The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-01-16
A "ROUND-UP."
HOW THE COWBOYS COLLECT
AND BRAND CATTLE.
The Cattle Led Into the Corral
Burned Sides, Punched Ears
and Ears Cut OFF rs
Branding Marks.

On tine Northern ranges in Dakota,
Montana and Wyoming Territories, the
cattle are all allowed to run at large
through the winter and summer. They
do not stray great distance of, how
ever, and, unless stampeded, may
usually be found within thirty miles or
30 of their respective ranches.
To collect these immense herds of cat
tie in the spring and fall is no easy mat
ter, and to do this a roundup" is
formed. This is made up by the owners
of the ranches which are on the same
range, sending q roundup" outfit and
their quota of cowboys.
A roundup" outfit consists of, be-
sides the indis pensable cowboys, camp
wagon drawn by four horses or mules,
at least five horses for each cowboy,
branding irons, cooking utensils, and
last, but not least, q cook, who generally
drives the wagon. These respective re-
presentatives of the different ranches
meet at the end of their range or dis
trict and slowly 60 through the country,
collecting and branding the cattle and
calves. The wagons do not drive more
than ten or fifteen miles day, but the
cowboys in search of cattle llde sixty or
seventy miles. This is where the neces-
sity for each cowboy having so many
horses comes in.
The cattle collected during days
riding are all driven to the nearest ranch
where there is corral. Cattle are not
collected every day. as the cowboys stop
every other day to brand the cattle
caught. The cattle collected in days
ride by "round-up" of thirty cowboys
make an immense herd. This herd is
watched very carefully during the night,
and the next morning the work Of
rounding them out" begins.
Rounding out'' is the term applied
to separating the cattle Of different
brands from the herd. This is difficult
work and is done only by very expert
cowboys. They ride into the herd, and
when they find one of their own brand
they slowly drive it out from the ounch.
When it is driven out it is taken in
charge by another cowboy, who drives
it to small herd, which is entirely COM
posed of cattle of its own brand. 1t
will take two or three to get the large
herd separated into as many small herds
as these brands are represented in the
Ground up"
After the small herd is separated the
COWS with calves and unbranded cattle
are rounded out from the branded cat
tie. The branded cattle are put into q
herd and driven several miles back over
the same ground and turned loose. A
fire is built in a corner of the corral,
where the Ground up'' s. the bars are
let down, and one of the herds of cows
with calves and unbranded cattle are
driven in. Two ropers walk their ponies
into the corral, the bars are put up, the
brands of the man who owns the cattle
in the corral are heated in the
fire. The work of branding begins.
The ropers ride around the corral, swing
ing their ropes around their heads. AS
they see single calves on the edge of the
herd their lassoes leave their hands with
snap and wind around the calves two
hind legs. This is called "heeling" and
is a great deal more difficult to do than
to catch them by the neck. The calves
when caught are dragged up to the fire,
where they are held and branded.
Branding does not take long, aud soon
the corral is ready for the next herd.
The ropers are quite expert with the lasso
and keep the men at the fire busy. The
calves are not only branded to mark
them, but some owners cut their ears In
different shapes. Other owners even go
so far as to cut one of the ears off en-
tirely. After herd that is marked this
way has left the corral the ground is
sometimes covered with ears. In almost
every herd that is driven into the corral
there are some cattle that were not
branded the year before. and these have
to be handled more carefully or else they
gore the handler. One of the roVcrs
walks his horse around until he sees a
good chance, when, quick as flash, he
catches the steer by the hind legs.
The steer knows he is caught and turns
to run at the man who caught him. AS
soon as he turns the other roper throws
his lasso around the animals horns,
which holds him fast. The steer is thus
held fast, and in that condition is
branded. When done. the lasso around
his head is taken Oft and he is allowed
to rise. The men all get out of the way,
and then the rope is taken off the steers
hind legs by skillful twist Of the roper's
hand. When the whole herd is branded
they are driven out of the corral, and the
next herd is put through the same pro.
cess. When all the cattle are branded
they are driven back over the same
ground that he ''round.up" traversed
the day before and turned loose.
On the roundup" each man leaves
his horse to the care of men called
"wranglers," who keep the horses in
herds, which are easily guarded. Every
morning one of the nerds is driven IN
near the wagons, and after breakfast
some coed lasso.t .thrower stands near the
herd, aud, as the cowboys come after
horses, he catches ponies for them. So
the cowboys do not ride their own
horses, but have to take whatever IS
given to them. Some OF the horses are
''bucking bronchos." Any one may be
the unfortunate man that gets "buck-
ing broncho."
Breakfast on roundup is at three
o'clock, and by four the wagons are al
moving and the cowboys are riding Oft
in different directions. They ride all
morning, and at noon stop an hour for
dinner. After dinner they change
horses and start out again.
Life on the roundup is hard work.
The cowboys are in all sorts of danger,
have to sleep on the ground, rain or
snow, ride hard ore day snd work hard
the next at Observation-Disclosures
Press.