Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-06-12
is selected which affords the best pastu-


rage, and is most convenient to the
streams, as it is essential that the cat
tie should reach the end of the drive in
prime condition for the market. There
are few incidents to enliven the weari-
some weeks that follow. The herds
browse leisurely along from six 10 ten
miles a day, following the winding
courses of the creeks and rivers, the
herders following lazily after to keep
them in the general direction north
ward. For days and days human hahi-
tations are lost sight of, and the dro-
vers and riders are alone in the midst
of the great grassy ocean. Not quite
alone, either-I came near forgetting
that bright and cheerful companion of
the drove, the cOw-bird, brown little
fellow about the size of the well-known
chipping sparrow, or " chippy," as the
boys call him. Fitting along on the
outskirts of the drove, cne moment sit
ting gleefully on Il tall, swaying weed,
the next perching saucily on the tip OF
a steers horns, perhaps at night roost-
ing complacently on his back, the cow
bird goes through the long journey
from the Texas plains to the Kansas
railroad station, whence the cattle are
shipped to the East. Whether the little
fellows return to Texas to accompany
the next herd, or die of grief at separa-
tiOn from their long-hOrned friends,
cannot say; but | think they must go
back, for their cheerful presence is
never ni@-.5. and their number never
grows less. AlthafIgh, as i haye said,
there are few incidents to interrupt the
monotony of the drive, the cattle-men
sometimes meet with thrilling expert
ences. In former years Indian attacks
were not infrequent, and many brave
| band of herders has been surrounded
and killed by the savages, whose hunt
/ ing-grounds were encrOached upon by
the drOves. There is always danger,
| too, of stampedes in the herds, caused
| either by the terrific thunder storms
and tornadOes which burst upon the
great plains without warming, or by the
d" cattle thieves bands of white, In
dians. or half-breed outlaws, who live
by stealing stray cattle from the herds,
and sell them or kill them for their
hides. Having in his early life en-
countered one or more of the deyasta-
| ting prairie fires which sweep over the
great. dry pastures almost every fall,
the slightest smell of smoke or sight of
flames will plunge the steer into a panic
of fright, and this well-known circum-
! stance is turned to advantage by the
cattle thieves in securing their plunder.
! Getting some distance to windward of
a herd on dark night, the rOgues set
| fire to buffalo robe, and the pungent
smoke of the burning hair is borne
down upon the reposing cattle by the
wind. The first Whit gives the alarm,
ten thousand pairs of horns are reared
aloft in air, and one united snort of
terror is heard. Before the her'lers
can mounI JneIr norseS and caech lhe
panic the herd is past control, and the
maddened and terrified animals, tramp
| ling one another and whatever comes
in their way under foot, dash franti-
cally off in the darkness with noise
| like the roll of distant thunder. They
scatter beyond hope of recovery. In
the confusion following upon the heels
of the stampede the thieves succeed in
driving of scores and sometimes hun
dreds Of the stra.glers.