The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-11-23

last until the beef is sold. Branding Is
hard work. The dust. the odor of burn
ing flesh, the heat of the corral hre
for heating the irons, the believing or
frightened mother cows, and the bleat-
ing of the calves, the struggles with
the victims, these try mems strength
and tempers severely. Once branded,
the calf is turned loose n not ouche
again until 1t is four years old and
ready for the market. Stray unbranded
cattle over a year old are known as
mavericks and become the property
of any person branding them.
Having cut out the stock for the
drive, a road mark, a supplementary
brand for identification, is burned into
the hides. The long march then be-
gins.
A start is made usually In the late
spring to reach the railroad in the
fall. The drive is as orderly as the
march of an army. BY natural selec-
ton the leaders of the cattle take the
head of the herd. They are especially
fitted for the place. The Same ones
are found In the front every day. and
the others fall into position, so that
throughout the drive the cattle occupy
the same relative position each day.
A herd of a thousand beef will stretch
u for two miles. The leaders are
lanked by cowboys riding upon Next
can saddles with high backs and POM
mels. The stirrups are worn long, the
riders standing in them In emergency.
The Mexican is the only saddle fitted
for rough work. The cowboys seat,
his ease in the saddle, would make a
poor showing In a riding academy or
l. .zL~AI Va tA~ .a-fr Nidar
and the soldier would be helpless on
the range. The cow-puncher of the
plains and the Cossack of the steppes
are said to be the best riders In the
world, yet each has a different saddle
and seat. An exchange of equipment
makes poor riders of both of them.
The cow-puncher of Texas and Ariz-
ona wear chaps of leather or sheep
skin to protect the legs from the mes
quit bushes or the thorns of the cac-
tus. These plants not being found in
the northern plains. chaps are not worn
there. The cowboy wears a handker-
chief about the neck. not for protection
from the sun, but to over the mouth
While riding through sand n wind
storms.
Flankers ride on each side of the
herd at regular intervals. The chuck
wagon and the spare horses follow far
enough in the real to avoid the dust
Fol the first few days the drives are
long and hard, averaging from twenty
five to thirty miles a day, until the cat
tie are well tired. Then the pace Is
set at twelve to fifteen miles.
From dawn until noon the herd Is al
lowed to water and Craze along the
trail toward their destination. About
noon they become FESTIVE. The COW
boys Their drive them steadily forward
for eight or ten miles. until early eve
ming, when they are halted for an
other Craze. AS night falls they are
turned into the bedding-grounds. The
men ride slowly around the herd,
crowding them into a compact mass.
As the circle lessons the beasts lie
down to rest and chew their cuds.
About midnight the cattle usually get
up, stand a while. and then lie down
again, having changed sides. The
night-guard slowly circles the herd.
the men relieving each other at stated
intervals.
On rainy, stormy nights, the guard
has to double, as the cattle are rest
less and easily stampeded. Under a
clear sky, breathing the bracing air
of the plains, with the herd well In
hand, the days work is a pleasant one
But in a steady downpour, with the
thunder rolling and the animals full Of
fear, the task is one to tax the tout
est heart.
The cause of a stampede Is always
some trife. A heavy clap of thunder.
a flash of lightning, the breaking of a
stick, the how of a wolf, will start the
herd off in a blind rush in any direc-
tion, needless of cliffs over which they
may tumble. or of rivers whose cur
rents will sweep hundreds of the fright
ened Beasts to death.
Once the cattle are off or a stampede,
the cowboys ride recklessly. madly to
the head Of the herd, getting to one
side of the leaders. With shouts and
pistol shots they turn the leaders to
one side. gradually at first, and then
into the arc of a great circle. Blindly
racing after the leaders the other cat
tie fellow; round and round they plunge
until head and tail of the herd meet,
and milling begins. Any that fall
are ground to death by the hoofs OF
the others. This mighty grind con-
tinues until the animals are exhausted
or they have recovered from the fright.
10 SOOlHe Tie HySleTlCdl D6dSlS, TIE
men begin to sing. Any song will do.
but the drawing old hymn tunes of the
Methodist camp-meetings have the best
effect. Outlines the more hysterical
members of the herd are shot, as a
stampede mean a great loss. Animals
that stampede once are prone to do it
again. The mingling of herds increases
the danger. In old days the approach
of a herd of buffalo was sure to start
a stampede among cattle. Men were
detailed to turn the shaggy monsters
aside whenever they came within hear
ing.
Rivers are crossed by one of the
cow-punchers swimming his horse in
the lead Inc the other men driving the
animals after him..
Once near the shipping point. the
herd is allowed to rest up and fatten,
while the owner makes his deal with
the cattle buyers Of Omaha or Chicago.
The animals are driven or decoyed
into the cars, and the last journey, to
the packing-house, begins. Punchers
accompany them to feed n water the
beasts on the trip. They help turn
them into the pens. One night in Chi
cago, one meal, a dinner ending with a
Lillian RUSSELL peaches or apple pie
covered with ice creamy as dessert, and
the punchers start West again to begin
l.---. ~ -.1ut- - k1o E,It ro,fn1 n,