Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-12-04

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asked tenderfoot, as he gSllopcd be
side an old cowboy.
They've seen the devil, l expect, :
the cowboy replied; "and we will catcl
it before we get through with thi.
thing"
As the herd rushed on their horn:
ratified together, and all the horns o.
$4,000 head of cattle rafting together
sounded like an immense concert ot
castanets.
Cattle are not able to sustain n long
run, and this the cowboys know. FOR
instance, mad speed of five miles is
enough to break down almost any
steer; and the cattlemen knew how the
country lay beyond them, and in this
respect they had an advantage.
The reinforcement of the COWBOYS
who were off duty, and who had hastily
mounted and joined those on watch at
the time, gave them strong advan-
tage in the efforts being made to stop
the stampede. The plan was to get
the cattle to milling" or running in
circle. The elder of the Wilson broth
ers had been cowboy from childhood.
He was riding cream-colored stall
lion, and as he passed me he had his
Colts revolver in his hand. One of the
cowboys on a gray horse was able to
keep up with him. These two distanced
all the others. They rode across the
front of the stampede, which is a feat
attended with terrific danger; for when
rider is in front of the rushing drove
of mad cattle, if his horse Should stum-
BILE and fall, he may be put down as
thing of the past. The herd will wine
him out This Mr.. Wilson knew, and
the cowboy riding close to his crupper
also knew; but they were going to
take all the dangers and get that herd
running in circle if it were possible to
do so.
Some cattle can outrun others, and
i'll this case there was bunch of about
% fully 20 yards in advance, and toward
this leading group the two rescuers
rode. OF the leading group, also, some
were faster than others. and this group
ran in diamond shape, with two i'm
mense steers leading all. When Mr..
wilson and his companion reached the
two leading steers they began shoot
ing their revolvers close to them. and
IN that way the bunch was made TO
oblique, and as the leading bunch of
cattle obliqucd the main stampede OBJ
liqued, and the first step in milling"
had been taken. By this time the cat
Tie were getting tired. Nearly five
miles had been covered, and the breath
oil the leaders was coming short and
painfully; but they were rushing on,
because the front cattle at this time
knew as matter of fact their oplv
safety was in keeping up the run.
Those behind were coming. and they
were in the majority, and the leaders
were compelled to run. There was real
danger for the forward members of the
stampede.
In the invoice of articles contained
in the regulation outfit" there is al
ways some kind of stimuiants; and
Out Tor the stimulants contained in Mr..
wilson's outfit, it is possible that the
stampede would have been halted with
out disaster. He had Mexican along.
one of the best cowboys in the south
west. This Mexican and his horse al
ways reminded those who saw him ride
OF the fabled centaur. He rode far for
ward ard bent over, so that he and his
horse appeared to be one animal. No
horse, however, rugged, wild and wool
ly,' had ever been able to unseat him.
This Aztec had been to the little brandy
runlct too often, and had filled and
empticd his tin cup with surrcptitious
lntoXicants, so that his usual excellent
Judgment went awry. When he sue
ceeded in getting mounted, after having
fumbled with his bride a good deal,
he was far III the rear and the stampede
mad gone past him, so that when he
overlook the rear end, he passed to the
front on the other side, and rode on
the wrong flank. When ne reached the
head of the herd he was just in time to
defeat the mancuver then under execu-
ton of bending the moving mass from
a straight line to a semicirce. Re |
volver in hand. disregarding the other
men, he began shooting in the. faces of
the wild steers; and the effect of this |
was to straighten the run and bring the |
advance straight toward a precipice.
This precipice was a wash in the prairie.
forming a deep ravine fully so yards |
wide; and in n shorter time than it |
takes to tell of this contretemps the
head of the column was pouring over. Il |
horrible cascade of beef. plunging
madly into destruction while fleeing |
from an imaginary danger. When Mr.. |
Wilson and his lieutenants saw that it |
was impossible to save their cattle they |
saved themselves by deXterously turn
ing at right angles at full speed and |
riding out of the way. They next re-
turned to the flank and held a council |
of war. a few seconds decided them.
and all hands commenced shooting into
the herd, the object now being to build
Il breast-work of carcasses and save the
rear end from the destruction that had
overtallen the front. The gulley was
nearly full of cattle by this time. They |
were snoring and believing, crashing
and tearing, and still heaping up; and