The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-20
NILLINGARUNAWAY HERD.
,r,,,ous TASK OF COWBOYS IN
sT1MPEDE OF CATTLE.
,.. or Tenns steers on the Plains-A
ber,o "" .,,sr , Herd or 5000 Cattle stSun-
80 Il, a Thunderstorm DISAPPEARANCE
~ boy who shet the Mexican.

a"n,noder, asked n s~riZzled plainsman WHIT
w ross,d tho greater part OF his life upon the
neo ,o,,,. ranges OF the West. II don't
- promenade OF mich cows frightened by
NS.izbhorbood dog, but the maddened night
.sror,I thousand head Of lonR-horned Texas
almost Ms Wild as the buffaloes OF TOT
~, DAYS. whose tramping hoofs raise a noise
~. ,hnndcr and whose long horns toss among
: NJ waving heads; the whole moving mass
,"..ir1 adlv over hill and plain, ready to
In over n prcCipiCe or a cliff, and not 10 DO
- until the leaders Of the stampede have
ss.r ,urned back into the body OF the herd, ana
-. hand Is made TO circle about until the mad
s.,.d animals become so closely wedged to-
thor that it is impossible for them to move
s,,,hcr | tell you. 1t is a magnificent spec
.,c,e Mt once grand and awe-inspiring.
.To mill n stampede, ms the operation OF cir
.vro the leaders Is termed, Is n task fraught
,,,b extreme danger, as 1t is necessary for the
.orbovs who have charge OF the herd TO ride
a, hreakneck speed side by side with the lead
~ ~ the sdrighted cattle, gradually nearing
,h,m until the cattle vecr from their original
oourse and turn back into the remainder or
Tho hand. The nisstcp OF a pony in this mad
800 NJ ,fe and death is fatal to the rider. who
:. ..o, hencatb a thousand pairs of trampling
hooa In tbc twinkling Of an eye, to he crushed
IA ,ramnled out of recognition. And yet
,.ro,v n season passes but the hardy cowboys
.ro called upon, sometimes at dead OF night,
20 mount their horses and away in a headlong
.,.,e after n stampeded herd. They become
hardened TO the danger, and take tho call to
horse as a matter Of course. But the uninitiat-
A rider would hesitate long and carefully be-
fors riding away in pursuit Of q stampeded
herd. going at headlong specd.side by side with
thu lonr.horned and lank. bodied leaders Of the
pariVhted cattle, gradually approaching closer
and closer. and finally driving them back with
n vhoop and a yell into the midst of their fol.
lowers, and then circling around the band I'M
ill the stampede has been milled and the dan
Yr Of self.destruction to the band has been
averted.
were coming over the trail with q band Of fully
1000 head Of the wildcst-eyed Texans that
ever found resting place in a slaughter house.
The season was q stormy one, and unusual
care had to DO exercised to prevent frequent
stampedes. Thunderstorms arc the worst en-
emies Of tie peace Of the cowboys and trail
riders, and they were frequent and Of great vio-
lence. Several times the stampede OF the herd
was averted only by the prompt appearance OF
the entire band Of cowboys, who rode around
The herd until tho storm had passed. At night
four night riders were regularly detailed to
circle about the band, standing guard as it is
termed, and singing to the immens herd.
Strange as 1t may seem, cattle are quieted
quicker by the notes Of the human voice than
by any other known agency. When night falls
and the night riders begin upon their circles
about the gathered cattle, the sounds of famil-
lar airs ring out clear upon the night air, and
you may see the cattle gradually sinking down
20 the ground. as though soothed and consoled
BY the singing. Round and round tho ban
they circle in opposite directions, and always
Nihging. TT fling incidents have boon known
70 stampede the q%uietest band. Occasionally
an ~inyeterate cigarette smoker will strike a
psilot match and the short, sharp snap OF the
match as 1t is ignited will arouse the sleeping
tteefS pnd in a trlce they are up and away in q
iad chase over the gloomy prairie.
we. were about four days from the end of
ae 70 q speedy cessation of the continued INK
which cast a gloom over the spirits Of the outfit.
aaa from which old plainsmen predicted disas.
ps 70 me trail herd. Our cowboys were for the
notneaded and quick TO take offence. the latter
treacherous and rcvcngeful. Between two of
,as riders there was III feeling. arising from
ZONE trivial disagreement at the beginning of
lne IMP; The difference between the men was
slaaually aggravated until only q spark was
necessary 70 cause an explosion. The climax
.aine n the morning. Lum Jeffrcys, q Texan
tiaeI. lighted a cigarette after he had finished
~ breakfast, and after taking n few whiffs Of
. = smoke Tossed 1t cavclessly away. 1t was
,setly into the coffee cup in the hands OF Per
Net No6iez. q Mexican. the bitter enemy OF JEFF
m.!s. whether accidental Of Intentional, the
Nooiez sprang TO his feet and reached for his six
~ \ MS fare flaming with passion. One
NJ W. me BOYS called loudly to Lum. whose face
was turned away, to look out for NobleZ. JEFF.
hhsys turned, realized the danger thai menaced
d ~ ahn leaped behind the huge supply wagon,
SS s ms revolver at the same instant. No.
% ~ sprahg 10 the other side OF the wagon to
t tn nm; as he reappeared. AS Noblez leaped
s om,u MS head was thrown forward, pre-
,,SS M the top Of it to the aim OF Jeffreys, and
% a..eI planted n heavy l4-calibre ball in tho
dM 800 cshire OF NobleH's skull. The Mexican
EIGppeu IKE n stricken bullock as the heavy
All crashed through his skull and into his brain.
Stn 10 Was excitement, and there were various
thM e, The ARRAY. Tho MeXicans insist ed
tronbi senreys had intentionally provoked the
amoHS i nma 'hG ere we're angry looks exchanged
TnaJiE, ,hem which prcsagCd more trouble.
arren ~ tne matter was compromised by the
SWho AZ OF Ieitreys by the entire band Of riders.
him give a a ! am Of his weapons and made
trisl 49, w. spiemn pledge TO appear regularly for
town. '"'"' 'no"iu reach the nearest
The body of Noblcz was buried md rho Inv.
went about their usual work. Bnt thee vas
nn ounerai feeling OF depression. In the after.
inNssas u ~ heavens were overcast and dense
with r. v oiack clouds were ominous of trouble
ana u cattle. The usual guard was doubled
niny h ne aarkheSs settled around vivid light.
com COM oeEah 10 play among the cloud banks sc-
faSbsd s,m ny pc is OF thunder. The lightning
ma tSo sui brighter and al shorter interv lis,
and ~ ruhlplihg of the thunder grew deeper
seuu almost incessant. The cattle were m.
Wiz y Ie.uslng to lie down, tossing their heads
instsnt! anu threatening TO stampede al any
t1urht IN roT perhaps an hour the night guards
cssStn. IN VAN To quiet them. Viii each sur.
Al iansS, peal OF thunder they became Wilder.
H. 'ehsth there was a sullen roar NJ thunde.
OF shor, T. U catlnOnaiing, u ripping yolley
yetrr sharp crashes like the rattle Of mus.
the ss,Ya nasi' oil binding light which enyeloped
roar H., nero III II lurid glare, and with a
tnonsan"Ht riSaIed the thunder away sped Tho
mals an.n ol bcwildcrcd and frightened ami.
In rofth from camp rode the co,vboyo aud ~,
ssittsUugh the darkness thcy spnrr"d yIIeir Inu ~
ca ap me Tying herd. it was a wild tide Sc'
Scene hashg; Of lightning lighted nm the
gimn. nv enabled the riders to catch feotiny
The GIs, VI lit forms Of their companions. in
Ing mas tNu irregular outlines of the NOV.
Va mass or 1attle could he seen ~ thh o, AZ a.,
holrs ImhouHIllnlshcd speed. The rncc lns,cd Tor
and D con the herd was surrollnded' miiIed
work NJ d r%, rounded up. Then began the
hood n, living The herd back to the nei0hbnr.
the cattle' "a uallp' Exhausted and ~foOtsOre.
hours wero lllcl enough now, and several
thai had 10 c"h'uulot in rctracing the miles
darkness I'm covered in the mad race In fhe
was reached. wa "o'rIE daylight when camp
JehTeyssH morning il was discovered that lam
tlon amon was missing, There was consternn.
hail ,'""nVhs Ms friends. whn ,vn,'iJ