The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-07-02
CROSSING THE RIO GRANDE.
Driving Two Thousand Cattle from
Mexico to the United States.

| Something near 1900 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 ranchmen in the south
west. AT this time and place the Rio
Grande is pretty fair sized stream.
1t is nearly quarter of mile wide.
At the fording place there is just
enough water to swim 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
maneuvers over about mile.
The labor of the day began about
the middle of the forenoon. The great
herd of lowing quadrupeds 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
lank horses; the remainder 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 to point above the two
towns to the fording place. And here
the leaders were headed out into the
stream. They took to the water with
apparent willingness, and dashed their
tails and proceeded with great splash
ing sound as the 5000 feet began to
smite the water. When they were about
half submerged the leaders turned
little to the right down stream.I AS if
by previous arrangement the whole
right flank turned in the same direc-
ton, and the multitude separated and
became many little groups. The horse
men dashed in below them with Indian
yells. 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
aimlessly 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 water
and swan. Little more than their
heads was visible, and a thousand
horns, suggestive of brush in flood
time, caught the sunlight. They foated
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
them.
The operation was repeated-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 and robust
Mexicans-some of them entirely naked
riding back and forth with yells that
would have been the fortune of base
ball coacher; swift and tireless swim
mers gliding back and forth, some of
them completely surrounded by misbe-
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 to do.
BY about five o'clock in the afternoon
some thing 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. But
those not yet across were naturally
a cow may do that is obstinate was done
on this occasion. They appeared to
have q great deal more endurance than
the horses. They would reach the bank
for the hundredth time and race with
the spirit of a young yearling just re-
leased from barn. The MeXicanS be-
gan to rope and throw some of the most
mischievous of the evil doors, 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 herders rivaled
them in endurance.
One deep-chested fellow was thrown
from his horse just as the latter was
scrambling out of the water OF Slip
perry bank-the animal stumbling. He
rolled over and over, and then jumped
up and started in pursuit of his fright
ened steed. The race was about equal,
but another horseman came to the res
cue and caught a bride rein of the run
away. One slip of boy followed
steer that had got away in the water
by himself. and by swimming always
in the right place and yelling in just
the proper manner he succeeded in driv-
ing the big fellow across. A great
cheer went up from the bridge, and it
was family echoed by the people along
the Mexican side.