The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-12-18
THE AMERICAN COWBOY.

THE AMERICAN COWBOY.
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 ont Of Texas to the northern
ranges usually embrace from $500 to 1000
young cattle each, and the movement
has, since it's beginning, about eighteen
years ago, amounted to about 100000,
head,worth nearly $5O,0OO,0OO. Each herd
is placed in charge of boss, with from
eight to ten cowboys, provision wagon
and cook. Four horses are supplied to
each cowboy, for the duty is an arduous
one. The range cattle, when away from
their accustomed haunts, are suspicious
and excitable, and need to be managed
with the greatest care to keep them from
stampeding. When "on trail |" they are
"close herded" at nightfall, and all lie
down within space of about two acres.
The cowboys then by watches ride around
them all night long, The sensible pres
ence of man appears to give the animals
a 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 difficult
ties involved in driving 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 liable to dangerous freshete.
A large part of the northern range is
embraced in the area which Silas Bent,
an accomplished meteorological, terms the
birthplace of the tornado" Thunder
and lightning are 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
observation by Mr.. William A. Baltic
Grohman, an English writer:
"On the approach OF one of these vio-
lent outbursts the whole force is ordered
on duty; the spare horses-of which each
man has always three, and often as 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 lightning flashes with
amazing brilliancy, as with lowered heads
the herd eagerly watch the slow, steady
pace Of the COW ponies, and no doubt de-
rive from it comforting sense of pro-
lection. Sometimes, however, wild
steer will be unable TO control his terror,
and will make dash through conven-
lent opening. The crisis is at hand, for
the example will surely be followed, and
in two minutes the whole herd OF 1000
head will have broken through the line of
horsemen and be away, one surging, bel
lowing mass of terrified beasts. Fancy a
pitch dark night, a pouring torrent of rain,
the ground not only entirely strange to
the men, but very broken, and full of dan
gerously steep water courses and hollows,
and you will have picture Of cowboy
duty on such night. They must head
off the leaders. Once fairly off, they will
stampede twenty, thirty, and even forty
miles at stretch, and many branches
will stray from the main herd. Not alone
the reckless rider, rushing headlong at
breakneck pace over dangerous ground
in dense darkness, but also the horses,
small, insignificant beasts, but matchless
perfectly aware how much depends upon
their speed that night, if it kills them.
Unused till the last moment remains the
heavy cowhide '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
borns they press back the believing
brutes till they turn them. All the men
pursuing this maneuver, the headlong
rush is at last checked, and the leaders,
painting and lashing their sides with their
tails, are brought to stand, and the whole
herd is again rounded up"
Throughout the northern ranges sobri-
ETY., self restraint, decent behavior and
faithfulness to duty are enjoined upon
the cowboys. A great improvement is
also observable in the cowboys of Texas.
Deeds of violence among them are now
few. The morale of the entire range and
ranch cattle business of the United States
now compares favorably with that of other
large enterprises. = Harper's Magazine.