Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-06-25
CATTLE IN A STAMPEDE.
WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A HERD
RUN AWAY ON THE PRAlRlES.

A Graphic Account of an Incident Of
Cattle Driving in No Mans Land-Chas-
ing Frightened and Half Mad Creatures
for Hours in the Dark.
"Fellers, they air goin' to run tonight"
Old Joe, the speaker, turned in his saddle
and began to scan the horizon. AS he
caught sight of cloud no larger than your
hand that was just beginning to show it
self away to the northwest, he repeated the
prophecy, and added, AN don't think
we'll have any kick a-comin' about the
dust termorrer, either"
The time was in the seventies, the To-
cality, No Mans Land, and we were on the
for 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 previous drove
belonging to the same company. These
advice of old Joe. "They air ole STAN.
peders and they'll Spite the whole herd
Let them wait for one of them dogie outfits
behind us"
At supper that evening but little was
said; even the cooks yarns, told in his in
imitable style, fell fiat. Every few minute~
our foreman would cast uneasy glances al
the great black clouds that were slowly
rising 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
taken charge when the rest of the outfit
prepared to roll in. The cook, after tying
| a lantern to the tongue, climbed in the
wagon, tied the sheet down and thanked
the Lord that he was a cook. The wrangler
round place under the coupling pole that
suited his complexion, while the riders I'M
strapped their little shot roll" on the
ground and piled in without removing even
boots and spurs
OMNIBUS SIGNS.
For some reason was restless and un-
able to sleep. All the slumber produing
receipts were tried in vain. ! lay on my
back and watched the clouds obscure star
after star, until the whole heavens were
hid. counted the number of rounds the
guards 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
whiffs 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
1oated from the far side of the bed ground
indicated that Little jack" in thought
at least, was with his black eyed sweet
heart on the distant Rio Grande.
Iclosed 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 an 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 a-grazn', 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"
was still semi-conscious when heard
a roar like mighty tornado and sprang
up as some one shouted:
'"They are gone, fellowsl They are gone!"
In less than 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, a ball of frs
CLEANS on each ear tip, BY the flashes the
riders locate the lay of the land in front.
HEADING THEM BACK
Soon we begin passing tho drags. No
need to look after them; they'll follow,
and 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 ma1ldened herd AS we
more and more from the left; the leaders
are beng pressed around, and soon by q
! flash 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 ali 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 roomp the riders fall
back, the mill" ceases and soon is heard
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 tho
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 'em." Old Joe
| says.
But it wasn't to be- Something gives
them scare and away they go! 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
grow shorter; occasionally an animal be-