White Oaks eagle. (White Oaks, N.M.) 189?-190?, 1897-10-07
CROSSING THE RIO GRANDE.
Driving Two Thousand Cattle from
hc.ico to the United States.

heIicO 10 inc l nttcu StHtcs.
Something near 1000 cattle crossed
the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass lately.
They were from ranch in Coahuila
and were to be delivered to one of the
most prominent runchmen in the south
west. At this time and place the Rio
| Grande is pretty fair sized stream.
! 1t is nearly u quarter of mile wide.
At the fording place there is just
enough water to swim a COW in the
! deepest place. 1t was not supposed.
however, and it certainly was not the
| case, that the cattle would remain in
the fording place. AS it turned out,
they occupied and performed countless
/ maneuycrs over about a mile.
The labor of the day began about
/ the middle of the forenoon. The great
herd of lowing quadrupcds 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 MeXicans on every side to
| keep them in place A dozen bestrode
| tank horses; the remainder was afoot.
boys, each with two frail garments and
as many powerful lungs. The cattle
! were driven along the bar up under the
| bridge and to point above the two
towns TO the fording place. And here
| Tie leaders were headed out into lie
stream. They took to the water with
| apparent willingness, and lushcd their
| tailc.. md proceeded with a great splash
! ing sound as the 5000 feet began to
| smite the water. When they were about
| ha,f submerged the leaders turned a
| little to the right down stream. AS if
! by previous arrangement The whole
| right flank turned in the same drec-
ton, and the multitude separated and
| became many little groups. The horse
men dashed in below them with lndian
| yclis. A dozen men were suddenly
/ naked, and they were swimming rapid
| ly 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 brutes they
| beat upon their faces. Some were
turned in the right direction; many
hundreds, less roughly urged, waded
| aimlcsSly down stream; others turned
toward the bank and raced with the
. speed of the wind in the open country
| dogs, horses and pedestrians in pur-
suit. The great herd of animals in the
| middle Of the stream found deep wafer
aud swan. Little more than their
| heads was visible, ard a thousand
! horns, suggestive Of brush in flood
time, caught the sunlight. They noated
without apparent effort with the cur
rent, with none to control them, and
when they sought the bank it was on
! the side of the river from that which
| they had started and at about the same
point. The group that had been made
to cross to the Texas side stood passive
! ly together at the edge Of the water,
| with their heads stretched out before
item.
The operation was epeatcd-with
! about the same success. The notable
features of the performance were re-
calcitrant cattle dashing across sand
bars far away, with the plains and far
blue hills beyond; powerful end robust
| MCXicaus-some of them entirely naked
riding back and forth with yels that
would have been the fortune Cf base
| ball coachcr; swift and tircless swim
| mtrs gliding back and forth, some of
/ them completely surrounded by misbc-
having cattle, and hundreds Of horns
/ drifting about, seeming without aim
above the surface of the water 1t
seemed almost impossible to head the
! great herd in the right direction, Some
could be made TO go across, but that
was obviously what the great major.
/ ity did not want 10 do.
BY about five O'Clock in the afternoon
something like 1900 had been landed
on the Texas side. They stood quietly
enough when they were over and gave
but little trouble to the herders Rut
/ those not yet across were naturally
those least willing to cross, aud all that
COW may do that is obstinate was dOUe
| on this occasion. They appeared tc
| have great deal more endurance than
/ the horses. They would reach the bank
| fer the hundredth time and race with
! the spirit of young yearIing just re-
! leased from a barn. The McXicaus be.
| gan to rope and throw some Of the most
/ mischityous Of the evil docrs, that they
! might not lead the others astray, and
after falling hard enough to break a
| limb they would get up, ready for an
other mad dash. The bcrders riyalcd
/ them in endurance.
Gre dccp-chcsted fellow was thrown
/ from his horse just MS the latter was
| scrauhlirP ont of the water on a slip.
! Ecry bauk-the animal stumbling. H.
rolled over and over, ard then .umpe1
up and started in pursuit Of his fright
! cned stcCd. The race was abou equal
/ but another horseman came TO the res.
cue and caught n bride rein Of the run.
4 away. One slip Of boy followed q
steer that had got away in the watc,
by himself. and by swimming Away.
4 in the right place and yelling in just
! the proper manner he succeeded in driy.
ing the big fellow across. 4 greal
cheer went up from the bridge, and il
was family echoed by the people along
the Mexican side.
Late in the day the cattle that had
crossed and which had been standing
below the bridge were driven TO n poir;
., Ls, tI = l.. =.