ed from the mesquite thickets upon the animals when rubbing against
or passing underneath them. As the inner side of a horse's ear is both
warm and tender, that organ was frequently infested with this pest,
whose ravages often undermined the supporting cartilages and produced
the drooping or "gotch" ear. In my remuda over one half the horses were
afflicted with ticks, and many of them it was impossible to bridle,
owing to the inflamed condition of their ears. Fortunately we had with
us some standard preparations for blistering, so, diluting this in
axle-grease, we threw every animal thus affected and thoroughly swabbed
his ears. On reaching the Nueces River, near the western boundary of
Lasalle County, the other two outfits continued on down that stream for
their destination in the lower country. Flood remained behind with me,
and going into camp on the river with my outfit, the two of us rode
over to Los Lobos Ranch and announced ourselves as ready to receive
the cattle. Dr. Beaver, the seller of the herd, was expecting us, and
sending word of our arrival to neighboring cowmen, we looked over the
corrals before returning to camp. They had built a new branding-chute
and otherwise improved their facilities for handling cattle. The
main inclosure had been built of heavy palisades in an early day, but
recently several of smaller sized lumber had been added, making the most
complete corrals I had ever seen. An abundance of wood was at hand for
heating the branding-irons, and every little detail to facilitate the
work had been provided for. Giving notice that we would receive every
morning on the open prairie only, we declined an invitation to remain at
the ranch and returned to my wagon.

In the valley the grass was well forward. We had traveled only some
twenty miles a day coming down, and our horses had fared well. But as
soon as we received any cattle, night-herding the remuda would cease,
and we must either hobble or resort to other measures. John Levering
was my horse-wrangler. He had made two trips over the trail with Fant's
herds in the same capacity, was careful, humane, and an all-round
horseman. In employing a cook, I had given the berth to Neal Parent, an
old boyhood chum of mine. He never amounted to much as a cow-hand, but
was a lighthearted, happy fool; and as cooking did not require much
sense, I gave him the chance to make his first trip. Like a court
jester, he kept the outfit in fine spirits and was the but