The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-03
A VISIT TO THE STOCK LANDING.

fitwere more generally known that the Stock
Landing in Jefferson City would amply repay in
amusement the slight trouble to be encountered
in getting there, we feel assured that there would
be q much more numerous attendance Of pleasure
seekers there than there is.
1t is by taking short ride on the Magazine,
Annunciation or Tchoupitoulas street cars that
the visitor most easily reaches this locality, where
he can learn much that would interest him as 10
the manner in which New Orleans receives her
supplies of viands, to whom they are sold and Of
what description they are. He can also there
learn more of the mysteries of stock driving. and
the habits and customs Of stock drivers than at
almost any where else, and in less time: de Will,
furthermore, most likely be able to meet his butcher
in the character of buyer instead of that of seller
a role in which he was so well known as an actor
before. And the difference which these two char
acters make in the man, can be studied and NOR
allied upon at leisure some future day. Our OBJ
server will behold this man of beef steaks, sir
lons and entre cOteS who, no later than this morn
ing was so extortiOnate in his charges, and so alb
sOlute while welding his knife and wheting steel,
now, an humble suppliant for bargains, protesting
that the prices for which cattle sell will leave
him no margin for profit; and denying, with as
tOnishing afirontery, that he gets more than ten
cents per pound for the beef which he now seeks
to buy for five, and intends selling for twenty or
twenty-five as soon as butchered.
There also, will be seen the shrewd Spectator,
who has brought drove OF cattle, sheep or hogs
from Texas or the West, anxiously awaiting the
result of his venture, or, IL its fate should be
known, counting his gains in fence corner, or
cursing his bad luck should he have lost, over the
counter at "The Corner" The best dressed,
though not generally the best looking class OF
these strangers, are those from the West. Their
"store bought" clothes, well oiled boots, and
modern style Of hats, plainly discover them to be
inhabitants of thickly populated and improved To-
calities; but their cunning eye, uneasy movements
and shrewd remarks, tell plainly that their New
f.. HI
them q certain amount OF their cuteness ITO
give II no worse name. The bold and unculti-
waited Texan, however, is a mortal madeOf other
clay. He is never a dependent upon small tricks
for any advantage he may get. but upon certain
| dash which is just as apt TO deceive the stranger
in him. His homespun suit broad brimmed hat,
| high top boots and ginglng spurs, will remind
| one forcby Of the bold riders that followed For
rest and Tom Green over many well fought
| field, or who remorselessy pundered your little
patch of green corn, during the late unpleasant
ness" Trained from infancy to ride the wild
horses Of his native prairies, he is undoubtedly
more at home on his steed than on foot; yet. we
would not advise anybody to rIle him. even then,
| for his fondness for making love and fighting is
proverbial. If he would only comb out his long
yellow locks, and trim his beard to a reasonable
| length, he would be decidedly handsome, for his
| figure is good and bis eye has the bold glance Of
a freeman who could hold bis own in love or war.
| What he does not know about horses and cattle Is
| not worth knowing, and If the cunning Western
| buyer thinks that he can pull wool over his eyes,
| he will find himself upon trial woefully mista-
| ken.
The next class In interest at the Stock Landing
In the udcberos or bull drivers the men whose
| duty il is to deliver the cattle to the butchers
after they are sold. These dashing riders can
| vie with the best horse breakers of Texas or the
rdQueTo of South America, in governing his
| steed, throwing the "lasso," or in driving re-
fractory bull. Mounted upon his well trained
| mustang, his slouched hat thrown back and flap.
ping in the breeze. in his lett hand the reins by
which he indicates, with mere touch, hi;
wishes TO his horse, and in his right the formida
BILE lssso, ready for use at any moment, stand
ing bolt upright in his stirrups his spurs ginglne
and the iron hoOfs Of his charger Gathering upoT
the stony street in harmony, he ia q picture wei
worth seeing, and most likely to be remembered
when once seen.
Look out for yourselves, all you who are in the
middle of the street, for the great gate Of the
stock yard has just been thrown open, and here
comes, rushing headlong out, twenty or thirty
bullocks, fresh from the prairies, as wild as bucks
and as savage as the bulls of the Spanish amphi
theaier, amid the shouting OF the Udcheros, pop
pings of whips and the yelpings of stray dogs
Quick as thought the rdcber0s, cover their flank
and rear, and urge them on in the desired drec
ton by renewed shouts and lashings from
their long thonged Whips, which make {
noise nearly as loud as q rife and Gu
like knife into the tough hide of the poo
animals. But soon they arrive at a cross street
or IL becomes necessary TO change the course o
the drove, and now one Of the most refractory
who has for some time been observed to- b,
watching his chances with uplifted head and fash
ingeyes darts of at lightning speed exactly in tn
wrong direction. Then comes the tug of wal,
for be must be pursued and brought back, Will
the others are kept together. One or two Udche
roS detach themselves from the main body an
give chase. Their feet coursers soon come ul
with the fugitive, and then pass him; he paw
the earth and charges the nearest, making tb
| L. Nd Nc feet and w
! the udchero If his horse should fail him, for b