Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-08-23
BREAKING OF THE STORM.
Vivid Picture of the Experiences of the
Cowboys OF the Plains.

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the herd as wild and timid as q deer.
The herders sit their bronchos at |
equal distances and as the night |
grows older and the blackness in the
West grows hacker, each herder |
whistles or sings. 1t is their way of
giving the herd confidence.
There's a storm working up the |
valley from the West Both men |
and beasts feel it coming. But for
this the cattle would have been lying |
down long ago. They are packed to-
gether as II in cattle cars, the younger
ones nervous and trembling. the vet
Grams holding their heads high in air
and shutting for the first scent of
danger
The herders ride in closer, but very
cautiously. They can Judge Of the
temper Of the herd by the rasping
and claShing Of horns-by the glitter
of the eyes of those on the outside of
the bunch. But the voices of the
men, pitched low and plaintive, have
a soothing effect, ana by and by there
Is certain movement throughout
the herd which gives every man feel
ing Of relief. They are lying down.
The first is hardly down when the
second follows, and in ten minutes
not an animal is left standing.
Two Of the herders work their way
around to the east. Ii the herd
stampedes it will be in that direction
and the riders must be Oft ia front OF
them. One by one they carefully
dismount and examine their saddle
girths and make sure that all is right.
II they converse it is in whispers.
Each man knows every foot OF ground
for ten miles to the east, but now
while waiting he recalls the creek,
the groves of cottonwood, the hillocks
and the clumps of bushes.
One by one the stars are being
blotted out, and when the storm
breaks his vision will scarcely extend
beyond his horses head.
Get ready" mutters every herder
to himself as his ear suddenly catches
a rumbling and a muttering in the
west. The cattle utter sound which
is half sigh. half groan, but they do
not rise. That is good sign, and
yet bad one. Good, because if the
storm comes no nearer they may be
kept down; bad. because if stampcded
they will go with the wild rush OF an
avalanche. At the head of the valley,
miles away, there are faint flashes of
lightning, and the black clouds have
blotted out the stars which seemed
to look down upon the resting herd.
Another rumbling noise and "a puff
of wind.
Rasp' clatter! rattle! The cattle
are getting up. The men ride in still
closer and pegin talking to them in
soothing tones, as you have heard Il
man do to frightened horse. The
restless moving suddenly ceases
That proves the herd is listening and
has recovered somewhat from its first
fright Thus passes half an hour
more. Not an animal in the herd
will lie down again till the st.lrs re-
appear, but stampede may he
averted if the rain comes before the
lightning and its following crash. A
downpour will wedge the cattle still
closer together and make them droop
their heads. The herders sniff the
air and pray for the clouds to open,
but every man is ready for the worst.
or 4 sudden the blackness of night
is lighted up with fash so bright
that every eye is blinded for a mo-
ment, and while the bronchos rear and
paw the air and utter fierce shorts,
the cattle cringe as if menaced with
the lash. A ball of fire darts through
the sky and falls upon the great cot
tonwOod standing alone upon the
bank OF the creek, anu next instant
there is crash as IL earth and sky
mad come together in some terrible
CONFUSION. For ten seconds the cat
tie sway right and left, as if the
ground was rocking under their feet,
and there is no sound except from
the rubbing Of horns. Then. with a
below Of terror from every throat.
with heads lowered and horns ready
to toss every obstacle aside. the herd
makes Il rush to the east. Were
there mountain in front they would
seek to scale ia precipice, every
one would 90 over it. That mad rush
would scatter an army and tramplc
its batteries into the earth. On the
IlSiu dIlu Cltdt VI UilC lEOIU rae unG
herders Mile after mile is passed,
but they make no effort. 1t is only
when the creek has been crossed aud
the clouds open TO discharge their
torrents that they bear in and slowly
but surely turn the front OF the herd
to the left and finally face it up the
valley. The painting cattle slacken
their pace, spread out and take up
more room, and as they reach the
creek again two out of three pause to
drink The last one is hardly up che
bank before the herd is punched and
the excitement is over. There are
hundred OF them bleeding from
wounds inflicted by horn or hoof, and
along the path of the stampede are
half dozen cripples who must be
shot when morning comes again. The
sky flames and flashes, and the thun-
der shakes the mighty hills, but the
herd are over their fright. there is no
more danger from them. 1t was only
the hreakinv Of tho SfOrm which