40 HUNTING TRIPS 



I doubt if it outlasts the present century. 

 Immense sums of money have been made at 

 it in the past, and it is still fairly profitable ; 

 but the good grounds (aside from those re- 

 served for the Indians) are now almost all 

 taken up, and it is too late for new men to 

 start at it on their own account, unless in 

 exceptional cases, or where an Indian reser- 

 vation is thrown open. Those that are now 

 in will continue to make money; but most 

 of those who hereafter take it up will lose. 

 The profits of the business are great ; but 

 the chances for loss are great also. A win- 

 ter of unusual severity will work sad havoc 

 among the young cattle, especially the 

 heifers; sometimes a disease like the Texas 

 cattle fever will take off a whole herd ; and 

 many animals stray and are not recovered. 

 In fall, when the grass is like a mass of dry 

 and brittle tinder, the fires do much damage, 

 reducing the prairies to blackened deserts as 

 far as the eye can see, and destroying feed 

 which would keep many thousand head of 

 stock during winter. Then we hold in about 



