The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-11-02

Th~ AtRAA tAlt tAa- tNN-1ttr -
Texas New conditions have pro,iueed
the ch sHge The rangs cIttle business
Of kanssrs. Nebraska, Colorado. wyom-
ing, Montana, and Dakota Is. as already
stated new business Those engaged
in it n proprietors are chiefly from the
States situated east of the Missouri River
and north Of the Indian Territory.
Among them are also many Englishmen,
>cotchmen. Frenehmen, and Germans Of
large means, embracing titled men who
have embarked in the business quite ex-
tensively Many Ofthese came T. Amer
ica originally as tourists or for the pur-
pose Of hunting bufEaloes. but the attrsc-
tiyeness Of the cattle business arrested
them. and they have become virtually, II
not through the at cf naturalization,
American her'ismen- Some Of this class
have. from the force Of romantic tempera-
ment and the exhiIaraticn Of range life,
themselves participated actively in the
duties Of the cowboy
Organization, discipline, and orier
eharaeterize the new undertaking on the
northern rangps In a word the cattle
business Of that section i now and has
from the beginning been carried on upon
strictly business principles Under such
proprietorships. and guided by such
methods, a new elass Of cowboy has been
introduced and developed some have
come from Texas. and have brought with
them knowledge Of the arts Of their
calling. but the number from the other
states and Territories constitute a kirge
majority Of the whole. some are grad
uates Of American colleges. and others Of
collegiate 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 u on
their own account, OF in the Interest Of
friends desirous Of investment in the en-
terprise-
The life Of the cowboy Is always one
Of excitement and Of romantic interest
His waking hours when riding on trial
are spent in the saddle. and At night he
makes his bed upon the lap u mother
earth.
The great herbs which are yearly driv-
en- out Of Texas to the northern ranges
usually embrace from 5000 70 5000 young
cattle each. and the movement has since
it. beginning about eighteen years ago,
amounted to about 4,OoO0OO head. worth
nearly sJO.O00O00 Each herd : placed
in charge Of boss, with from eight 20
ten cowboys. provision wagon. and
cook- Four horses are supplied 70 each
cow-bow. for the duty Is an ar'iuous one
The range cattle when away from their
accustomed haunts are suspicious ami
excitable, and need % be managed with
the greatest care 70 keep them from
stanpediug. When ~on trsiF they are
close heried" at nightfAll and all lie
down within a space Of about two acres.
The cowboys then by watches ride
around them all night long. The sensi-
bic presence Of man appears 70 give the
animals feeling Of security.
The Journey from southern Texas 10
Montana requires from four TO six
months Herbs are also driven from
Oregon and Washington Territory 70
Wyoming and eastern MOutana. II i
impossible for one who has not had az
tual experience in riding on trail to
imagine the difficulties involved in driy-
ing large herd ofvild cattle over moun-
tain ranges, across desert lands where in
some eases food and water are not found
for many miles. and where streams must
be crossed which are liable 10 dangerous
freshets.
A large part Of the northern ranges IL
embraced in the area which Silas Bent,
an accomplished meteoroIogist, terms
the birth place the tornado Thunder
and Hghtningare here frequent, and they
are especially terrifying to range cattle
The most thrilling incident in the life Of
the cowboy occurs on the occasion Of a
thunderstorm at night such An Occur-
renee Is thus described from personal ob-
seryations by Mr. William A. Baillie
Cirohman an English writer
On the approach of one Of these vio-
lent outbursts the whole force il ordered
on duty; the spare horses-of which
each man has always three. and often as
MANY a. eight or ten-are carefully fed
and tethered. and the heard il round
up that il, collected into a. smalla space
as possible, while the men continue 10
ride around the densely massed herd
Like horses, cattle derive courage from
the close proximity Of man. The thun-
der peals, and the vivid lightning flashes
with amazing brillianey. As with lowered
heads the herd eagerly watch the slow,
steady pace Of the cow-ponies. and no
doubt derive from il comforting sense
of protection. Sometimes, however, a
Wild steer will be unable 70 control his
terror, and viii make a dash through a
convenient opening. The crisis sat 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 horsemen and be away. one surg
ing believing mass Of terrified beasts
Fancy a pItehdark night, a pouring tor
rent Of rain, the ground not only entirely
strange TO the men, but very broken. and
full Of dangerously steep watsr-eourses
and hollows, and you viii have a picture
Of cowboy duty ON such night They
must head Oft the leaders once fairly
off, they viii stampede twenty, thirty
and even forty miles al a stretch, and
many branches viii stray from the main
herd Not alone the reckless rider. rush
ing headlOng at breakneek pace over
dangerous ground in dense darkness. bat
also the horses, small insignificant beasts,
bur matchiess for hardy endurance AMI
willingness. are perfectly aware how
muck depends upon their speed that
night, If it kills them. Unused till the
Last moment remains the heavy cowhide
puiFt, Or whip, and the powerful spurs
with rowels the size Of tive shilling pieces
[ rged On by shout, the horses speed
alongside the terrified steers until they
manage to reach the Ieaders, when,
swinging around. and fearless Of horns.