New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-13
COWBOY LIFE.
WHAT IS DONE ON A TEXAS RANCH.
METHODS or MANAGING VAST HERDS on IN
ENCLOSED LANDS.


Tho immense herds OF cattle grazing over the I'M
limited areas az the Southwest. feeding constantly
on the fresh grass without change OF food, are
wild over oven the suggestion OF salt. II Is not
convenient &c salt them often, and some owners
are either Indifferent or too penurious 10 see
that their herds get sufficient Of what "ouiu seem
such a common necessity. When wagon does
appear Mt rare intervals containing this much-
craved luxury the scene is like an open air pande-
monum The cattle leave even their most AT
tractve grazing places and follow the salt Tor
miles in crowds. believing. paving ana conducting
themselves much after the fashion In "hch they
demonstrate the discovery OF blood recently s"e''
Every voice is lifted at once, until the NOISE oe''
deafening and the commoon and excitement seems
such would Indicate the celebration Oh sumo
dreadful mysterious rite or ceremony!
The men driving the wagon pursue the even TENOR
OF their way. however unmindful OF the eager
crowding OF many ong-horns. uniii 'hey re"o',
some well-known fiat rocks. when oher i soou
place for sailing purposes get 10 some appointed
spot which they have previously decided Is ABOUT
the middle OF their range though how they can
decide anything indefinite IS mystery o"''''
ranging sometimes eighteen or twenty m"cS "o''
the stream or water hole in when the! "a'ei'
Cattemen distributing salt are as lkeiy 10 r'ireSn
their neighbors cattle their own or perhaps al
ford this keen relish to the dunno beasts oWhed py
men very remote from that neighborhood 70
crazy are these CRASHED creatures about SAT- that
they frequently eat up valuable saddles ana c'o'h-
ing bedding and other articles necessary 10 huihih
comfort; and for weeks after salt has been gwen
them numbers OF cattle be seen lingering rouhd
the sailing place. seeking for last vestiSe 'ha'
may remain on the surface that has been hehed
over numherless times before.
At the sheep camps, where no one has been 'ei'
in charge during the day, and where no fence pro-
tccts the herdcrs. before they start out IN the
morning hois; the bags containing their hour or
meal the choice bit OF bacon. coffee sack, their
blankets etc. up into the trees high enough 10 We
above the most persistent cows reach because
I'm ease they fail 10 10 this. on their return al
evening they would hnd only shreds lefi OF ther
camp furnishings.
Where everything has TO be conducted on such
a large scale much sharp practice is resorted 10
hy INSCRIPTIONS cattlemcn anxious TO swell the
numbers OF their herd by Legitimate means. MI
sorts OF brands" inverted TO prevent their
owners being imposed For instance. lniS"
cattle owner. whose name was Bunson. mad an
or his herd. little and fun grown. marked
with a tremendous u l. y" one side OK
tending all the way from the shoulder TO the Hank.
and equally large IS - ~ on the other sId" OF
the creature. These letters did not appear so large
when put on a calf. were they: hut their size
increased in proportion - the growth o. the animal
until all the space both sides ~ Tho 60" was
occupicd 4 very thorough way OF cncctuay pre-
venting the addition % anything NOR" 10 the brand
which might make it appear 10 correspond win
the significant mark OF oNnership used I'm another
herd
The COWBOYS are inclined TO scorn the shocp-hefd-
crs as being tame a race ~ beings for as
sociaton with themselves. punching sheep az
they term the herdcrs trade being an undign.h"i
occupation They are not anxious 20 live close 10
A large flock either. asserting that tho ground
constantly grAzc1 over by the sheep IL not no FOR
cattle or anything else 10 gain living on. The
life Of the cowboy is r,rttinly mucn ID" less mo
notonous and more vcnturcsomc. They arc "a happy.
r.licking set. always travelling IN company AL
traycIslng miles and miles 81 country every day
OF their lives. ~ they ride along with their eyes
ever on the lookout for new calf 60 brand or a
diseased animal t. doctor. they are always on The
alert 70 manipulate me long rope which hangs
from their saddlc-bov In lash ;hc particular
beast they desire 90 cNamin" e. close range hst
the lasso doNtcrousy flung around ts horns and
;hcn begins a tusse between tho ruckly mn" cow
pony on which the cowboy g. mounted ami the
wild. unnamed COW. Their strength srrms IN
equally matched but for the ag'Ii, Of the COW
boy There is good deal OF cir-ling round and
about. hithcr and thithcr. twisting ami jerking.
but TN most cases the pony comes or victorious.
and the frightened cnraged brute g. pulled down
on its side and Hes on the ground. The boy
then dismounts and examine his hnd az l.i-ur"
owing 90 the heat Of Tho Tong Texas summers any
bruisc or cut which cattle have sustained IS likely
10 festcr. y particular kind OF ointment rubbed
on these bad places vii usually the creature
life
The saddle Of tho cowboys would be considered
entirely too heavy for the use Of Eastern riders
Strings napa bags and concealed pockets they
contain almost " thout number. but every one %
these dependencies" H. found Of immediate ~"
bv men 10 whom their saddle j. their most precious
possession Many Of the saddles used cost twice
az much as the horse which the men al"
mounted Saddles and spurs. boots fine gnuntleis
and "sombrcros' are dear to the heart OF the COW
hoy 40 matter how shabby his dress may be.
how scanned and shiny his leather overaiis how
faded even torn. the rest 81 his apparel ny the
sharp mesquite thorns. fine boots with tiny sharp
pointed heels and glit,crng spurs are = necessity
to his existence.
one looks AT tho vilc-horned. mid-cycd catu"
feeding 30 composcdly and contentcdy over that
pastoral uncrowdcd country and wonders what
their sensations must be when. after being driven
many miles to ne iailiohd, th"y had lh..''.N ~,
packed into noisy eNcr-moVng car hg'ln' anu
The tumult and confusion Of The Ncw-Nork STOCK
ton " being forced INTO greai .hip hoNib Tor
Europe. II ~ said that on the WAY aci - N
horses are 'seasick' and suffer apparently from
the symptoms much as human beings, ana WIN
lar less comfort than Is permitted 10 huinin pas
In tho spring and fail. when the heevcs arc look
ing their best. fat. with their coats shining vel
vety soft in the bright sunshine The dealers com"
out from the market towns and buy mem ul,
is good without mourning the trouble OF getting
them to market. and most impartial jndgos are of
meat than sheep. They seem less kcls t. conifa',
diseases which In sheep seem 50 contagious. ana
they need scarcely attention until the n"rl
has grown b. large The cattlemen an
band together. and go their "rOundups' win An
outfit Of wagons. cooking utensils PROVISIONS
blankets etc. And when. by arGuous riding INTO
all the out of he way hooks and seeking after
any stray Punches OF cattle they hear Of as they
ride through the country they have got
vast host together. held In check by cowboys dts
ributed various points as II on deer hunt. ih"y
get an idea of the increase Of each mans nerd
rlncc the last count discover any new brands
that may have appeared on the range; brand any
new born calves. those that. being ovcrlookcd
have grown to maturity. These ar" called nave
ricks" II grown large that they cannot be
identified with any herd. and n there are many OF
these "mavoricks' they are adjusted by lot. Hogs
sheen cattle horses found unbranded the ac-
knowledged property OF the finders.
The cowboys provisions consist only OF nour,