The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-11-06
Scenes in a Colorado Cattle Ranch.

A "RoUND UP."-As in more primi-
tive days the different herds ranged in
termingled over the public domain, so
do they now stray from ranch to ranch,
and at certain seasons of the year they
must be collected and separated. They
are distinguished by ear-marks, and
more especially by brands, said brands
being conclusive and universally ac-
cepted evidence of ownership. In June
and July, and in September and Octo-
Der, rounding up" or the grand col
lection and separation, takes place.
For each district a master or director OF
the "round up" is chosen, whose orders
are implicitly obeyed by the working
force, consisting of from twenty to fifty
men, furnished by the ranchmen of the
district in proportion to their holdings.
They have two or three horses apiece,
and are accompanied by assistants,
herders, cooks, etc., etc. Starting from
given point, taking regular course,
and camping every night, they sweep
over the ranges. Each day they "round
up;" the horsemen scour the country,
and, with the skill coming from lons
practice, gather the cattle together. In
vain does the restive steer break away
and run back or aside, the skillful horse
man is ready Tor him, the trained horse
"turns on u five-cent piece" and he is
headed off, and must yield to his fate,
and move on in the pre-ordained track.
The "round up" takes place sometimes
at a corral" or large inclosure, some
times on the open plain.
"CUTTING OUT."-Only the first pur-
poses of the Ground up" has been sub
served when the cattle are collected.
Next the cows and calves must be cut
out" and we saw the " COW boys ride
into the herd, single out the COW with
calf following), and with ere Ut skill ex.
tricate her from the throng. The young
calves are, of course, not yet marked,
but the presence of one COW makes it
imperative to place that cows mark
on it. Strayed calves, on the other hand
(called Mauvrics," from an old
Frenchman in Texas who is said to have
added largely to his worldly stores by a
systematic abstraction of these waits
, and strays), are sold for the benefit of
the associated ranchmen. First catch
your calf" as Mrs. Glass would say.
Perhaps you may think that this is an
easy task; but you would find, if you
tried it, that you were never more mis-
taken in your life, for the ease with
which the rancheros accomplish it has
only come with careful training and
long practice. The little animal runs
wonderfully fast, springs, turns and
dodges almost like flash but the cow.
boy never takes his eyes off of him, and
the trained horse, now well warmed up
and entering fully into the spirit of the
chase, responds to, almost seems to an
ticipate, every turn of his riders left
hand and wrist. Meanwhile the latter
with his right arm is swinging his noosed
rope or lasso, and in another minute he
has thrown it exactly over the calls
head. Instantly the horse plunges for.
ward, giving slack " to the rope, and
allowing it to be wound around tho
horn OF the saddle; then he moves on
dragging the calf after him, and the
little creature is soon in the hands of the
men with the branding-irons. Thes;
have been heated in a hot fire, and ar,
quickly applied. and in few minutes
the ca f. now indelibly designated as the
property of his master, is again running
about.--A. 4. Hayes, Jr., in Harper.
! Magazine.