CORRAL DUST 



much of Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Western Kan- 

 sas, Nebraska, Montana, throughout the so-called "arid 

 lands" and "bad lands," also up through Dakota to the 

 Canadian Northwest territories of his range, reaching 

 at one time or another from the alkali dust-coated 

 plains of Mexico to the cool verdant mountain forests 

 of Peace River. 



Perhaps the strikingness of his sombrero and chap- 

 perajos, and the jingle of his spurs have so struck the 

 imagination that they have blinded it to his qualities 

 and services. His is a highly skilled profession; if you 

 doubt it, try it. An early initiation, a long appren- 

 ticeship and years of training are required, both with 

 rope and horse, and that is only the manual part of his 

 work. To know the signs of the trail, the ways of 

 cattle, of horse and men almost a law unto themselves, 

 and all the innumerable arts of their calling is not 

 learned in a night or by looking at printer's ink on a 

 piece of white paper. 



If one considers the kind of fighting, unbroken or 

 half broken refractory horses, the cowboys had to ride 

 in a country rough with rocks, or what was worse, 

 badger and prairie-dog holes, yet withal maintaining 

 a supreme and perfect control of their mounts which 

 must be handled with a manner and style peculiarly 

 effective for their purposes, they must be classed as 

 among the best horsemen of the world. Those of the 

 clan you now see about the arena, walking or lounging 

 with an easy grace, are the very pick of these knights 

 of the quirt and the stock saddle — the last of their 

 clan— a modest-talking, quiet-moving, humor-loving, 

 he-man bunch — yes, and a few women thrown in too. 



That cowboy packing his saddle across the turf is 

 "Hughey" Strickland, game, quiet, a thorough sports- 



63 



