The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-05-27

Ihe foreman mas arIlFeu, dIu tahee
charge of the entire outfit, placing it on
thoroughly effective and working basis
for the morrow. Accordingly at balf
past three in the morning the men are
called. They are out Of their blankets
and dressed in jify. Each catches and
saddles his horse, breakfast is hastily
eaten, and at the first break of day they
ride out by twos or fours in every direc.
ton. These men present decidedly
picturesque, not to say brigandish, ap-
pearance as they dash across the prairie,
with their red, blue, and gray flannel
shirts, canvas trousers, leather chopargos.
broad sombreros, colored silk handker-
chiefs knotted around their necks, we'll
filled cartridge belts, from which hang
their six shooters, their high.topped
cowhide boots aud large Mexican spurs.
Most of these Western cattle are as
Wild as the native buffalo, having never
been subjected to the dominion of man,
and rarely have they even caught sight
of him. At the first approach of the
cavalcade, therefore, many of them sniff
the air excitedly, elevate their heads and
tails, and run like deer, but by hard
riding and skilful handling they are
soon turned and herded. 1t is their gu
preme delight to fud an "alecky" young
steer that concludes not to be rounded
up. Such "critter" is bit of the true
spice of life to them thus early in the
day, when both men and horses are fresh,
vigorous, and eager for the sport, and no
sooner has the belligerent shaken his
head and turned tail to his pursuers than
two, three, or perhaps half a dozen
"cayuses" are headed for him.
Our riders scour the country far and
near, gathering beef" from East, West,
North and South. Every hoof found,
regardless of the brand he bears, or
whether he bears any, is picked up by
this living cyclone and carried along. AT
frequent intervals the herds already
gathered are driven into the branding
pens and corralIed. One or more irons
for each owner are kept hot, and when
roper has thrown an animal, he calls for
the iron wanted, and, setting his foot
upon the victims neck, places the red-hot
device on It's ribs and throws his weight
upon it, leaving deep, indelible trade
mark, which even he who runs may read.
It's ears, dewlap, or the loose skin on the
Jaw are then slit, and it is turned loose
again.
The Fall roundup differs from the
Spring in that its object is to gather in
and cut out the fat steers, and drive them
to the railroad stations for shipment to
Eastern markets. The work, being
almost entirely on adult animals, is even
more laborious and hazardous than that
of the Spring, where the majority actu'
ally handled are calves.
Stray cattle, either calves or adults,
bearing no brand, and found alone or
herded with others already branded, but
whose parentage cannot be definitely
determined, are called Mavericks and
in some districts are sold at auction and
the proceeds given to the school fund.
In others they become the proper
ty of the man or company upon whose
range they are found. This privilege,
however, is seriously abused by dishonest
ranchmen and cattle thieves, who infest
every Western cattle-growing district.
These men ride out over the ranges at
times when they are not likely to be OBJ
served, carrying their branding irons
along, and rope and brand every animal
they can find that does not already bear
brand. In some cases these are allowed
to remain where found for the time
being, but are usually driven on to the
range claimed by the pirate who does the
work. In other instances these men first
drive the unbranded stock on to their
own ranges, and then, under cover of the
Maverick law, openly claim and brand it
as their own. Many large herds have
been accumulated almost wholly by this
system of thievery, and there are wealthy
cattle men in the West to-day who never
bought or honestly owned dozen head
of the thousands that bear their brand.
A certain cowboy, when asked by an
Eastern man whet constitutes Maverick,
replied: "It's calf that you find and
get your brand on before the owner finds
it and gels his on"
But it is risky business, the cattle steal
ing, and many man who has been
caught at it has been left on the prairies
as food for the coyotes, or has ornamented
the nearest cottonwood until the
magpies and butcher. birds have polished