The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-17

There arc hundreds Of thrilling stores still current
on the plains Of eHperencSs IN the mrs. ySk,n ,s
up Seysra hSna g f,n a. dfIven
into oval-shapcd cora, made by lot OF prairie
schooner wagons close together. Two or three
narrow opening 70 the corral, each with an on
yoke across his shoulders When the captain
Of ne wagon train called yoke up ne men
jumping paving bulls and oxen In a second
each man. heediess Of horns and kicks, was yoking
Of hauling in the wagon tain Many man has
been gored or squeezed TO death among q lot Of
vicious. cattle. in the corral at yoking time,
wagon master and assistant, a tesmster for each
wagon, herder and two or three extra men.
r .nd miles
with empty wagons Horses wefo first used,
then mules, but oxen proved 10 be the oheapos!
their own living al night, and II properly driven,
would travel 1000 miles in season The elm-
sters were largely Mexican or Of some mixed race
They wefe paid 81 a day and expenses Each
man had 70 takc bis turn standing guard at night
and watching tho cattle, which were never left
T 81 ono man Sef doing
or stood guard On the road the tssmster walled
Sns With Witch he oSsud cut through the hds
Of stubborn OK or clip the head Of rattle snake
At At ten PAGES, The cracking Of the whip vas Ike
Iavine or the entrance TO . town was accompanied
by a popping Of whips that sounded like the Gre
The ambition Of every true bullwhacker was
some day to be wagon master Of freight train.
The wagon master was the boss Of everything
in the train. His employers gave him full contfol
an imperial will. and when he shot and killed a
man who was wilful or refused 20 accept his au-
thority there was no one to coll him TO account
Many times wagon master was entrusted with
the transportation Of $50, 900. even 1000 worth
Of freight over 1000 miles Of trail through hos.
tile Indian country, where no whites had passed
for weeks and where no law was known The
the wagons He knew what bullwhackcrs knew
how 70 work the oxen, and what bullwhackcrs
were lazy. He examined the wagons several times
day. he had loads shifted from weak 10 strong
where each camp was TO BE- made, he rcckoncd how
long food would last and what spots in the long
route would he the most likely ones for attacks
by savages For this service he got sl2Sa moath
Another man next in authority to the wagon
master was the hcrdcr, who sometimes acted a.
deputy wagon master In the day time the hcTder
rested IN wagon under the canvas top The
moment camp was reached his work began He
bpsed the men about fe,ding the oxen, getting
the mess VI faplacks coffee and bacon and occa.
sionaliy some elk, bear or buffalo meat Then
while the men slept he kept watch of the camp, lest
the oxen might stampede in fright or some Indians
draw near When daylight came he called Roll
out, roll out roll out" to the men. Then when he
had eaten his morning napiacks and drunk his
volumes might be filled with stories concerning
the days Of freightng along the Utah and Santa
Re trails Near Wagon Mound, y NJ. there Is
a. boulder surrounded By eleven white. crosses.
Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad cars 4 gang
OF Mexican bandits lay concealed there one day
in June, 1885 when freight train OF unusually
valuable merchandise was expected that way.
In the battle tina, was waged between the bull
whackers and bandits eleven Of the former and
four bandits were killed.