Hunting from the Ranch. 23 



cow-pony's ordinary gait ; and sometimes we loped or 

 galloped and ran. 



At last we came to the ford beyond which the riders 

 of the round-up had made their camp. In the bygone 

 days of the elk and buffalo, when our branded cattle were 

 first driven thus far north, this ford had been dangerous 

 from quicksand ; but the cattle, ever crossing and re-cros- 

 sing, had trodden down and settled the sand, and had 

 found out the firm places ; so that it was now easy to get 

 over. 



Close beyond the trees on the farther bank stood the 

 two round-up wagons ; near by was the cook's fire, in a 

 trench, so that it might not spread ; the bedding of the 

 riders and horse-wranglers lay scattered about, each roll 

 of blankets wrapped and corded in a stout canvas sheet. 

 The cook was busy about the fire ; the night-wrangler 

 was snatching an hour or two's sleep under one of the 

 wagons. Half a mile away, on the plain of sage brush 

 and long grass, the day-wrangler was guarding the grazing 

 or resting horse herd, of over a hundred head. Still far- 

 ther distant, at the mouth of a ravine, was the day-herd of 

 cattle, two or three cowboys watching it as they lolled 

 drowsily in their saddles. The other riders were off on 

 circles to bring in cattle to the round-up ; they were ex- 

 pected every moment. 



With the ready hospitality always shown in a cow-camp 

 we were pressed to alight and take dinner, or at least a 

 lunch ; and accordingly we jumped off our horses and sat 

 down. Our tin plates were soon heaped with fresh beef, 

 bread, tomatoes, rice, and potatoes, all very good ; for 



