The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-01
MOURNING RANGE CATTLE
A Cattle Funeral Is : Spectacle
Worth Seeing. if Upa
Tree.
But Full Of Danger to al Intruder
not Mounted for
Speed.
scentinx tho Blood Of : Slain Herdmate
From Afnr-vlolsnt D~emonstra-
lions OF Grief.

TO Wr1te epOut, DIT ~ - Ten tlMeb mOE0 1hu
to witness. II the observer happen to bo
on foot ia the vicinity Of the scene Of tho
ceremonies, however, he il apt to find it
anything but odd, unless there be = tree or
some other place of refuge convenient, or
the curious onlooker be unusually feet
OF foot.
But doubtless tho average reader does
not know what a cattle funeral is like, and
perhaps il not inclined to give credit to the
possible existence ot such u thing. says the
San Francisco Chronicle. II he has never
lived in a locality where cattle OF a moro
or less untamed disposition are wont to
range, he will certainly never have had an
opportunity to learn by observation any Of
the peculiar and notable facts connected
with this remarkable phenomenon OF tho
range.
A cattle funeral, then, be it known, is
nothing moe or less than exactly what the
words seem to indicate-a ceremony of
mourning over the untimely fato Of asde-
parted herdmats, in which every individual
member of the band that is within long
range ear or nose shot is bound to partici-
pate. In detail this ceremony c~onsibts of q
sort of walking around, accompanisdswith
the most dolcful, ear-piercing and heart
rending rnoans, shrieks aud ~bellowings,
and varied BY ponderous pawings in the
ground and tho NEST singularly dexterous
fingings of the resultant dust upon the
backs of the four-footed mournors.
To observe or participate in q cattle
funeral let.th eurious-minded go out upon
tho range, select some spot which is open
0nd affords no obstruction to tho view, and
from which no "erittsr'' is in sight. just
here for the benefit OF the uninformsd or
supersansitive ear, let it be explained that
the word 'crittsr" is by ommon consent
used on the ranges as the shortest possible
means Of defining the character Of an ami
NAL which walks on four legs by oontradis-
~tinction from a horse or 4 calf.
Having selected such a spot, lot one Of
the aforementioned CRITTERS" bs brought
quietly and secretly from a distance, and
without undue ostsntatlon, AZ becomes
poachers upon another mans range let him
ba lone to death. Let the offnl be secreted
where even the coyotes cannot find il, and
lot the hide and flesh be carried carefully
away. Then let earth be thrown on tho
blood stains to hids all traces Of 4 disturb
anc., and lot all this be dons so we'll that
even the human eye can detect nothing
that would reveal what had been o
linen lou GW6nty-IOuk uOufb, OF even less,
pass, unless, indeed. there bo cattle within
q mile or less at the tins of the slaughter.
But for the purpose OF illustration. sup
poxs that tNenty"four hours have elapsed.
Then suppose a bunch of 100 or 200 head
of cattle come drifting down over the range
to leeward OF the spot whore the %slaughtsr
of the day previous occurred. The leader
of the bunch may bs two or three miles.
perhaps farther, from the scene Of blood.
Suddenly he commences to show signs OF
uneasinsas. Though the grass be deep and
luxuriant, he only feeds a few moments
continuously, lifting his head and tossing
his horns as il an enemy was near. Sud-
denly there ia a strong puff of wind and as
the nostrils of the leader inhale the air 4
transformation occurs like = flash of light
ming. He halts, throws his muzzls into the
mir, and then emits q most unsarthlv, pro-
In like mono OF the various noises made upon
other occasions. but has q tone that is all
its own and which ia evidently we'll nnder-
stood by the entire herd.
with another Shrek, which can be heard
for a mile, and even farther. the loader
break. into . run, with hls tail IL the air
and with his head shaking angrily from
side to side, followed BY all the members
OF the hcrd, each adding to the volume Of
sound that nov fills the air. As other
animals feeding quietly at \ distance hear
the peculiar sounds they, too. prick up
Gl61t ears, tQeU WILL &uUWoEAAk NrAOA8
they gallop wildly toward the excited band
and join it in pursuit of the leader.
That animal quickly arrives at the tell
tale spot. He snuffs At the ground, mean
while flashing his sides with his tail, and
believing. continually in a msnner shat
suggests the height of rage. His eyes fash
wildly, the froth drops from his jaws and
fecks his mack and body. He paws the
ground angrily with his hoofs, and by dex-
ferrous twisting manages to cast great
masses Of tho earth into the air and upon
his back.
The others come racing up and crowd
closely about the spot whero their mat
was slain. An inner circle 10 formed by the
excited animals, with their heads all point
ing,.o 4 common center, and these below
~ 1aw tho ground, and race Around and
around until exhausted. Meanwhile. the
others are circling rapidly about ths oen-
trail cluster, and finally displaos the earlier
arrivals, whereupon they, too, 70 through
the same performance.
The scene is a terrific one. Horns are
dashed against horns, the believing Of the
angry animals is doafening, the air Is filled
with dust, the beasts seem EctEatSd each by
some particularly malevolant spirit. aud
their actions appear prompted almost by
human understanding.
Woe TO the unfortunate curiosity seeker
who chances to be abroad on foot upon
such an occasion. Ii he have any "cattle
ssnse,' at all he will put ~ wide . space ss
POSSIBLE bstwcen himself and the mourners,
ole, he will climb the nearest tree or seek
some other point Of vantage inaccessible ia
the maddened bcnsts.
r. ~ tka other hand. ha ahoulI ha -