The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-11
CATTLE FUNERAL.
OF THE QUEER SCENES OF
TIE WESTERN RANGE.

- Knowing oEQI65 mourn For
Dead-Holdiug a Wake Over
tr Departed Comrades-spread-
tine News.
Fror1 the san Francisco Chronicle
ttle funeral may seem an odd thing
+rite about. but it is ten times
odd to witness II the observer hap
IN be on foot in the vicinity Of the
II the ceremonies, however. he Is apt
IL II anything but odd unless there be
sor some other place Of refuge conven-
II the curious on-looker be unusually
foot.
&doubtless the average reader does not
what cattle funeral is like, and
lie is not inclined to give credit to the
II Ia existence Of such thing. II he
Mver lived in q locality where cattle of
- or less untamsd disposition are wont
Nc. he will certainly never have had
Xortunity to learn by observation any
4peculiar and notable facts connected
his remarkable phenomenon Of the
~ MttIe funeral then. be il known. is
~ more nor less than exactly what
BIRDS seem to indicate-a ceremony of
" ling over the untimely fate of a de-
"a herdmate, in which every individual
IL of the band that is within long
n ear or nose shot is bound to partici-
In detail this ceremony consists of a
Il walk-around, accompanied with the
toleful. ear-piercing and heartrending
shrieks and bellowings, and varied
Xnderous pawings In the ground and
ost singular dexterous flinglng of the
Iaut dust upon the backs Of the four
d mOurneTs.
observe or participate In q cattle
al, let the curious-minded go out upon
fange. select some spot which is open
ii Affords no obstruction to the view, and
III II which not "critterh is In sight Just
for the benefit of the uninformed or
rsensitive ear, let it be explained that
WORD ''critter" is by common consent
Il on the ranges as the shortest possible
bns of defining the character of an
Imal which walks on four legs by con-
distinction from q horse or a calf
Having selected such spot, let one of the
frmentioned CRITTERS" be brought Quietly
HI secretly from distance, and without
fdue osteutation, as becomes poachers upon
bother mans range, let him be done to
bath. Let the otYal be secreted where
rem the coyotes can not find it, and let the
ds and flesh be carried carefully away
Hhen let earth be thrown on the blood stains
l. hide all traces of disturbance and let all
5bis be done SO well that even the human
bye can detect nothing that would reveal
what had been done.
Then let twentyfour hours, or even less,
| mile or less at the time Of the slaughter.
But for purposes of illustration suppose that
twenty.four hours have elapsed.
Then suppose bunch Of 100 or 200 head
OF cattle came drifting down over the range
to leeward of the spot where the slaughter
OF the doe previously occurred. The leader
of the bunch may be two or three miles, per-
haps further. from the scene of blood. Sud
denly he commences to show signs of I'M
easiness. Though the grass be deep and
- L. e.
continuously, lifting his head and tossing
his horns as if an enemy was near.
Suddenly there is o strong puff OF wind,
and as the nostrlls Of the leader inhale the
air transformation occurs like flash of
lightning. He halts throws his muzzle into
the air and then emits most unearthly,
prolonged, weird, moaning Shrek or bel
low. 1t is like none OF the various noises
made upon other occasions. but has tone
that is all its own and which is evidently
we'll understood by the entire herd.
With another shrek, which can be heard
for mile and even farther. tho leader
breaks into a run, with bis tail in the air
and bis head shaking aDgrily from side to
side followed by all the members of the
heard, zach adding to the volume of sound
that now fills the air. AS other animals
feeding quietly at distance hear the PEI
cuar sounds they, too, prick up their ears.
them with answering shrieks, they gallop
wildly toward the excited band and join in
the pursuit of the leader.
That animal quickly arrives at the tell
tale spot. He snuffs at the ground, mean
while lashing his sides with his tail, and
believing continually in a manner that sug-
costs the hight Of rage. His eyes flash
wildly, the froth droops from his jaws and
hecks his neck and body. He paws the
ground angrily with his hoofs, and by dex-
ferrous twisting manages TO cast great
masses Of the earth into the air and upon
bis back.
The others come racing up and crowd
aoieiy about the spot where their mate was
slain. An inner circle is formed by the ex-
cited animals, with their heads all pointing
70 common center, and these below and
paw the ground and race around until ex>
lausted, Meanwhile the others are circ!ing
apldly about the central cluster, and
noally displace the earlier arrivals, where
upon they also go through the same per-
hrmance.
H. on the other hand, he should be SO
@eRlhg In common sense as to be unable to
recognize the apparent signs of dangar and
should approach too closely to the angry
aerd, his awakening to the peril will! be
lnaFp and sudden. Some angry beast will
oa'cn a glimpse of him, and, recognizing in
Hm the responsibility for the shedding of
uoIu, Will lower his head, and, with snort
u dehance, make wild charge for the OBJ
Pct OF bovine wrath If that object escapes
S S'n MS life be will, indeed, be fortunate
Even horseman has been known to have
aal anything but pleasant half hour from
~ encounter with funeral party of this
character.
j.. me scene is a terrific one. Horns are
.asned against horns, the believing of the
aIgry animals is deafening, the air is flied
"isn dust. the beasts seem actuated each by
Tae particularly malevolent spirit and
S Snor actions appear prompted almost by
1Ilan understanding.
woe 70 the unfortunate curiosity-seeker
WI "lo chances to be abroad on foot upon such
~ ~ occasion. If he have any "catt.e-sense"
bo. oil ne viii put as wide a space as possible
bbo'Seen himself and the mourners or if he
VjH qs s,i OF studying the spectacle. he
n MI chIno the nearest tree or seek some
% r'asT point OF vantage inaccessible to the
!, tne news of the death of a comrade seems
and dp s.a with the rapidity of the telegraph,
~ rt Iresn relays Of the nourDers constantly
6orra. keeplng up the strange spectacle for
b. I rs ~ time nor ceasing until the shades
IS night descend.
8 REASONABLY the scene Of bloodshed will
y ,4sCOVered BY Soma xvandarinu aCrjtkarn