Told in the Firelight 



Where the Big Horn dreamed of battle, 

 Where Wyoming's highest ranges 

 Led up to the lofty passes, 

 To the parting of the waters, 

 Came the cow-men and their cattle, 

 Came the bronco and the buster, 

 Came the camp-fire and the cabin, 

 Came the round-up and the branding. 



Where the silent snowy summits 



Guard the Colorado's sources, 



Where the darkly-frowning forests 



Hide the Rio Grande's fountains, 



Lo, the west wind came a-sighing, 



Came a-telling of the coming 



Of the cattle to the empire 



That belonged to Montezuma 



In the days before the Spaniards. 



Told of hoof-prints of the Longhorn 



And of lowing herds a-basking 



In the sunshine everlasting, 



Where the antelope and bison 



And the cliff-men of the canons 



Had for ages all unbroken 



Roamed and reared their happy children. 



Vainly had the dread Mojave, 

 Vainly had the high Sierra 

 Stayed the coming of the cattle 

 On the trail of Coronado; 



[97] 



