The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-08-02
Cowboys and Texas Cattle In the
Rlock Yards.

Cowboys and Texas Cattle In the
stock Yards.
Texas cattle when In herds are harm
less, but the moment one is separated
from its fellows 1t becomes belligerent,
and will not only fight if pursued, but
will fiercely attack any other animal in
sight, excepting one of its own kind or
a horse. The cowboys, invariably
mounted, do 20 hesitate to approach
m Infatuated steer when it would GER
tai lly gore a footman to death. At
ca st. Louis, daily, almost, occur
sce ies fraught with excitement and in
ter 1t attending the handling of herds
dir 1t from the prairies. One day last
week a brindle stag, weighed separately
from the herd, on leaving the scales
suddenly attacked the counting clerk,
and pursued him to the barrier a few
yards distant. The clerk fled like u
deer, and at one bound scaled the high
fence. He was not an instant too
quick, for the stag's long horn caught
the leg of his pants and ripped it into
shreds. A faithful Shepherd dog be-
longing to the clerk, followed his mas
ter to The fence, and the enraged steer
turned upon him, thus diverting its at
tention from the terror stricken man.
The dog easily escaped the fierce on
slaughts of the steer. A gang of boys,
armed with sharp pointed sticks, soon
drove it back to a pen. Not long since
a herder was knocked down by a wild
steer and his face disfgured for life.
His 8 was torn completely from his
face. That he was not killed was owing
10 the fact that the long horns, wide
apart, touched the ground on each side
of the poor fellows head Is he lay pros
trate. On Friday last a splendid speci-
men of the Texas ''long horn" stray
ing from a herd, dashed through the
alleys of the yards believing and plung.
ing furiously, causing drivers, dealers,
employees, and even dogs to give it a
wide berth. The brute leaped the
picket fence around the exchange build.
ing into the area, and in a twinkline
nearly a hundred men engaged in trad
ing, forgot their business and fled fol
safety. The ''long hornn was finally
driven toward a heard, and once among
its fellows became quiet, evidently sat.
isfied with its playful rampage.
Texas horses, too, occasionally fur
nish lively episodes. In the same man.
ner as cattle, they are driven into carr
directly from the ranges, and arr
turned into pens, their wild spirit I'M
broken. The shippers send Mexican.
who are expert ia handling the lasso,
and skilled in tanning these steeds Of
the ranges. The horses are turned intC
a large pen, which the seller and custo
mer also enter. The latter chooses the
animal he desires to purchase, ant
when the selection is made the Mexican
begins his task. He approaches the
drove and stampedes it. AS the alright
ed horses dash past him he throws the
lasso in the air, with wonderful accura
cy, and it slips over the head of the ami
NAL wanted. Then the excitement be
gins. The noose encircles the horse!
neak close to the head, and is drawn
After the shock has passed away the
spirited animal draws back with all it.
strength, or starts to run. Greatly tc
its surprise the captured steed is brought
up with a sudden jerk, that nearly
throws it off its feet. The wild nature
of the beast is now fairly aroused, and
finding escape impossible, it will attach
It's captor. Rearing upon its hind leg.
1t will throw its feet forward and at.
tempt to bring them down upon it:
tanner with crushing force. The latter.
active and agile, easily lodges the fran.
tic animal, and by dexterous. msnipu'
lation Of the rope obliges it to move
about as he desires. The Mexican fas
tens the rope to the tail of a stout
horse especially trained for the purpose,
and mounting the submissive anima.
rides away, the captured one being
dragged behind. Sometimes the tamel
mounts the new horse. Despite its
~"bucking" and charging" he retains
his seat, except when the struggling
steed lies down. The tanner then slips
off d~exterously, and quietly stands by
until the horse attempts to rise, wher
he resumes his seat. Brute force soor
yields to intelligence and stratagem,
and the horse finding its struggles SC
easily overcome becomes perfectly do
aila