The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-06
CROSSING rHE RIVER.
The DimcuIt Work of Driving 1000
Cattle From Mexico TO the United

The Difficult work of Driving 1000
Cattle From Mexico 10 the United
STATES.
From tn st. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Eagle Pass. Tex.-Something near 1000
cattle crossed the Rio Grande at Eagle
Pass on Wednesday of this week They
were from a ranch In Coahuila. and were
to be delivered to one of the most prom
lnent ranchmen In the southwest AT this
time and place the Rio Grande is a pretty
fair-sized stream. 1t Is nearly quar-
ter Of a mile wide. At the fording place
there is just enough water to swim a COW
in the deepest place. II was not suppos-
ed. however, and II certainly was not the
case, that the cattle would remain In the
fording place. AS 1t turned out, they oc-
cupied the river and performed countless
maneuvers over about a mile
The labor of the day began about the
middle OF the forenoon. The great herd
of lowing qaudrupeds were driven down
at the foot OF the old Mexican town across
the river and on the long bar that faces
the stream. There was an army Of Mex
leans on every side to keep them In place
A dozen bestrode lank horses; the remain
der was afoot There was an abundance
OF little brown boys, each with two frail
garments and as many powerful lungs
The cattle were driven along the bar up
under the bridge and 10 a point above the
two towns 20 the fording place. And here
the leaders were headed out into the
stream. They took 10 the water with APP
parent willingness. and lashed their tails
and proceeded with a great splashng sound
"a ha 4 hrUan 10 anita the
When they were about half sub
merged the leaders turned a little to the
right down stream. As II by previous ar
rangement, the whole right flank turned
ia the same direction, and the multitude
separated and became many little groups.
The horsomen dashed In below them with
Indian yclls. a dozen men were suddenly
naked and they were swimming rapidly
out toward the heads OF the leaders, with
the intention Of turning them. Some OF
them carried clubs IN their hands as they
SWAN, and when they came up with the
dumb brutos they heat upon their faces.
Some were turned In the night ridection;
many others, less roughly urged waded
aimlessiy down stream; others turned
back toward the bank and raced with the
speed Of the wind into the open country
dogs. horsemen and pedestrians In pur-
suit The great herd OF animals In the
middle OF the stream found deep water
and swan. Little more than their heads
were visible, and thousand horns. suR-
gestive OF brush IN food time, caught the
sunlight. They hoated without apparent
effort with the current, with none to con-
troll them; and when they sought the bank
AZ was on the side OF the river from witch.
they had started and az about the same
point. The group that had been made TO
cross 20 the Texas side stood passively
together at the edge OF the water with
their heads stretched out before them.
The operation was ropeated-with about
the same success. The notable features Of
the performance were recalcitrant cattle
dashing across sandbars far away, with
tho plains and far blue hills beyond: pow
crfui and robust MoXicans-some OF them
entirely undertaking back and forth with
yolla that would have been the fortune OF
base ball coacher, swift and tireless
swimmers gliding back and FORTH some OF
them completely surrounded BY misbchav-
Ing cattle. and hundreds Of horns drift
ing about, seeming without aim. above the
surface OF the water IL seemed almost
impossible 20 head the great herd In the
right direction. Some could be made 10