Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1890-08-14
along with tho grub wnron as tho co,k

hpNNa ChtnIh
The number OF men and outfits being
determined and the quota TO be fur
nished by each brand being fixed, on {
certain day they all start for tho south
side Of the range. Each outfit takes an
: assigned post and all together making q
line along tho southern border of the
range, reaching from It's eastern 10 It's
western limits sometimes a distance
Of one hundred and fifty miles. Then
the roundup begins, all moving to the
north, covering the entire country, and
bringing the cattle along much on the
same principle that a room Is swept.
Every man save cook and hoss-hustlers
ride to the right and left Of his chuck
wagon, so far as 10 touch the work OF
the outfits next in hand, and the cattle
as fast as found are driven into herd
one herd with each outfit Two or
three men are then detailed to hold and
bring on the cattle thus collected, while
the rest Of the men still scour the range
for more, every hour in the day seeing
fresh additions to the general herd.
This is hard work on horses, and cow
boy generally saddles three OF his seven
ponies each day, reserying the best one
for hard and unusual work during dark
and stormy nights.
The object Of the roundup at this
time is TO brand, but as it first starts
out ii sweeps northward with all the
oattle it can find; steers, bulls, cows and
calves alike. Whom a bunch grows so
large as 70 handle with difficulty, a
stop is made to cut out all except the
cows and calves, the cattle thus elimi-
mated being turned loose on the range
again. The work then proceeds as be-
fore, and this cutting out process is re-
sorted to as fast as the size of herd
makes it necessary,
Tho purpose of bringing all the cat
tic as far northward as possible is to
keep them on the proper range, Cattle
in any voluntary movement of their
own never work north and but seldom
and slightly to the east or west. Every
storm, however, coming us storms do
from the north, sends the cattle to tho
south and unless turned back yearly to
drift over the same range again the cat
| tie of the entire Western country, from
the Yellowstone south, would in time
pack themselves into the southern ex-
tremity of Texas between the Rio
Grande and the Gulf.
An outfit from tho commencement
points to some corral or branding pen.
On its arrival there the marking of the
calves begins. A branding pen proper
and constructed for the purpose Is cir
cular in form and made of twelve foot
palisades stuck endwise in the ground
and ilaring outward towards the top
like the sides of funnel. Tho flare is
to keep the cattle as they charge
around in the pen from hurting them
selves against the sides thereof.
There is one opening through which
the cattle are driven, and the center of
the corral is marked by large snub-
bing post two feet in diameter, A
roundup ontflt on coming TO the pen
may meet some other outfit similarly
bent in which event they join herds
and forces. As many of the cows and /
calves as win fill the corral are forced
Through the e.atrsnce and locked in, end
then the fires are lighted and the fun 4
begins. Every calf is branded with the +
brand on its mother, the roper calling /
the brand to the men at the fires, as he /
rides up dragging the victim. As fast (
as pen full is branded it is turned /
loose on the range and the pen refllled 1
from the herd. The work is continued /
until completed when the outfit again [
moves lnorthward and resumes the fur /
ther collection and branding OF the /
cattle until the range has been com
pl6tely and thoroughly combed and the /
work performed.
Returning to overlook the outfit dis
covered in the Cherokee Strip, the /
seono is found to have changed but 1
little. Breakfast is over and the rolls
OF blankets which had before been
scattered about on the ground are now
in the wagon The cook is hitching on
his four mules preparatory TO journey
TO bunch of timber which conceals a
spring, distant about seven miles and
whore it is intended the next camp
shall be.
This cook, like all good roundup
cooks, is a great man and his favor is
much sought after His wages are
about twice as large as cowboys, and
in his way and business he is supreme.
His duties are arduous, and besides
cooking for the whole outfit, extend to
hitching up and driving the four mules
which impel the chuck wagon. This is
done twice day, to noon and night
camp, the selection of which camps is
performed by the range boss.
All through the blistering, sun-burned
day, the bunch of cattle, guarded by the
men mentioned, crawl slowly to the
north. Occasionally, at intervals, away
over to the right or left, a small herd of
cattle is discerned, and presently comes
painting up to join the main herd. Tho
cowboy who brought them seizes on tho
chance, and after copious drink at the
water barrel in the wagon, saddles
fresh horse and rides away. So the
work, hard and driving on horses and
men alike, goes patiently on.
At night a gently sloping hillside is
picked to bed the cattle on. The range
boss, assisted by the riders. who are all
come in by now, rounds up and stops
the herd, the horned members of which,
first standing or slowly moving about,
at last lie down to sleep. The nine
riders are marked off into three guards
Of three men each--the first to ride the
herd until eleven o'clock. the second go
ing on until three o'clock and the third
holding the herd until morning.
1T looks like it might be bad
night says the range boss, 80 you alls
better ketch up and saddle your night
ponies and be ready TO go on herd any
minute"
Supper Of bacon, biscuit and canned
Iweet corn is over and every mans best
horse, brought up and saddled, is left .
% wait any necessity which may arise
By eight o'clock each tired rider not on
nerd is asleep in his blankets. Two
hours 60 by and the fire has burned out {
ind no longer shows red in the darkness
flash Of lightning blazes in ,
he northwest and soon dull rumble Of \
hunder follows In an instant every
horned idiot is on his feet and moving :
ineasily about i
All hands are reused out and, grum- ,
bling, cursing and disappearing, ride to
he herd. A stampede must be avoided !