St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-12-31
STEER ROUNDS up CATTLE



Marcos Ranch.
The greatest cowboy steer" in the
world has his home on the San Marcos
ranch, lear Santa Barbara
BY some people he is simply called
trained steer; by others q .'cavresto.
But, as he does the hardest kind of cow
boy work, and a good deal Of . nature
the cowboys cannot do, it would seem
as If the Texas name cowboy steer Is
the most appropriate.
On every well-regulated cattle ranch
in the west there is ut least one steer
trained to help the cowboys in their
work. But there is none as proficient
in his business as the one on the San
Marcos ranch.
The cowboys have named this fellow
Ell Key (the king), and he is certainly
deserving of the title.
He holds his title and his throne by
the power of brain and muscle. The
many manifestations of extraordinary
intellect exhibited by dogs and trained
horses are surprising enough in them
selves, but they dwindle into common
place when one considers the peculiar
Accomplishments of the cavresto FL
Rev. The ferceness of wild cattle is
simply appalling.
The credit for the conquering and
education of FL Rey is due entirely to
the pluck and patience of vaquero
named Louis Ruiz. And when his Ia
bors were finished a wonderful work
had been accomplished. From the
widest and most vicious of them all Ell
Rev had become as docile and obedient
as a dog.
AS we all know, the ordinary cavresto
, is trained, when the RATA has captured
one of the believing, plunging, mad
dencd animals, to range himself along
side the captive and permit the vaquero
to secure him firmly to the horns OF the
captive by means of the RATA.
When the rodeo takes place these
trained animals are sent into the dense
undergrowth and forests to rout out
the hiding and terrified cattle. Even
the cowboys, strong and skilled as
they are, would never be able to drive
them into the open country. Butwith
the best of the cavrestos great deal
of prodding. pushing and swearing is
considered necessary to make them
perform their duties.
With Ell Rey all is different. At the
word of command he is of through the
thickets, driving from their hiding
places the stubborn cattle. He waits
for no RATA. Locking his own big,
strong and crooked horns into the
horns of his indignant brother, he
hauls and tugs and pulls until victory
is his. Many and fierce are his fights
Wild is his rage when, after a terrific
struggle, with victory almost in reach,
The captive succeeds in slipping from
the terrible crook of Ell Rey's horns ana
dashes of once more to the chaparrai
and freedom. But the wild steers lib
erty is short lived. Ell Rey never fall
tiers in his pursuit. and never returrs
except in company with his struggling
Iprisoner.
Having brought in his captive, Fl
Rey resolutely stands by and holds him
with his horns till he is identified.
branded, marked, killed or whatever
the cattlemen elect to do with the ami
NAL. All the while the captive Is held
steadily and stoutly till the cattlemen
have finished and Ell Rey is ordered to
s.let 60"
Perhaps the most remarkable thing
is the coolnesx with which Ell Rey
stands quietly holding down the hesd
| of the captured animal while the va
quero deftly touches . knife to the cap
tive's throat. The sight Of blood does
. not seem to affect him in the least.
When one Of the refractory cattle II
brought in by cavresto he il ilnmeii-
ately thrown to the ground and his
, hind legs are securely tied together by
) the strong RATA. His head il held
down by the trained steer, and IL il then
j the executioner operates.
| The ordinary cavresto does not ike
/ the operation of holding another steer
: 10 be killed. He would willingly get
away il he could, but he is usually too
tightly bound and must play his part to
the end. But Ell Rey needs NO RATA to
compel him to do his duty. With his
terrible horns locked Of his own nc.
cord into the horns of his captive he
) stands a sturdy and interested par
. ticipant until the cleaning knife OF the
vaquero let's the life blood squirt forth
Z With his master, the Vaquero Ruiz
Z Ell Rey is as gentle as favorite horse
! could be. To the home vaqueros ne i
/ calmly Indifferent, but with strangers
, all his native fierceness and viciousness
Z come into life again. King of his kint
is FL Rey, and gold cannot buy him.
4 San Francisco Call.