Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1895-04-13
LIFE ON A CATTLE RANCH
TIE COWBOYS ARE A HAPPY. ROL-
LICKING SET.
Methods OF Managing Vast Herds on
Uninclosed Lands Saddles Cost
Twice as Much as Horses.

VI -IdudStnS u 80
Uninclosed Lands Saddles Cost
Twice as Much as Horses
~ OWBOYS in the Southwes: are
inclined to scorn the sheep
~ heriers as being too tame a
race of beings for association
with themselves; punching sheep
as they term the herders' trade, being
an undignifed occupation. They are
not anxious to live close to n large
flock either, asserting that the ground
constantly grazed over. by the sheep
Is MT lit for cattle or anything else TO
gain a living on. The life of the COW
boy Is certainly much the less monot-
onous and more venturesome. They
are n happy, rollicking set. always
travelling IN company. and t%ravcrslng
miles and miles OF country every day
of their lives. As they ride along
with their eyes ever On the lookout
for a new calf to brand or q diseased
animal to doctor. they are always on
the alertto manipulate the long rope
which hangs from their saddle-bow.
In a fash the particular beast they
desire to examine ut close range has
the lasso dexterously flung around
its horns, and then begins q tussle be-
tween the plucky little COW pony on
which the cowboy is mounted AMI tho
wild, untameI COW. Their strength
seems ~unequallv matched hnt for the
agility of the cowboy. There is q
good deal of ci-cling round and about,
hither and thither, twisting and jerk
ing, but In most cases the pony NJ
off victorious, and the frightened, en-
ragged brute is pulled down on its side
and lies on the ground. The cowboy
then d!smounts and examines his find
Mt leisure. Owing to the heat Of the
long Texas summers any bruise or cut
which cattle have sustained Is likely
TO tester. a particular kind of ONT
lnent rubbed on these bad places viii
usually save the creatures life.
The saddle Of the cowboys would be
considered entirely too heavy for the
use of Eastern riders. Strings, flaps,
bags and concealed pockets they cou-
tain almost without number. but every
! one Of these ''lependencies" is foun
OF Immediate use by meu to whom
F; their saddle is their most precious
| possession. Many Of the saddles used
cost twice as much as the horse on
which the men are mounted. Saddles
and spurs. boots. fine gauntlets and
"somoreros" are dear to the heart Of
the cowboy. No matter how shabby
his dress mny be, how scanned and
shiny his leather overnlls, how jaded,
even torn, the rest Of his apparel by
the sharp mesquite thorns, fine boots
with tiny, sharp-pointed heels and
glittering spurs are q necessity 10 his
existence.
In the spring and fall, when the
beeves are looking their best, fat. with
their coats shining vetvcty soft IN the
bright sunshine, the dealers come out
from the market towns>anh buy them
up. Cattle increase rapidly. The
price con the range is good, without
mourning the trouble of getting them
} to market, and most impartial judges
are Of the opinion that they are u bet.
ter, safer investment than sheep.
They seem less likely to contract dis.
eases which IN sheep seem SO con
tnrious, and they need scarcely my
attention until the herd has grown tr
be n large one. The cattlemen al
band together, and go on thei,
"ronnlups' with an outfit Of wagons,
cooking utensils, provisions, blankets,
etc. And when, by arauous ridin.
into all the out-of-the-wav nook
and seeking afterany stray "bunche>
of cattle they hear OF rs they ride
through the country, they have got
vast host together, held in check b,
COWBOYS distributed Mt various points
as If on a deer hunt, they get an ldc;
Of the increase of each man her,
since the last count discover any new
brands that may have appeared on tn
range; brand any newborn calves, O
those that, being overlooked. hay,
grown TO maturity. These ace calle,
s.maver.cks' II grown 50 large tia
tnev cannot he identified with an
herd, and II there are many of the>'
'mAverick~' th.v are al usted by lot
Hogs, sheep, cattle, hGrses found IL
BRANDED are tLe Acknowledged prop
erty OF the finders.
The COWBOYS provisions consist onl,,
Of iour. meal. bacon. beans. Dire
fruit (apples CT peache,), coffee aut
the game they Kill, but IN Southwes
Texas deer and wild turkey abound IL
Incredible Quantities, the country be
ing 50 rev and unsettled. When ar
tcsian wells are dug there and tn
scarcity ~ water Is obviated so tina
fruits and vegetables will crow. i. vii
be 4 magnificent section OF country
while the breeZes which blow frou
those high tanlelanis give Il q cllnst
me most healthy III the world. B
some sttang freak Of nature. thong
the face o: the steep. rocky banks O
the rivers ara corrugated a. from tor
rents y: water which once Il
luto the beiot the stream. Tor man
miles tn- river beds now are dr,
parchel AMI barren. or contain wa.e
cnIv Tor snort distances. these vat.