The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-26
COWBOYS IN THE ROCKIES.
Caring for the Greet Herds OF
Western Cattle.
Dangers Which Attend the Wild Lives
of These Fearless Riicrs-lIow
They Head on
Stampede.

stampede.
The cowboy is not dead yet. Not
much As species the cowboys NAV
be decreasing in numbers-they GER
tainly are doing so just as other wild
animals decrease before the advance of
the farmer. They are turning farmers
themselves, and merchants and law
yers and Legislators, for that matter.
but the tenderfoot who would like to
see the kind of metal that cowboys are
made Of as well rs the kind they
carry, has only to choose the right
season, and travel far enough. to have
his wish gratified 1t viii not be
parlor-car trip in all its extent, bat it
win be all the better worth making en-
that account. Let him go TO the head
waters of the Sweetwater, the Wind
river, or the Snake. in Wyoming and
Idaho, where great herds of cattle
range over unfenced bunch-grass
hills and mesas, or feed on the
grasses that grow in valleys high
ZIP between the most rugged and
picturesque peaks in the country,
and he will find cowboy life of a sort
not TO be found elsewhere. Somewhat
different from the life on the Texas or
Kansas plains. writes John D. Spears.
In Frank Leslie's Weekly, is that OF
the mountain cowboy, with its cutting
of hay in summer for use during the
billiards., and its digging and caring
for irrigating- bitches; but let no one
doubt that it is full of interest, cs-
pecially when the elimination of it all
comes after the spring round-up-for
the elimination is not in the round
up itself, but in the drive To market.
Under the present system of feeding
the cattle come through the winter in
rugged health. The snow goes almost
in 4 day, and waving grass has taken
its place while yet the spectator is
wondering where it went. An equal
wonder is the growth of the clttle on
the new feed. June or July finds them
rolling fat. Rounding up the entire
herd the owner selects the latest of
the steers. and with them the drive to
the nearest railroad station is made.
And then is the time for the tendcrfoot
to appear in his search for the pictur-
esque life ola cowboy.
With one or two cowboys 70 lead and
tole the cattle along. the herd
stretches out across the valley Here
and there beside the line rides cow
boy to keep them IN order. Last of all
comes the ''chuck" wagon with the
cook. Out of the valley and up into
the canyon they go, winding along till
the crest of the pass is reached, and
then down they wind again through
another canyon to a valley beyond.
To the tenderfoot it may seem most
peaceful. pastoral scene, but the quick
movements of the cowboys. their anx-
ious glances to and fro along the line,
show that no army of raw militia in
an Indian country was ever more
nervous or moro easily excited than
this line of drowsy-looking cattle. Be-
cause a bear, or even a deer or a squir-
rel may be reused suddenly to motion
beside the trail--sometimcs without
apparent cause, panic seizes single
steer. perhaps thousand feet above
the valley, and with snort and bel
low he leaves the line and plunges
down the mountain side. In an in
slant a dozen, q score. or a hundred
dash mndly after him, and then it is
that the cowboy shows the metal he is
made Of Turning his pony's head
with jerk. he waves his right hand
before its eyes. leans down over its
neck and sends it in mad gallop
straight at the head of the panic
stricken herd. The mountain may be
SO steep that only on an elk path can
any beast find footing: a chasm of IN
known depth NAV yawn across the
path; though misstep of the pony or
of the steer would send rider and all
crashing down the mountain side. it
matters not. With soothing cries, If
they viii serve, or with a roaring re-
volver to divert or kin the leader, as
the occasion demands, on they go till
the wild rush has been stopped and the
frightened animals are ready TO re-
turn to their place in line.
What does a cowboy think about
when plunging down the mountain
side in such fashion?' was asked Of
one in Jackson's Hole, Wyo.
Think about? He don't think; he
jest gifts there" was the reply.
That's what he does He'd funk il
he thought of the danger. II there is
anyone who doubts the manly bravery
of the cowboy. or If there is one who
fails to find all the excitement he
wants at the races TO be seen in the
east. let him go to the wilds OF the
Qooiyiaa