Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-04-04
COOKIE IN THE CAMP.
Like "slu.hie" on n Ship, He Com.
mands Much Respenct From
the Men.

the Men.
From the New York Press
Next to the foreman OF a big cattle
ranch, the cook is the most important per-
sonage. Cooking in the home ranch. with
plenty of food and a modern stove, differs
much fr;m cooking in the "roundups."
when the conveniences are reduced to what
a dry goods box can hold.
When preparations for the roundup be-
gin the box is bolted to the sideboards
and bottom of a wagon, which becomes
the cooks kingdom. Possible the foreman
might venture to dispute the cook. but the
average cSwboy SStyy treats him Nv with .,a s GeeP
bacon and flour.
the wagon and the horse herder has to get
the water The chef why? digs a trench.
three inches deep six inches wide. and
The cooks first. act is to put on the cof-
fee pot. A Dutch oven is laid close to the
fire to get hot: The big breadpan comes
If beef is on hand. It is cut up in jiffy.
no attention being paid to sirloin or ten
derioin as long as it is beef everything 1s,is is
the base of the horn or the root OF the
hoof.
Coffee is always in demand. There, must
be lots of 1t. Each man will drink from one
to two quarts at q meal. ----..ss-- L.,
Thoughtful cooks will act for the comfort
of the outfit by digging small hole by
the side of the water supply as nearly all
the streams in the middle OF the day are
tepid. The small hole will fill up with cool
Every cowboy rushes for the water buck
ct. swallows quart or two and then turns
toward the smoking dinner. Each grabs
his tin plate. cup, knife and fork, and pro-
,, By this time the cook has placed a big
bucket of water on the fire. and when the
first man is through the dishes that he
| used are washed; those who finish first
| mount their fresh horses and relieve the
| men who are detailed for herd duty In
| eating the wagon is reloaded. In less than
| ten minutes the dishes are washed. a shovel
| of dirt has been thrown on the fre to pre- ,
vent a prairie fire. the lid OF the mess box
| is shut with a click. and the start Is made
| for the night camp ground.
| Circumstances that seemed hopelessiy un.
favorable have been overcome by the VIII
| and dexterity of the frontier cook. with
| only the most primitive appliances to aid
him i Re ss Vt maS his re
| fuel. but his food is ready for the men Just
prepared a dinner SUFFICIENT for the twelve
| men that formed the usual complement OF
wagon when lty b hungry ,sd guests Sed ae
cooks always have been in great demand
| in the West. and often could command
larger rnan we're @
ported to the big Wyoming and Colorado
ranches for cooks. but they Invariably
| and at the first .opportunity deserted their
pots and pans for the faintest chance to
assume duties which could only be attended
! to from the hurricane deck of a cow pony.
| Negroes and Mexicans make the best cooks.
| Many wrinkles could the prairie chef in
| leagues of the city. Never are beans as
delightful as when baked by the camp
! cook who possesses simply hole In the
ground for an oven.
II is an unwritten rule that when a steer
| is to be killed it must be driven to a con-
twelve or fifteen men experiences no diff
| Guilty during the hot months in eating a
| big calf or a yearling every twenty-four
| hours; the small animals are selected be-
| cause larger one would spoil before being
| consumed.