the sky. Augustus rode with his big rifle propped across the saddle-he was in the highest of spirits. They rode ahead of the herd some fifteen miles or more, and yet when they stopped to look back they could still see the cattle, tiny black dots in the middle of the plain, with the southern horizon still far behind them.
In "Lonesome Dove," Augustus unexpectedly invites Newt to accompany him on a ride, which leaves Newt pleasantly surprised. On a clear, beautiful day, they encounter a distant grizzly bear that does not notice them due to the wind direction. Augustus is in high spirits, riding confidently with his rifle at the ready.
As they journey ahead of the cattle herd, they travel fifteen miles or more, eventually stopping to take in the scenery. From their vantage point, they can see the herd as mere tiny black dots on the vast plain, emphasizing the expansive beauty of the southern horizon that still lies far behind them.
