Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-11-09
CATTLE IN A STAMPEDE,
WHAT ~ MEANS TO HAVE A HEeo
RUN AWAY ON THE PRAIRIEs.

A Graphic Account of an Incident o,
Cattle Driving in No Mans Land-cha,.
ing frightened and Half Mad Creatures
for Hours in the Dark.
"Fellers, they air goin' to run tonight n
Ole Joe, the speaker. turned in his saddle
ano began to scan the horizon. AS he
caught sight of cloud no larger than your
hand that was just beginning to show it.
sell away to the northwest, he repeated the
prophecy, and added, AN l don't think
wen have any kick a-comin' about the
dust termorrer, either"
The time was in the seventies. the 10
calty, No Mans Land, and we were ON the
old Dodge trail, with 1890 beeves, bound
Tor Ogalalla. The herd had been put up
some seeks before on the Brazos. At Red
river crossing we had picked up a bunch
that had been lost out of a previous drove
belonging to the same company. These
steers were placed in our herd against the
advice of old Joe "They air ole SIAM
pee ers, and they'll Spite the whole herd
Let them wait for one of them dogie outfits
behind u.s."
At supper that evening but little wa,
said; even the cooks yarns, told in his in
Inn table style, fell fiat. Every few minutes
our foreman would cast uneasy chances at
the great black clouds that were slowly
ris ng in the northwest. Instead of picket
Ing the horses, as was the custom, the ami
mails were saddled and tied to the wagon,
or to bushes close by.
The first guard had hardly more than
tai en- charge when the rest of the outfit
To in oft
a lantern to the tongue, climbed in the
wagon, tied the sheet down and thanked
the Lord that he was cook. The wrangler
found place under the coupling pole that
suited his complexion, while the riders I'M
str apped their little 'hot rolf on the
ground and piled in WITHOUT removing even
boots and spurs.
OMNIBUS SIGNS.
For some reason | was restless and un.
abe to sleep. Al the slumber produing
receipts were tried in vain. | lay on nv
back and watched the clouds obscure star
after star, until the whole heavens were
hio. counted the number of rounds the
gu ards were making, and then fell to
watching the lightning and trying to Judge
how far it was off by seeing how many !
could count before / heard the thunder
that followed every flash.
After while, growing weary of this, |
turned toward the fire. By it sat one OF
the guards slipping strong coffee between
wbiffs at his cigarette. The rattle of the
chains on his spurs and bit as his horse
logged along told the whereabouts of an
other, while the wild Spanish song that
hoated from the far side of the bed ground
indicated that Little Jack" in thought
at least, was with his black eyed sweet
baa ~ ~ he
closed my eyes for few minutes, and
when | looked again the guard had left
the fire. Little Jacks song was finished,
and the only song from the bed ground
was the deep breathing of some animal
that had just lain down. The thunder
had, ceased for few minutes, and the boot
of ain owl in the cottonwood made the dark
ness still darker and the night more dreary.
As dozed off Old Joe's words kept ring
ing in my head: There amt no danger es-
long es any of 'em air up an agrazin', but
when they air all down, and it's that quiet
you kin hear your own heart beat, then
yau wanter git ready ter ride"
l was still semi-conscious when heard
a roar ike a mighty tornado and spranc
W as some one shouted:
They are gone, fellows! They are gone"
In less than a minute every man was in
the saddle and rushing after the fleeing
herd. No need to ask which way; the
trained night horses know their duty, and
are straining every nerve. The lightning's
play is grand; electricity is everywhere;
flames dance along the name, ball of fire
CLEANS on each ear tip, By the flashes the
riders locate the lay of the land in front
HEADING THEM BACK
Soon we tegin passing the drags. No
lnAl of+ f0ll
ard the real work is on ahead Far away,
in front, above the roar of cattle and thund-
er, the guards can be heard singing and
shouting to the maddened herd. AS we
dash on the sounds appear to be coming
more and more from the left; the leaders
are being pressed around, and soon by a
fash we see them coming; right in front
of the crazed animals, looking like ghost
in his long white slicker. his fiery little
night horse lunging and fighting for his
head, rode Little Jack. singing. calling and
swearing by turns.
By a concerted action, in which good
luck, stout lungs and heavy quirts all play
important parts, the herd is thrown to-
gether and the milling begins. Around
and around they go, each animal with its
head over the rump of the one just in front
no beginning, no end, just solid mass
staring, moaning, as only stampeded cattle
can. Balls of fire leap from horn to horn.
The cowboys are seated on their horses
still as statues, all forming picture that
can't be duplicated The order is passed
along to "Give more roomr' the riders fall
back, the mill" ceases, and soon is heard
a series of coughs: jess clearin' their pipes
for another dash, some one says.
Now the rain begins, first slow, then in
creasing, till finally it is coming in driving
sheet. With the first drops the cattle turn
and begin drifting with the storm, all the
riders getting in front and endeavoring to
hold them back.
"If we kin only hold 'em till their hides
get wet b'lieve we've got EN-" Old Joe
says-
But it wasn't to be. Something gives
them a scare and away they gol No sooner
are the leaders checked than Others turn
leaders, and the whole herd goes thunder
ing after them. Another mill is formed
and the same performance gone over again.
So the night wears away. The runs