NEAT WORK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 9, 20 June 1884, Page 11

NEAT WORK.

(From the Chicago Herald.) One of the slickest things I saw in my travels was a cowboy stopping a cattle stampede. A herd of about 600 or 800 had got frightened at something and broke away pell-mell with their tails in the air and the bulls at the head of the procession. But Mr. Cowboy didn't get excited at all when he saw the herd was going straight for a high bluff, where they would certainly tumble down into the canon and be killed. You know that when a herd like that gets to going they can't stop, no matter whether they rush to c"eath or not. Those in the near crowd those ahead, and away they go. I wouldn't have given a dollar a head for that herd, but the cowboy spurred up his mustang, made a little detour, came in right in front of the herd, cut across their path at a right angle, and then galloped leisurely on to the edge of that bluff, halted and looked around at that wild mass of beef coming right toward him; He was as cool as a cucumber, though I expected to see him killed, and was so excited I could not speak. Well, sir, when the leaders had got within a quarter of a mile of him I saw them try to slack up, though they coald " not do it very quick. But the whole herd seemedto want to stop, and when the cows and steers in the rear got about where the cowboy had cut across their path I was surprised to see them: stop arid commence to nibble at the grass. Then the whole herd stopped, wheeled, straggled back, and went to fighting for a chance to eat where the rear guard was. You see, that cowboy had opened a big 1 big of salt he had brought out from the ranch to give the cattle, galloped across the herds- course and emptied the bag. Every critter suiffed that line of' salt, and, of course, that broke up the stampede. But I tell you it was a queer sight to see that man out there on the edge of that Jaluff .quietly rolling a cigarette, when it seemed as if he'd be lying under 200 tons of beef in about a minute and a half.