Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-01-31
$1,000 HEAD OF
TEXAS STOCK To
co TO RH0DESIA
Pioneer RanCher Is Arrang-
ing to Ship Pure Bred Cat
tie From the Ranges Into
the Heart of Africa.
IRr The Associated Press


rangements for a shipment of pure
bred cattle from the. ranges of
south Texas nearly 5000 miles
across the Atlantic and thence
1000 miles by the Cape to Cairo
railroad into the heart of Rhodesia
are being made by Richard (Dick)
Walsh, pioneer Texas rancher and
cattle raiser. .. a.
i For the last ten years the Texan
I has been manager of two of the
largest ranches in the world, com
prising 100000 acres. which be-
long to the British South African
company Approximately 10000
head of cattle, he said. are grazed
on the two properties. The Texas
cattle, according to Mr.. Walsh, will
be exported to the South African
Veldt in an attempt to raise the
standard of cattle there.
Tribulations of ranching in the
veldt of southern Rhodesia-thc
land opened up to civilization by
Cecil Rhodes-are compared by
MIR. Walsh with those that con
fronted the western cattle men
during the days of Indian uprisings
and six gun bad men. Negroes
Of the Matabele or neighboring
tribes, Mr.. Walsh said, are the
"cowpunchers of the veldt,' two
of them being detailed day and
night over each herd of 200 cattle.
Wild Animals Menace Stock.
Lions, leopards. wolves. wild
dogs and crocodiles menace the
livestock on the veldt. the negro
guards being constantly. on the
alert to ward off these unwelcome
visitors. The crocodiles grab the
cattle by their noses when they
visit the streams to drink, pull
them under the water and devour
them after they drown. To cope
with the lions and leopards, Mr..
Walsh declared. the British South
! African company maintains com
pany of wild animal hunters. Last
year seventy-seven lions were slain
by the hunters of his company
alone, the Texan declared, Rough
| ly / per cent of the cattle Brazed
are lost each year through depre-
dations of wild animals and about
I2b per cent from all other causes.
Discussing the grade of cattle
raised in Rhodesia. Mr.. Walsh said
that they were of an inferior stock
to that of Texas and other great
cattle raising states.
81 intend to introduce" Mr..
Walsh said. "a higher breed of cat
tie in south Africa than we now
have. Our South African cattle are
much smaller and tougher than
are American cattle.
Southern Rhodesia, the thickly
populated portion of the domain
, exploited by the great Rhodes, is
about the size of Texas. Northern
Rhodesia, which is not nearly so
fruitful a country, is about twice
as large as this state" 49,. -.
There are about 100000 head
of cattle in Rhodesia today MT.
Walsh estimated. declaring that the
rich veldt was capable of taking
care of between 100000 and
l5,O0O,O00 head of livestock.
Seasons Arc Reversed.
The Cape to Cairo railroad. one
of the chief accomplishments of
the empire builder Rhodes, Mr..
Walsh asserted. now extends into
both Southern and Northern Rho
dcsia. The climate there is similar
to north Texas, but there are no
"northers." The yearly, rainfall is
about twenty-four inches. but It
comes during the wet season, -
the remainder of the year being
comparatively dry. The wet sea-
son" comes in the summer, Mr.
Walsh said. but summer in Rho
desia, because it is south of the
equator. comes when it is winter in
the United States.
/ Walsh, formerly manager OF the
Adair ranch near Clarendon. Tex,
for seventeen years, has spent
twelve years in South Africa, dur
ing which time he has visited the
United States but twice. Leaving
Clarendon he became associated
with Murdo Mckenzie in the oper-
alton Of cattle ranches controlled
by the Farquhar syndicate, a Brit
ish concern, which had large hold
ings in Brazil. There he became
identified with the British South
African company and journeyed
into the bush to take charge of
their RhOdesia ranches.
When the first shipment of
Texas cattle win leave for Rhodesia
Mr. Walsh cOul6 not saw.