4 6 



RANCH LIFE AND THE HUNTING-TRAIL 



up of the northern ranges, these trails have steadily become of less and 

 less consequence, though many herds still travel them on their way to the 

 already crowded ranges of western Dakota and Montana, or to the Can- 

 adian regions beyond. The trail work is something by itself. The herds 

 may be on the trail several months, averaging fifteen miles or less a day. 

 The cowboys accompanying each have to undergo much hard toil, of a 

 peculiarly same and wearisome kind, on account of the extreme slowness 

 with which everything must be done, as trail cattle should never be hur- 

 ried. The foreman of a trail outfit must be not only a veteran cowhand, 

 but also a miracle of patience and resolution. 



Round-up work is far less irksome, there being an immense amount of 

 dash and excitement connected with it ; and when once the cattle are on 

 the range, the important work is done during the round-up. On cow 

 ranches, or wherever there is breeding stock, the spring round-up is the 

 great event of the season, as it is then that the bulk of the calves are 

 branded. It usually lasts six weeks, or thereabouts ; but its end by no 

 means implies rest for the stockman. On the contrary, as soon as it is 

 over, wagons are sent to work out-of-the-way parts of the country that 

 have been passed over, but where cattle are supposed to have drifted ; and 

 by the time these have come back the first beef round-up has begun, and 

 thereafter beeves are steadily gathered and shipped, at least from among 

 the larger herds, until cold weather sets in ; and in the fall there is another 

 round-up, to brand the late calves and see that the stock is got back on 

 the range. As all of these round-ups are of one character, a description 

 of the most important, taking place in the spring, will be enough. 



In April we begin to get up the horses. Throughout the winter very 

 few have been kept for use, as they are then poor and weak, and must be 

 given grain and hay if they are to be worked. The men in the line camps 

 need two or three apiece, and each man at the home ranch has a. couple 

 more ; but the rest are left out to shift for themselves, which the tough, 

 hardy little fellows are well able to do. Ponies can pick up a living where 

 cattle die ; though the scanty feed, which they may have to uncover by 

 pawing off the snow, and the bitter weather often make them look very 

 gaunt by spring-time. But the first warm rains bring up the green grass, 

 and then all the live-stock gain flesh with wonderful rapidity. When the 

 spring round-up begins the horses should be as fat and sleek as possible. 

 After running all winter free, even the most sober pony is apt to betray an 

 inclination to buck ; and, if possible, we like to ride every animal once or 

 twice before we begin to do real work with him. Animals that have 

 escaped for any length of time are almost as bad to handle as if they had 



