The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-25
A NARROW ESCAPE.
BY IL. T UFFORD.

Oae morning in August, after wo had
been at the Sierra La Sal about five
weeks, [ set off to shoot "cotton- tails.
L took a double barrelIed shotgun, and
proceeded on horse back as far as the
corrals and log cabin of a squad of cat
tie men, three miles LoIow cur camp
Four cowboys and herd boss, named
Little, were here patrolliag the upper
Inc Of an extensive range, on which
were grazing fifteen or twenty thousand
head of the half-wild Texas cattle of
these western raGchos,
As it was already past "sun-up,"
was not surprised to fnd no one at til,
corrals; the boys were all out on the
range. Dismou1ting and tying my pony
insile the horse-pcn. first arranged my
cartridges and other equipments for
rapid loading, and then started forth
on foot over the rough grouad beyond
the corraI7,
Furrowed in zigzlg course across
the plain was a dry, shallow arroyo, at
this time Of year we'll stocked with the
small, game l was after, and in the
course of an hour or sol had as many
birds as l could mfortably carry. And
then, after short rest, l climbed out
on the plain, and took a short cut for
the corraIs. My course led mo along
the upper edge Of the cattle, who were
grazing in scattered "bunchcs" all over
the lower end of the valley.
I had gone perhaps half a mile, when
| became aware of a strange commotion
among the feeding thousands. For it
Glanced that I had now come upon
little swell Of land, somewhat higher
than the surrounding plain, and ha l
stopped for monet to watch the pas
toral scene. Presently I noticed that
the cattle were no longer grazing
quietly in groups, but seemed, as by a
common impulse, to be moving up the
valley. [ could see bunch after lunch
lit their heads, and, after watching for
a short time the movements of those il
front, join in the slow procession.
My first thought was that the cow
boy, for some reason or other, were
driving them toward the corral; but
then | reflected that If such were the
case, those in the rear would be the
first to start, instead of, as was the
case, following the lead of those il
front. Besides, instead of stopping to
snatch an occasional mouth!ul of grass,
as they would do if they were being
driven, they came on with heads in the
air, as though attracted by some curious
sight.
1t was not long before the whole
drove was in motion, and, as watched,
I noticed that the drift was not in
parallel, but in convergcnt lines, as
though they were attracted to a COM
mon centre, and in another instant it
flashed over me that that centre was
myself!
A very strange sensation stole over
me at this discovery. and l now remem-
bered Little's saying once that while
these Texas cattle do not mind q man
on horseback, it would be dangerous
thing to GO amongst them on foot-tho
sight of dismounted man being almost
unknown to them, since the cowboys
invariably ride.
As looked at the slow-moving thou
sands, I could we'll imagine that even
if curiosity was the only motive impell-
ing them, yet the momentum of those
in the rear might so press the forward
ranks that q man would have little
chance to escape being trodden to death
by the pushing throng.
But there was strong reason to sus-
pect that less innocent motives than
mere curiosity might actuate them, for
knew the untamed, violent nature OF
this half wild stock, and that they were
not to be trif1ed with. .