Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-07-23


A stampede is a serious matter.
1t means danger, and perhaps death.
to the drivers, and loss to the own
ers. With a wild, unreasoning i'm
pulse the mighty herds will rush
pell nell in one direction, scattering
as they 90, those pushing on those
in trout, until sometimes a dozen
miles are put between their starting
point aud themselves.
The procedure of the herders in
such instances Is to keep the animals
close together and guide them in a
long curve; neck and neck with the
leaders they madiy ride, turning
them little from time to time,
while those in the rear follow blind.
~ on. Should a ravime he met
with, a hundred or more of the herd
may be trampled to death before a
halt can be called. The herders
take particular pains not to be over
taken themselves, as horse and rider
would be an unacceptable mass Of
crushed flesh and bones should the
avalanche of cattle strike them.
So the twenty cowboys were not
pleased with the indications of
stampede. The cattle with one ac-
cord raised their heads high in air,
angry snorts began to be heard in
every direction. Then in long,
swinging trots they came toward a
common center, though all the time
bearing eastward.
When they had punched in a
crowdlng, heaving horde, the start
was made. Cowboys and dogs were
paid no more attention to than the
flies on their flanks.
There is 10 stopping them, nor yet
is there any guiding them. The
herders can do nothing but watch
the river of horns and hides roll on
to the sound of bellows and hoof
beats.
Mack saw it, and he looked still T.
more anXiously for his little golden
haired Julie, to whom he was so
much attached. More carefully he /
scanned the prairie.
Suddenly he saw, tar Off to the .
east, perhaps a mile away, white
straw hat.
1t was the child's.
The cattle were rushing together
and moving in the baby's direction.
1T were wonderful" said Julia's
father, in telling me of the incident
4 few days ago, how cool he looked.
The other cowboys were that bad
ratified they couldn't stir, but he
jest stood an thought, like he was
only gOin' across a street. 1t was
out o. the question fer him to git to
the baby, but in a minute there
come thought to his mind.
oyer know no human bein' kin
stop stampeded cattle. All the
lerders kin do is jest ter keep the
'reatures in sight an tergether
Mack jest went ter one Of the tents,
m then came out with a bag filled
With something In his hand, mount |
d pony, an in minute was
iding past the cattle.
"Surprisin' how fast they got i
lnder way. Nearly every animal +
Ii the herd had j'ned the leaders, Il
N in great mass they was tumblin' ,
N eastward. /
"The hat of Julie could be seen !
novin' through the tall grass, an |,
lacks pony racin' toward her an
early even with the head of the c
erd. 81
Whats he tryin' ter do?" one of ;
he other herders asked.
"He can't saye the child,n another /,
aplied, mo man livin, kin do thatn Y
but on he flew, an then, when \
e had passed the leaders, we seen +
i'm turn his pony an ride straight v
! front of that sea oS rushin' crit +
ars. 1t was death ter him if the +
ony should stumble an throw him. V
but it didn't, an we noticed c
nat he was fumblin' with the sack v
l his hands, an white stream like i
and was flowin' from it. a
"As the leaders of the herd came b
ar the line Of white stuff they stop l.
ed, or tried ter, but the ones behind
ushed 'em on. Sull, as every line o
cached the spot it tried ter stop, an
he whole herds speed was slack
ned for minute er two.
"After crossin' in front of the cat
Ie, Mack steered ahead ag'in and
aimed on 'em fast. But they got !
nder way, an he crossed back,
With the white stream ag'in ruun-
n from his sack-it was salt,
"There was another halt when
he stampeders came to this, an il
ave Mack time enough ter reach
lis goal, an, leauin' from his saddle,
grab jules dress, swing her up in
ront OF him an git out of the way
# the herd, now ag'in In notion
Ii WAS midnight before the herd
Vas stopped, aud then il was ten
miles away, aud fifty orr hundred
ine steers had been tmmpled 10
death. u
But Juhe was sleeping As peace
fully and quietly in her fathers emil
grant wagon as il she had never
been in danger,
She Is nv neiyhhor now. and