Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1890-09-12
A STAMPEDE.
Reckless Daring of Cowboys in
a Cattle Panic.
How the Cunning Indians Profit
by the Stampede.

The marketing of its beef is the sole
source from which flows revenue to
ranch, and the collection and gather
ing thcreof-selecting beeves is the
most scientific part of ranch work
engages September, October, Novem-
Der and part of December each year.
The beef herds, aggregating 1000 to
5000 head of cattle each, in charge of
an outfit of about ten men, including
the "boss" and cook, betako them
selves to convenient shipping point,
sometimes 200 to 800 miles distant.
The excursion is slow and, by virtue
of the strength and spirit Of the cattle
as well as the stormy season of the
year, not unfraught with danger.
Stampedes are the rule rather than
the reverse, and are sometimes very
expensive in their cost from lost and
injured cattle. TO this trip are usual
ly assigned the most skilled and com
petent of the men, and albeit the work
is arduous on account Of the dignity it
invests one with to have "gone with
beef to Dodge" as well as the joy
fraught spree incidental to the close of
a successful expedition of this sort, all
the boys are willing and anxious to be
counted in,
In tha. former day the drive from
Texas north through the Indian
territory had special hazard.
The Indian was there, abundant
and full of thrift. Nor was it the
abOriginals int,nt to permit a herd
to wind its valuable length across
this domain without tribute. The
method of tax collection in vogue with
these officers of savage revenue was
simple and complete. Some dark and
quiet night the sleepy riders out on
herd would be astonished by the spec
tacle of every one of their horned
wards springing TO his feet and, paus-
ing but one brief second to get the
general direction, 90 scampering into
the gloom co1s4g great fervqr. The
cause was easily found. An Indian
had crawled up on an unguarded flank
and tapped blanket. A most effect
i've flap indeed, that puGed INTO sudden
motion $500 worth of beef by its
enc small breath.
7 be seqEll Of stampede is the re-
collection OF the herd. From the first
jump of the first steer the cowboy, as
dauntess as a Cossack and blindly
true TO his trust, goes with the herd
No man ever takes more dangerous
jaunt. The night as dark as Egypt;
the country new and unknown; per-
haps at any second to go leaping frem
prcciplce or crashing up against
wall of rock; cattle, terror-mad,
charging on all sides; the certain re-
suit of fall being crushing by the
galloping hoofs of the herd; still this
American Arab never halts nor wavers,
but with rein held high and loose and
spurs bloody to the boot, whirls his
half-broken broncho through at thirty
miles an hour.
How cattle or men end stampede
alive is one of the mysteries of the
craft, but they do. As showing these
trips not altogether lacked in safety, |
might add never knew cowboy to
achieve ten years of service without
recalling one broken limb at least, and
sometimes two or three.
The purpose of the riders in
stampede is, by lying well up and for
ward on one or the other side Of the
herd, to turn or stop the cattle. This,
even if successful, is slow, and is
bound to involve a ten-mile run at
least. BY that time one cause or
another has more or less split the herd
into punches and many of the cattle
are lost.
The next few days and sometimes
weeks are devoted to securing the
country and rounding up the herd
again. Here is where the recreant
native who caused the whole trouble
gets in his dusky work. lie presents
himself at your camp and pleasantly
proffers his services to help collect the
relegades at 1t tf0ifarf a head. As you
are almost sure he has hidden bunch
of hundred or so up some canyon
where no white man can find them,
you subdue your six-shooter, which
leaps and throbs in its scabbard to kill
him off, and hire him. The poor In
dian, with his fellows, frequently
makes several hundred dollars out of
a stampede and saves four or five of
your best steers for personal beef be-
sides.- Kansas City Star.
Noxx Irn;farms for Indian ScOnts.