Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-11-25
THE AMERICAN COWBOY.
Progress of Cattle Ranching In the North.
ern Section of the Western Herd


THE AMERICAN COWBOY.
Progress of Cattle Ranching In the North
ern Section of the Western Herd
Tracts.
The cowboy OF to-day, especially OH
the northern ranges, is of entirely diff
ferent type from the original cowboy of
Texas. New conditions have produced
the change. The range cattle business
of Kansas, Nebraska. Colorado, Wyom-
| ing, Montana, and Dakota is, as al
ready stated. new business. Those
engaged in it as proprietors are chiefly
from the States situated east of the
Missouri river and north of the Indian
Territory. Among them are also many
Englishmen, Scotchmen, Frenchmen,
and Germans of large means, embrac-
ing titled men who have embarked in
the business quite extensively Many
of these came to America originally as
tourists or for the purpose of hunting
buffaloes, but the attractiveness of the
cattle business arrested them, and they
have become virtually, if not through
the act of naturalization, American
herdsmen. Some of this class have,
/
and the exhilaration of range life,
themselves participated actively in the
duties of the cowboy.
Organization, discipline; and order
characterize the new undertakings on
the northern ranges. In word, the
cattle business of that section is now
and has from the beginning been car
ried on upon strictly business principles.
Under such proprietorships, and guild
| ed by such methods, 4 new class of
cowboys has been introduced and devel-
opedl Some have come from Texas,
and have brought with them knowl-
| edge of the arts of their calling, but the
number from the other States and the
Territories constitutes large majority
of the whole. Some are graduates of
American colleges, and others of col
legiate institutions in Europe. Many
have resorted to the occupation of cow
boy temporarily and for the purpose of
| learning the range cattle business, with
the view of eventually engaging in it on
their own account, or in the interest of
friends DESTROYS of investing money in
the enterprise.
The life of the cowboy is always one
of excitement and of romantic interest
/ His waking hours when riding on
trail'' are spent in the saddle, and at
night he makes his bed upon the lap of
mother earth.
The great herds which are yearly
driven out of Texas to the northern
ranges usually embrace from $500 to
1000 young cattle each, and the move
ment has since its beginning, about
| eighteen years ago, amounted to about
| 100000 head, worth nearly $50,000,-
600. Each herd is placed in charge of
a boss, with from eight to ten cowboys,
q provision wagon, and a cook. Four
horses are supplied TO each cowboy, for
the duty is an arduous one. The range
cattle when away from their accus-
toned haunts are suspicious and excita-
BILE, and need to be managed with the
greatest care to keep them from stam-
peding. When ION trail'' they are
'close herded" at nightfall, and all lie
down within IL space of about two
acres. The cowboys then by watches
ride around them all night long The
sensible presence of man appears to
give the animals Il feeling of security.
The journey from southern Texas to
Montana, requires from four to six
months. Herds are also driven from
Oregon and Washington Territory to
Wyoming and eastern Montana. 1t is
| impossible for one who has not had
actual experience in riding on trail'
to imagine the difficulties involved in
driving a large herd of wild cattle over
mountain ranges, across desert lands
where in some cases food and water are
not found for many miles, and where
streams must be crossed which are La
BILE to dangerous freshets.
A large part of the northern ranges
is embraced in the area which Silas
Bent, an accomplished meteorologist,
terms 'the birthplace of the tornado"
/ Thunder and Lightning are here fire.
quent, and they are especially terrifying
to range cattle. The most thrilling in
cident III the life Of the cowboy occurs
on the occasion of Il thunderstorm at
night. Such an occurrence is thus de-
scribed from the personal observation
by Mr.. William a. Bailhe Grohman, an
English writer:
''On the approach of one of these
violent outbursts the whole force is
ordered on duty; the horses-of which
each man has always three, and often
rs many as eight or ten-are carefully
fed and tethered, and the herd is
rounded up that is, collected into as
small space as possible, while the men
continue to ride around the densely
massed herd. Like horses, cattle derive
courage from the close proximity of man.
The thunder peals, and the vivid light
ming flashes with amazing brilliancy,
4 rs with lowered heads the herd eagerly
watch the slow, steady pace of the cow
ponies, and no doubt derive from it q
comforting sense of protection. Some
| times, however, wild steer will be I'M
able 10 control his terror, and will make
dash through convenient opening
The crisis is at hand, for the example
will surely be followed, and in two
minutes the whole herd of 1000 head
viii have broken through the line of
horseman and be away, one surging,
believing mass of terrified beasts. Fam
cy pitch-dark night, pouring torrent
of rain, the ground not only entirely
strange to the men, but very broken,
and full of dangerously steep water
courses and hollows. and you will have
picture of cowboy duty on such a
night. They must head of the leaders
Once fairly off, they will stampede
twenty, thirty, and even forty miles at
a stretch, and many branches will
stray from the main herd. Not alone
the reckless rider, rushing headlong at
breakneck pace over the dangerous
ground in dense darkness, but also the
horses, small. insignificant beasts, but
matchless for hardy endurance and
willingness, are perfectly aware how
much depends upon their speed that
night, if it kills them. Unused till the
last moment remains the heavy cow
hide 'yuirt, or whip, and the powerful
spurs with rowels the size of five-shilling
pieces. Urged on by shout, the horses
speed alongside the terrified steers until
they manage to reach the leaders,
when, swinging around, and fearless of
horns, they press back the believing
bl1tes till they turn them. All the men
pursuing this man9uvre, the headlong
rush IS at las checked, and the leaders,
painting and lasbing their sides with
their tails, are brought to stand, and
the whole herd Is aeain rounded up y
Throughout the northern ranges So
briefly. self-restraint, decent behavior,
and faithfulness to duty are enjoined
upon the cowboys. A greet improve
ment is also observable in the cowboys
of Texas. Deeds of violence amoog them
are now few The 7ll07.1Ze of tho e,.tira