THE TEXAN COWBOY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1911, 6 July 1888, Page 31

THE TEXAN COWBOY.

MUSTERING.

On the ranges, the ponies— descendants of the Spanish barb imported from Spain, and turned loose generations sinee — used for the uork run at large, and of course are as wild as the cattle. When the time arrives for the start to be made with a herd, the necessary number of these wild ponies are gathered, and the cowboys have eight or 10 assigned to each one to i ide during the drive ; this necessitates good riding-, courage, and recklessness. Each morning during the drive these ponies have to bo lassoed and really rebroken ; for a day or two of rest will be sufficient for them to forget the control obtained over them when being ridden before.

ROAD BRAXDING.

The cattle to be sent to market are driven into an enclosure called a corral, and a second brand, called a " road-brand," is burnt on their sides or hips. This is done in order that the cowboy may be able to distinguish those belonging to the herd he is attached to from those in other herds from the same range; for in years gone by, these southern cattle-owners often started two or three herds up the trail the same season, besides selling to dealers who operated between the ranges and the markets. The consequence of this branding is that many a creature will be seen with its sides and hips covered with different letters, figures, and characters— the brands of the different owners through which it has passed, until the hair is only visible in patches, the flesh being burned into ridges resembling a chess or backgammon board. After the roadbranding is done, the herd— usually numbering from five to 1500 head— is started on the trail, with an average of 12 cowboys to each

thousand head, anda foreman ; and followed j by a huge waggon 1 oaded with flour, bakingpowder, bacon, coffee, syrup, sugar, and salt — the provisions for the drive, which will , occupy from two to four months. The teamster with the waggon also acts as cook | for the camp ; and although he would not pass muster in a first-class hotel or restaurant, yet a stranger vv ould be astonished at the excellence of the meals he cooks in the open air despite the weather. The distance usually travelled each day is from 12 to 18 miles, according to the distance between water; for, when possible, the ' camp is made every night on the banks of a stream. The start each morning is made at sunrise, with a mid-day stop from about 10 o'clock till 2 ; then drive again till about 5 o'clock in the evening, the cattle being allowed to graze and drink at these stops. At dusk the cattle are gathered together, usually on sloping ground, and bedded down, as it is called, the cowboys riding around the group singing loudly, to quiet the cattle, which after a short time lie down to rest. Then all but two of the boys go to camp, spread their blankets on the ground, with the heavens for their only roof, and turn in to sleep, until each is wakened in his turn to keep guard over the sleeping cattle. This is called NIGHT HBRDIN*. If the weather is stormy, then the boys may look out for hard work ; for the vivid lightning aud loud thunder which visit these vast prairies are almost sure to frighten the wild cattle and madden them, until they start on a stampede, running at a furious rate, regardless of all obstacles, in a vain endeavour to get away from the drenching rain and out of sight, and hearing of the lightning and thunder. At the first sign of

A REGULAR STAMPEDE, all hands are ordered out except the cook ; the horses, which are kept saddled in readiness for an emergency, are mounted; and away to the front of the wildly running herd ride the cowboys, singing and shouting as they go ; for, to a certain extent, the cattle will follow the human voice ; and the object of the men is to lead the foremost cattle in a circle until they mix up with those in the rear of the herd ; and as they crowd together — or mill, as it is called — they are checked in their mad race and gradually quieted. All the courage and nerve of the cowboy are required in handling a stampede ; for if by any accident he is thrown from his horse, he will be crushed beyond all recognition by the sharp hoofs of the maddened brutes.

But once quieted, it does not follow that the herd will again go to rest ; very often the first run is followed by others, each one more furious than the last, as the cattle become more frightened, until daylight. Then a count is taken ; and if any are missing, as there usually are, not only cattle but men, the surrounding country is scoured for trails or fresh tracks leading away from the camp, which, when found, are followed by the man who discovers them, who, regardless of food, water, or sleep, is supposed to follow this clue until ho overtakes the cattle the tracks are made by, the main herd being halted in the locality until all the strays have been brought in ; or if only a few head are missing, the men who are sent to search for them are instructed to follow the main trail until they catch-up. Of course these searches mean

LONG RIDES OVER A STRANGE COUNTRY ; for often, after separating from the herd, a bunch of cattle will travel at the rate of 25 or 30 miles a day, usually in the direction of the range from which they were originally driven ; and all the powers of endurance of the men are brought into requisition in a search of this kind, for no excuse will be taken by the foreman for the hunter's return without the cattle, except starvation really stares him in the face. On the trail each day is a repetition of the previous one. In pleasant weather the cowboy's life is not so hard ; but in wet stormy weather he is continually in the saddle, wet through most of the time; and yet he is happy with no other company for months than his own immediate companions. He never gets lonesome or home sick, but is always possessed of the same careless reckless spirit, which asserts itself so strongly when at the end of his drive he reaches the settlements and goes for a frolic to the town. LIFE ON THE RANCHES in the north-western States and Territories differs from that on the trail in many repects, the most noticeable being, that instead of having the ground for his bedstead, the heavens for a roof, and his saddle for a pillow, he has a comfortable house to live in — either a log cabin or " dugout," according to the supply of timber in the neighbourhood — provided with large fireplaces, in which on a cold night the logs and pitchy pine knots are heaped on, and where the boys can amuse themselves with cards or " swapping lies," as they call it, smoke and have a good time generally, although their nearest neighbour may be, and often is, 20 miles distant Another difference — in stormy weather the cowboy on the ranche can usually stay in the house. Especially in the winter is his life an easy one, for at that season the cattle are pretty well left to shift for themselves, it being considered better not to drive cattle around at that season more than is necessary, as they need all their strength to keep alive through the storms, and to keep up their courage to hustle around and gather enough grass to keep them from starving, because there is no hay served to them except when running in very small heads, less than 100 head.—" Chambers' Journal."