Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-02-28

next team. recognized this was not
in the game and shouted whoa but
the bulls did not respond. They made
the pace more furious, until they were
trotting. with the swaying wagons be-
hind them jolting and tumbling over
the rough prairie. To add to this con-
fusion, head protruded from under
the cover of the swing wagon and a
volley of oaths in French Canadian
from Clement, bull whacker who had
looked on the red wine in Macleod and
was sleeping off the effects in the
empty wagon.
Just before we reached steep hill,
where worse thihgs might have hap
pened, Dave links on his buckskin
broncho galloped up and ended the
stampede.
Clement. unwilling to risk another
rude awakening. got out, and being
stout and good tempered, began to in
still into my mind the first principles
OF the art, which mainly consisted Of
addressing your bulls, unless you want
ed them to pull-which was another
story-as gently as team Of sucking
turtle doves.
Eight teams there were to a train
and at noon and night, as we came
in camp. they circled out, four on
mencement Of some figure In . dance,
and ranged the wagons In two half
circles IL on side. forming a tight
corral with an opening on either end.
Into this space the herders would
drive the 200 cattle and eight teamsters
would commence the task Of picking
out their teams In order and yoking
them, off OK and nigh. each one in
his proper place. Twenty oxen made
a full team and 1t was no light task to
learn to select. in correct rotation. your
own team from leaders to wheelers.
though a couple Of weeks practice
would teach you to know them all. not
only by name but by disposition. so
that you could curse your luck II the
boss assigned to you some particularly
lazy yoke Of cattle, entailing more work
in driving and choicer selection OF
expletives.
"Lethbridge, terminus OF the toy
railway, was the loading place and We
carried either miscellaneous merchan..
disc from the tiny box cars or coal
full load being 10 tons. five to the
lead, three on the swing and two on
the trail wagons. When it came to
negotiate a steep hill or an awkward
ford the teams were then doubled and
it was sight to see 20 yoke Of bulls.
with 10 wriggling tails, putting their
necks into the yoke, three men with
urging them on, hauling load up the
steep hills that rose on the bank OF
the Belly river opposite Lethbridge.
THE I. G. Baker firm was Amert-
can, and so were most OF the bosses
and men, good fellows all willing to
take pains to teach the newcomer all
the mysteries. from braiding 10
,I,;v hov cNio y
cally. I spent many a long noon dill
gently popping the ID feet Of whip
lash, until could make it crack with
the best Of them.
1T was a careless happy-go- lucky
outfit and although prohibition reigned
supreme in the territories this was no
barrier to the good time that was
Macleod. where the checks were paid,
and where $50 and nothing in par
ticular to spend it on opened up a
vista Of enjoyment, although the
doubtful Bourbon packed from across
the line past the two nations, was re-
tailed at so cents glass and the best
was sold by drug stores at 81 for .
six-omce bottle.
"Then stud poker lace In the hole)
which was the only favored form Of
gambling. gave such fine chance Of
doubling your money while suave
gentlemen In back parlors were always
ready with kind offers to get up .
little game that the bull whacker With
his newly drawn wages got . flatter-
ing and polite reception.
"Just Is the train was going into
winter quarters poor Hank. one Of our
bull whackers who had saved enough
to put him through the five months
Of winter In comfort. had . vision Of
the royal winter he could put In on
double the sum and he went into .
game for that purpose - emerging
broke. Old Lem White, on the other
hand. used to gamble and whenever
he had . streak OF luck he gave part
Of his winnings to 'KAmoose' Taylor
with the understanding that at the end
Of the summer the house was open to
him for the winter.
mo count vas kept Of Sundays in .
bull camp. We worked day after day.
unlas nature tnteffered and ~ had to