AND OTHER HUNTING ADVENTURES. 305 



vocation, as a class. It is an occupation that entails, 

 generally speaking, a life of isolation from society, 

 and in many cases from civilization. It is one in 

 which home comforts must be dispensed with; it is 

 one requiring its devotees to live on plain food, in 

 log hats, and to sleep in blankets at best; it is one 

 in which there is often intense hardship and suffer- 

 ing, and which exposes its disciples to dangers of 

 various kinds. 



When all these facts and peculiarities of the 

 calling are considered we must readily perceive that 

 men of ordinary tastes and inclinations would not 

 seek to engage in it. Cowboys are not "native and 

 to the manor born." They do not follow in the 

 footsteps of their fathers as do young men on East- 

 ern farms. The business is yet too young in our 

 Western Territories to have brought about this state 

 of affairs, though it will come to exist in future. But 

 at present cowboys are all exotics, transplanted from 

 Eastern soil. Let us consider, then, what manner of 

 boy or young man would adopt such a calling, 

 dertainly not he who considers a well- spread table, 

 ,a cozy, cheerful room, a good soft bed, and neat, 

 tasty clothing essential to his health and happiness; 

 nor he who is unwilling to sever his connection 

 with the social circle or the family group; nor he 

 who must have his daily paper, his comfortable 

 office chair and desk; his telegraph and other com- 

 mercial facilities and comforts; nor yet he who, 

 when he travels, must needs ride in a comfortable 

 carriage on the highway, or a Pullman coach on the 

 railway. But the young man who is willing to 



engage in the occupation of " rustling cattle" 

 20 



