The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-12-18
Observations of a Tourist in New
Mexico.


Our way lay along the foothills of the
"Spanish Range" but out into the plain
country from whence the startled an
telopes were seen rushing in herds into
the chaparral. The "Pinon" tree-so
called because it grows only on the high
planes-the red cedar, and an infinite va
riety of cactus-plant are the peculiar
features of the landscape. The first
grows nut, favored very like an East
ern beachnut, only much larger, that
takes the place of our walnuts among
the people, and is the favorite "mast :"
Of the bear, which abound in their va
rious types in these foothills. The Pinon
wood is quite resinous, and, when burn
ing emits delicious fragrance so that
what with the open hearths peculiar to
the adobe construction, and the cedar
and Pinon fuel, the sweet-scented house
fires, which at this elevation are fire.
quently required during the evenings
even in September, suggest an Oriental
sumptuousness and extravaganza on the
part of the entertainer which is quite
out of keeping with the domestic sur
roundings. The cactus, however, is to
a traveller from the temperate zones the
most noticeable thing that grows in this
region. Its variety is almost infinite
from the broad fan like leaves that lay fiat
upon the ground and threaten with their
prickly sides an unwary pedestrian to
the mammoth branched species which
towers like tree beside the road. Some
Of them look like great sponge; others
trail their delicate green fibers, spangled
with red, over the dry earth; while
others still shoot sharp spikes up into
the air like sentinels of the vegetable
kingdom alert and on guard against in
truders. 1t seems hardly possible sober
Dame Nature should indulge in so
many freaks as she seems to have done
in planning these Mexican cactus, and
why this should be land Of cactus
growths more than Southern Illinois is
another inexplicable thing. For, while
the latitude is southern, the elevation
makes the climate temperate.
The reliant "villages /" is another
curiosity to the Northerner, and, did
space permit, might tell some curious
anecdotes of their observed intelligence
These "yillages - abound, the sand
being thrown up into conical-shaped
mounds of from twelve to eighteen inches
high, whose sides are as smoothly shaped
as if made in a mold, and red tinge is
given to them from the color. of the ants,
which are busy on their sides. The ants
are a beautiful transparent red, and
fierce fighters when disturbed. g4-
The maybe is also Indigenous here,
and is bird of great beauty, though a
pest which makes him as hated as he is
familiar. He will come to the very door
step and steal his meal, and, though you
shoot into flock, they will, with the
utmost nonchalance, ''return to their
muttons." They are great gluttons,
and, if cow or horse is wounded, it
is said they will light upon the animals
back in flocks and literally worry it to
death, and then feast on the carcass.
While observing these peculiarities of
the animal and vegetable life, had oc-
casion to frequently note the chief fea-
ture of this county, the cattle ranch.
1t is safe to say that nine-tenths of the
developed wealth of the county is in
cattle. A" ranch" is usually an,adobe
brick house, one story high, covering
considerable ground, and located near a
spring or water-course. Here is the
"home - of the cattle owner, who, ac-
cording to his herd, has /" a range y of
from 1000 to $4,000 acres, into which
his cattle roam in a semi-wild condition,
watched by a few herders, who from
time to time "round them upn into
droves, separate the strays'' from
other g ranges, land set them back upon
their limits, and see that there are no
predatory bands running them off y
into Texas. ..-.-.7t - go. =
The basis of every " Range = is wa
ter-course, and whoever can get possess
sion of the land along water-course
has recognized title without purchase
or lease to all the adjoining grazing
land. Hence the great value in this
country of well watered district. 1t is
said that ex-senator Dorsey has made
himself enormously rich simply by get
ting possession of all the principalwater
privileges of a small tract of land,
which, however, is the key to several
hundred thousand acres of grazing
country. :,
Every ranchman has his " brand,
Wnlcn ne is compelled to advertise and
otherwise publicly record when it be-
comes his personal property, and all an
imals bearing the brand can be claimed
by him whenever found. At certain
seasons Of the year the g range " is gone
| over, every member of the herd gathered
in and counted up, and the calves
branded. The annual net increase is
60 to IS per cent, and it can be easily
seen that a ranchman who has from
$4,000 to $4,000 head of cattle is grow
ing rapidly rich while he is loafng and
hunting bear, deer, or antelope.
Connected with every ranch is an i'm
mense hostelry, or paddock, into which
runs wild herd of from fifty to $50
horses that are used by the herders.
These horses are of the hardy Mex
lean breed, and are never thor
oughly broken, except, perhaps,
a few that are to be used about
the house or for hunting. One, horse is
always kept stabbed, and on him the
herder mounts when he wants horse.
With lasso in hand he rides into the
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