The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-25
HERDING CATTLE.
Wild Life Ont on the Kansas
Prairies.
,rhe Habits Of Texas Cattle Tanning 3
pBully failing the CATTLE The Only
Diversion Of the Herders.
Now York SUM-

svtandg In every direction to the utmost
waaeh Of the vision. The plains are COW
ored with rich growth OF bluejoint and buff
falp grass. herd or cattle Is sleeping In o
anrral by the creek-eows, two year-olds,
vearllngs and calves. A few ponies are pick
eted with long ropes on the prairie. A couple
81 saddles, blankets and bride hang on pegs
~ the corral bars. The scene Ia eminently
ueaceful Occasionally o COW rises. and walk
ina to the salt barrel, gently ticks the salt,
then ticks her nosa ais though she had serious
thoughts Of pckllng it, SO MS TO insure It's
keeping over summer. But on reflection she
concludes Ii will keep this season OF any rate,
and walks over to the scratching posts and
there stands rubbing her neck up and down.
Suddenly stopping. she gazes, open-eyed, 81
wolf, who sits on his launches some hundred
Yards from the corral sitting there pensive-
IL looking at the great amount OF fresh meat
lftar gazing at tho wolf until satisfied the
row lies down again. The deep breathing Of
the cattle, the morning calls OF the meadow
4 1.rks. the soft ri usic Of the wind MS II whis-
ties through the short tender grass, are the
nnly sounds heard.
II Al the east grows red the occupants Of d
laTqs dug out situated by the bank Of creek
lotifge slowly out and walk to the water,
ghere they drink and wash-the latter d
sneedy operation. as the herder does not waste
ains iii washing. Onegoes to feed the ponies
anrn. and saddle them; the other builds fire
md cooks breakfast. This meal consists Of
corn dodgers Or baking. powder biscuit, fried
BACON and strong coffee without milk or
surar. There may be two hundred cows In
ma herd, but none are MIXED. The herders
simply exist with as little trouble as possible
Isa rule they do not read, do not think Of
anything but the CATTLE. TO attend these
vail ID their ambition After breakfast the
slowly out Of the corral. Forming In long
alas. they follow the deep, well-worn trails
that lead to the feeding grounds. 1t is avery
elsurely march. Now and then an animal
rrass. but soon drops into file again and re-
slmps marching. On reaching the desired
feeding ground the cattle spread and begin
leeding. At about 10 o'clock they are full,
or nearly SO; and In a listless manner they
change front and feed toward water. Arriv-
In there the herd drink. stand In the water,
and 20 loaf away an hour. They then lie
down, and for two or three hours remain
quiet. As the sun gets low the cattle again
spread and feed. As the sun sinks to the
horizon the herders slowly force them to feed
toward their corral, and by the time they
have fed up to 1t 1t is generally dusk. Bars
are put up, ponies staked out. supper cooked
ind eaten and the herders go to bed.
LIN oil herds there are q few animals that
lend Off. that is. they will not remain on your
range, but constantly endehvOr to lead the
herd 10 pastures new. These animals are
generally yellow or black steers, but some
times cows or heifers arc guilty Of the trick.
4 Of course these animals are sold as soon as
possible; but until sold, they are the cause Of
i vast amount Of hard riding. Many are the
devices used to break them Of this habit, but
never knew any to be- successful ! we'll re-
member a large three-year old heifer, coal
black III color, which had y great desire to feed
ID b rayine that we did not want her to
feed In. Almost daily she would slip out
H the herd, and some OF us would have
ID drive her back. One day D new herder,
unaccnstomed to Texas cattle, said he could
tighten the heller out Of the ravine, and
tighten her 50 badly that she would never
again leave the herd. We all told him to 20
AHEAD with his plan. Riding near the rayine
/ ~ dismounted, and taking off his coat crawl
ID through the long grass until directly
above the heifer. Then, holding the out
stretched coat In front Of him, he executed a
earthly yells. The heifer was frightened
paralyzed with fear, In fact. She stood mo-
ilonless, looking up at the horrible figure
above her. Then the awful fact impressed
4 itself on her brain that this apparitiOn was q
Il new kind of BEAST destined to drive her and
har kind from the face Of the prairie. 80 she
night as well die fighting rs to starve to
death and she ran, not away from the grim
ming dancing, bowling idiot behind the coat.
but vt him. Dropping the coat he had no use
Or, he turned and ran for his horse. The
horse quickly calculated the chances, and,
coming to the conclusion that the COW would
catch the dancer before the dancer got to
him, ran off. The would-be frightener OF cows
nn for his life, and howied for help. The
COW gained on him, and when her hot
COW passed over him, but In passing stepped
pnhls back, driving the blood out Of his
mouth and nose. Before she could turn on
hmthe other herders went at her and drove
per- OIL On seeing him dismount we had rid
gen mpidly to him, well knowing what
would happen. 1t Is needless to say that
youth never repeated that experiment
The cattle of Texas are not afraid Of a man
POI are they afraid OF a horse, but they are
AFRAID 81 . man on a horse. They do not I'M
aerstand, at least do not seem to understand,
mat man on horseback Ia a combination OF
animals. Apparently they regard the two as
one animal, and one that is too powerful for
shem 10 get off q horse In O herd Of wild
texas cattle is almost worth a mans life, and
an experienced herder will never do It,
/, AL herds OF cattle have bully among
tnem, There is a boss COW, and she Is hated
and feared. or ugly disposition, constantly
hooking nnof1endinR cows, greedy Id eating
she makes herself generally disagreeable. Or
Amay be that the bully II steer. The char
aeteristics of the brute are all the same. The
slngly they can do nothing. Matters 20 from
pad tosworse, and COW life becomes almost un-
shdurable In the herd. Something has to be
aohe, and that soon. The bully In walking
Wong gives some unoi1endiDg cow q sharp
nrust In the ribs Instead Of running Off, as
expected, the stricken COW wheels around
aary In her eyes, and, believing q war-cry,
aashes head on for the bully. Tho boss Is sur
plsed, but gets to work as an expert, and the
Noellous COW IL being rapidly whipped these
MAttie fence with their horns,; but the cry for
marty is understood by the rest Of the herd,
aaa with unanimous movement they all
ssaIn on the tyrant and II the herders do not
mussarere they kill him. The bully being
tWsMapped, turns to run, and to his horror finds
~ the whole herd is after him. AS one
g salmal gets near him he receives vicious
u2 from sharp horn. He increases his
Hspsea, but soon another animal comes up to
1,al and another stab is the result. The bully,
W. extended tongue and labored breathing,
sssaseadlns the herd, and the herd with ex-
S.,aed tongues and upright tails, are follow
afnnsteers, cows, calves all believing loudly,
NJ nv aim kill him. And kill him they will
h ny WI nerders do not stop the pursuit.
/ naller lesson Of this kind, the bully Is a