The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-04-21
The vaquerOs OF Texas.

described in the Sun u few weeks since,
is fast crowding the cowboys, along with
the Indians and the antelope, into tree
less, sterile region, where herding will
not be profitable in the future rs it has
boon in the past. Many acres OF grazing
land, such as is found on the western
borders of Texas, will be required to
support each long horn, except In I'M
usually good seasons, like that OF the
past year. The wise stock raiser does not
go West, but purchases and fences
as large pasture Us his purse
will permit, and buying good bulls, de-
votes himself to lettering the quality OF
his cattle. In the southern portions Of
this State this has been the policy for
many years. King, Kennedy, and others
have under fence pastures OF the finest
grazing lands ranging in extent from
15O, 900 to 100000 acres. Pastures OF
from 10, 900 to 20 900 acres are common
in many of the counties west of the
Colorado river There is even now q
great deal of bitler feeling against the
owners of these large tracts among those
who own small herds, who have not the
means to buy and fence land. The range,
they think, should be free to all man
kind, and no ono should be permitted
to monopolize the God-given grass to
to their injury. Some Of them do not
stop ut grumbling, but destroy pasture
fences when possible-an easy task where
wire is used for fencing.
Sheep owners have generally been
compelled to buy or lease the land upon
which they Craze their focks. by rea
son of the hostility of cattle owners.
The latter say that their cattle will not
Craze on range over which sheep
have passed, but sheep have no obiec-
ton to eating after cattle; therefore
sheep should be confined to land con-
trolled by their owners. AS the sheep
men are in the minority, and it is an
easy matter for o few enemies to do
great damage to q flock, they find it
policy to accept as conclusive the argyll
ments of their opponents. During the
drought of 1879 the vicinity of water
holes in western counties was often
strewn with the carcasses of sheep,
killed and hung up by stock men as Il
warming to the shepherds, another
favorite theory being that cattle do not
relish water where sheep have drank.
l do not write. however, with the in
tention of describing the condition Of
|
to give sketch of the characteristics
and mode of life of that fast disappear
ing product of by-gone days, the cow
boy, or vaquero. Having spent
goodly portion of my days as a cow
boy, 1 consider myself practically quail
fled to write on tho subject. The boy
hood snort of the cowboy is not with
marbles, or balls, or tops, but with u
| .,x,,tf1n ~, vb,ch hn
lassoes the calves and everything, ami
mate or inanimate, over which loop
can be thrown. At 7 years of age he is
an expert horseman, and able to do SER
vice on the range in many ways. Be-
tween this age and manhood he acquires
some knowledge of the three RS,
though seldom ut school, and ut 10 Is
usually as good horseman and Us dex-
trous roper ~ any man IN the district.
He is never fleshy, nor large -limbed, is
slightly bow-legged from constant riding,
is endowed with more than average mus
cular strength, and is very active, and
capable of great endurance. He is an
unerling shot, and cool in time OF dan
ger. He smokes cigarets, chews tobacco,
drinks whisky, carries asix-shooter, and
is guilty of many vices that would, ii
| enuncrateu, SnCk Viz cHipeLAVA "ht
stock gambler of civilized regions. He
is not more quarrelsome than man in gen
eral, but, unfortunately, his quarrels are
apt to result in homicide.
Tho property of the cowboy is wiry
pony, a saddle, and lariat. The pony,
or plug" is spanish stock, active and
enduring. 1t is a stranger to the touch
of currycomb and brush, ard don't know
corn from beans. The saddle is pom
derous affair of wood and leather, weigh
ing from ten to fifteen pounds. 1t has
pommel varying in diameter from three
to five inches. Costly saddles some
times have silver stars plentifully be-
sprinkled on available parts of their
surface. Two girths or sinches are ne
cessary to hold the saddle firmly in po-
sition-a forward and flank girth. The
lariat is about forty feet long, and is
composed of eight pliable rawhide
thongs plated into rope about half an
inch in diameter. At one end is ring
at the other a loop to fit over the saddle
pommel.
The wardrobe of the cowboy is
unique. He wears q broadbrimmed
straw or wool hat. His jacket is OF duck
ing, his shirt of calico or hickory, and
his pant.lloons Of some stout stuff, over
which are worn leather leggings. Heavy
boots, with high heels, to which are at
Al. IL.