The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-08-01
A Cattle Drive.

int spring .LilS Cdllle are On Lllo tIdIt
They have the road brand by which the
present owner is known, and are headed
northward for their new and distant
home. A thousand miles they will
travel before they reach their destina-
tion, and in the windings OF the road,
and in the course which many way
ward steer will take, no doubt much
more. If all goes well, and no mishaps
occur, the end may be reached in three
months time. or about the middle of
July In the hands of careful fore
man they will come through with but
little loss. in flesh or numbers
The word drive is misnomer as
applied to the trail 1t is exactly this
which should not be done. Cattle once
gathered, and headed in the direction
of their long journey, should be al
lowed to drift rather than be urged.
Walking as they feed, they will accom-
plish their twelve or fifteen miles day
with but little eXertion to themselves,
and with very much less care and anx
irty on the part of the herder. This
remark is especially applicable to the
handling of beef herds, and to Through
Texans" likewise, with the qualification
that there are ''drags' to every herd
which need urging to keep them up to
the mark; and it is among these last
that the losses, if any, occur All eX
element Of the animals is to be avoided,
and the dangers of a stampede are
lessened in proportion as the cattle are
handled with gentleness and discre
ton. When panic does arise, it is
then that the cowboy himself must be
equal to the situation, and ride fearless
" to turn the flank Of the flying beasts.
No fear of a charge Of the long horns
must then affect him, but putting his
''broncho" on his mettle, he must ride
hard and ride long until the column is
headed and the herd once more brought
into line. A successful stampede with
in a hundred miles of the starting point
may result in the return of the animals
to their native heath-or, farther on, to
their being scattered abroad upon the
plains, not all to be found for weeks, ii
ever.
There are several distinct trails across
the plains, and the pathways are as dis
tinctly marked as a road could be,
pressed by the hoofs of thousands for
years past
The essentials of grass and water are
to lac considered in q region none too
we'll supplied with these requisites, and
the possibilities of fencing and occupa-
ton in districts which are being rapidly
redeemed from their original state. The
raids of hostile Indians no longer enter
into the question, and the chances are
the fall quota of the winters purchase
will be safely delivered on the range
within few days of the expected time.
If this is not later than the first OF
August, the new arrivals will have
ample time to become wonted to their
new home, and to settle down in Il
peaceful frame of mind, taking on all
the flesh possible before the advent OF
the wintry blasts. The count and the
branding over, the cattle are distributed
upon the range, and told to shift for
themselves. Ii the grass is well cured
and abundant, they will get in fine con-
dition in three months time, and be wei
able to stand the severe cold to follow.
If, on the other hand, they do not reach
their destination until late in the fall,
they are quite apt to be thin in flesh,
and if severe winter comes On, much
loss will enSue. 1t is in such cases that
the large percentage of loss is reported
in the returns after period of heavy
storms. Ten per cent, or even more
of loss may have to be charged against
a herd of through cattle in this con.
dition, while two per cent. will fully
cover the loss on a well-located range
occupied by cattle which have been OIL
the same year or more. As previously
stated, the expense of herding q
bunch" of cattle is one dollar per head
annually, which includes all charge:
after they are turned loose upon the
range until they are delivered as
''beeves" at the nearest railroad ship
ping point If the owner is wise, be
will not allow hoof to be gathered I'M
til it has been two years wintered. The
temptation is great, when prices are
high and cattle are in good demand tt
ship steers that have been only one veal
upon the range. This is mistake a
the second year is the one that tell
both in the weight and quality of thu
beef; and as to age, no steer reaches
maturity until he is four years old
High rates, however, have induced
many shipments during the past tive
years, and the gathering of beeves ha
been much closer than formerly
George Ponerog Reese, in HarpeTs Mag
azi1se.