The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-09-11
EFor the Register
Swimming Herd of Cattle in the West.

Among the many duties of a COWBOYS
life on the western plains. swimming a
herd of cattle across large river is one
of the most difficult and trying. but at
the same time NEST interesting to an OBJ
server. 'ris even a harder task, | think,
than the roundup, for the time being,
though of course the roundup occupies
weeks of unceasing labor, night as well
as day.
L had the opportunity of witnessing
five thousand head of cattle in two differ
ent herds swim the Yellowstone. Our
position was on high hill Immediately
overlooking the scene and it was spec
tacle so grand that willingly went with
out dinner to see it, for it requires a day
or two to cross such herd.
Now the Yellowstone at this po mt is
thousand feet wide and its current, if |
am not mistaken, is over six miles an
hour, so that one can see that it would
take very strong swimmer to gain u
point anywhere near oppsite his place
of starting. At this time, however, the
river being low, the cattle were driven
without much difficulty to a small flat
island about three hundred feet Out from
shore and which was reached by fording
and swimming a very little. But here,
when they attempted to go on with the
herd. the fun commenced. The cattle after
having once taken the water did not like
the idea at all of venturing INTO the
rather dubious-looking stream beyond
and they uttered their dislike in below
ngs that could be heard for miles around.
That noise almost drowned the voices of
the cowboys, there being about ten with
each of the herds, which were eight days
apart
After endeavoring for some time to
get the cattle started into the water and
across (Which sometimes they do and
cross them in continuous line, by good
luck) more by main force than any thing
else a small handful took the water and
struck the opposite shore quarter of a
mile below. Before this, their herd of
horses swan the river like old veterans
and quietly went to grazing on the other
side, but the bovines did not seem in
clined to follow. AT last, however, a
bunch of two hundred or so went over,
and in this way, in large and small
punches, they were at last all crossed.
Occasionally the cattle would get to
milling Chat is,going around in circle)
in the water, and a cowboy might be
seen perfectly naked on his horse in the
midst, endeavoring to turn them. Some
times they would succeed in this. hut
generally the cattle would rush wildly
past, placing the men in perilous posi-
ton. At one time | saw a fellow swim
ming his horse almost in mid stream, get
thrown. His horse swan away to the
other shore and he drifted down stream
till picked up by a man in boat. At an
other time one of the men was thrown
from his horse in deep water, but by
powerful effort caught and mounted him
again and swan in to shore as if nothing
had happened. Every few minutes IA
rider would be seen scampering over the
island on dead run after an unruly COW
and bring her back to the herd. So the
scene presented was one of unusual eX-
citement all the time.
'Tis very pretty sight to watch the
cows with their calves swim. The calves
keep on the upstream side of their moth
ers, so that they will remain together and
hold their noses over the cows back.
Then they arrive at the same time and
are not troubled with the Job of finding
each other. The bulls show the effect of
the drive worst of all, and after the
swim come out on to land very slowly,
their feet sore from the long distance
gone over. After all are crossed the cat
tie are rounded up, one or two men put
on might herd (for. tired rs they are,
this must be done or the cattle would be
in bad shape in the morning) and the rest
turn in. And the next day accompanied
by noise louder than 10 brass bands,
the slow march over the prairie is re-
sumed. y.
"Wifh liver comnla int she ia almost dead