Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1900-12-20
HERDERs OF rHE WEST.
mSw the Riotous Cowboy Conparss.
with the Lonely sheep
Herder.

In the character Of the men Who
care for the herds and hocks can be
found an interesting subject for study.
The cowboy, II he be the genuine arti-
Gle. says Capt. ]. II. MeClintock, in
Ainslee's, in a man who daily does feats
on the range that would win applause
At a wild west show. in Ms chase
after the feet, unbranded yearlinR, he
10 compelled to ride at headlobg speed
over country that fox hunier would
consider sure death. DanFrr coy Fronts
him in varied form. ard 70 maj can
b. an eniciert cow-puncher who hasn't
" him The spirit of recklessnsss. The
writer once witnessed a stampede OF
wild cattle at midnight. A great herd
IVES being held In a canyon OF the Ma
Eatzal mountains. The night was as
dark as II Is possible for night TO be.
A coyotes bark startled the nervous
animals TO their feet, and they were
OF. The two riding guards on watch
howled for help. Their sleeping com
rades were up in a twinkling. Each
seized a horse without sahle, stop
ping only to twist a ,oop OF his RATA
about the pony's nose. Barely dozen
seconds had passed before the camp
hre was deserted. The cowboys were
plunRing In the dark after the nee
ing cattle, through a wild, rocky, un-
known district, Allied with mesquite and
cactus, cut upby dangerous arroyoSand
canyons. BY noon OF the succeeding
day the drive was resumed. A half
dozen steers had been left behind,
lamed or dead, In the gulches, while
a few OF the horses in the "wrenRler's
bunch" In the lead were skinned and
limpinE. But the cowboys, their cloth
ing In rags from the thorny midnight
ride. merely jolSed on their mutual ap-
pearance and solaced their weariness
with tobacco and with endless song
A O rule, the cowboy Is an American.
In the plateau region he may hail
from anywhere, but usually either
tom California or from Texas But
hsy all fraternize, making issue only
over the liking OF the Californian for a
Eaddle with a single -baTreled rig"
which is a saddle with a single girth
The Texan despises anything but a
double-cinehed saddle, though usually
be does not tighten the second girth.
The sheep herder has q distinctly
lower social place. As a rule, he is n
foreigner, the few Americans employed
being In positions OF unusual trust.
Most OF the herders appear to be Mex.
leans or Frenchmen. II Il said that
BAsques are the best and most care
ful shepherds. They come from north
srn Spain, many Of them especially for
'hls employment. Their wages are not
bad, being usually even higher than
the pay OF cowboys. or farmhands, but
the nervous American canrot stand
the life. The everlasting "baa" drives
him mad. He cannot endure the mo.
notony and the necessary separation
from humanity, with only dog for
company for months az a stretch. And
the diet, mainly tea and mutton, Is too
simple for his luxurious palate. II
10 fact that sheep herding furnishes
a greater number Of inmates for west
ern insane asylums than does any other
oocupation. The shepherd, like the COW.
boy,is gradually assimilated 10 his sur.
roundings, and naturally acquires
much Of the nature OF his charges
70 his credit Il must be said that he
u rarely unfaithful TO the Interests
Of HIS flock and its owner. There IL
nothing poetical about him, but he will
risk his life for the safety OF a lamb,
and Will doggedly ~arch all night u
there be a stray. lie Is a much quiet
er fellow than the cowboy, even IN his
cups, when the wool has been clipped
and the hands are In town for a little
Ming He has no wild yearning for
IDLY shooting holes IN the Armament.
he is happiest on a sunny hillside, ~
lpg az ease where he may overlook bis
mock and hear the oeassleSs voleinS ei