The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-05-20
A CoWBoYS, LIFE.
The Dangers to Which he Is Exposed While
on a Drive.

man to be a cowboy must be a brave
man. For instance, we are on a drive.
These slab-sided, long-horned Texas cattle
are as wild as deers naturally, and being in
an unknown country are as nervous and
timid as sheep. The slightest noise may
startle them into a stampede. We have
been on the drive all day and night is COM
ing on. 1t is cold and raining. We have
reached the point where we intend to round
up for the night The men commence to
ride around the drove, singing, shouting
and whistling TO encourage the animals by
the sounds they are familiar with and to
drown any noise of an unusual character
which might provoke a stampede. Round
and round the cattle they ride until the
whole drove is travelling in circle Slowly
the cowboys close in on them, still shouting
and singing, until finally the cattle becoms
quiet, and after time lie down and com.
mence chewing their cuds with apparent
contentment. Still the vigilance of the men
cannot be relaxed. At least half of them
must continue riding about the resting herd
all night. stampede of cattle is a terrible
thing to the cowboys, and may be brought
on by the most trivial cause. The slightest
noise of an unusual nature, the barking of
a coyote, the snap of pistol, the cracking
Of twig will bring some wild-eyed slear to
his feet IN terror. Another instant and the
whole drove are painting and believing in
the widest fear. They ARE ready to follow
the lead of any animal that makes break
Then the GOODNESS and self-possession of the
cowboys are called into play. They still
continue their wild gallop around the fright.
sned drove, endeavoring to rtassure them
md get them quiet once more. Maybe they
will succeed after an hour or two, and tho
animals will again be at rest But the
chances are TINT they cannot be quieted SO
easily. Here comes the heroism of the cow
boy. Those cattle are MS blind and unrea-
soning in their fight as n pair of runaway
horses. The know no danger but from be.
hind, and If they did, could not stop fol
The surging sea of maddened animals in the
rear. A rocky gorge or deep cut canyon
nay cause the loss of half their number,
Those in the rear cannot see the danger and
the leaders cannot stop for those behind,
and are pushed on to their DEATH A preci-
pice may lie in their way, over which they
plunge to destruction. 1t matters not to
the cowboy. If the stampede is made the
captain of the drove and his men ride until
they head it, and then endeavor to turn the
animals in q circle once more.
A hole in the ground, which catches
horses foot, n stumble, and the hoofs OF
5000 cattle have trampled the semblnnct
Of humanity from him. He knows this.
sulch Or gorge lies in their path. There is
40 escaping it. There il no turning to the
right or the left, and in an instant horse
and rider are at the bottom, buried under
1000 cattle. But what of it? 1t Is only
cowboy, and they come cheap. But his
tory records no instance of more Lnques-
tioning performance of duty in the pres
ence of danger than these men undergo on
every drive. Should the stampede be stop
ped there is not rest for the drivers that
night, but the utmost vigilance is required
70 prevent q recurrence of the break from
ihe frightened cattle. This may happier
hundreds of times on a single drive.