ich we rode and they used the accomplishment to protect themselves and
their employer's cattle from the Indian thiefs and the white desperadoes
who infested the cattle country, and who lost no opportunity to stampede
the herds and run off large numbers of them. Whenever this happened it
generally resulted in a long chase and a fierce fight in which someone
was sure to get hurt, and hurt badly. But that fact did not bother us in
the least. It was all simply our duty and our business for which we were
paid and paid good, and so we accepted things as they came, always ready
for it whatever it might be, and always taking pride in our work in
which we always tried to excel.
Christmas, Dec. 25, 1872, is a day in my memory which time cannot blot
out. I and a number of friends were in a place called Holbrook, Ariz. A
dispute started over a saddle horse with the following result. Arizona
Bob drew his forty-five Colt revolver, but before he had time to fire he
was instantly killed by A. Jack. Then a general fight ensued in which
five horses and three men were killed.
It was a sad thing for me to see my friends dead in a corral on a
Christmas morning, but I helped bury the dead and took care of the
wounded. The names were A. Jack, Wild Horse Pete and Arizona Bill.
CHAPTER VIII.
ON THE TRAIL. A TEXAS STORM. A CATTLE STAMPEDE. BATTLE WITH THE
ELEMENTS. AFTER BUSINESS COMES PLEASURE.
After the round ups and on returning from our long rides after strayed
cattle we would have to prepare to take the trail with herds of cattle
and horses for market and to be delivered to other large ranch owners.
The party of cow boys to make these trips were all selected men. We
would spend several days at the home ranch resting up and preparing our
outfit, in which our guns, saddles, blankets and horses were given a
thorough overhauling and placed in first class condition, as they would
be called on to do good hard service on these trips on the trail. The
nature of our journey would depend very much on the kind of cattle we
were called upon to handle. Sometimes it would be all classes together;
on other occasions the herd would consist of a certain kind, such as
long yearlings, short yearlings, tail end and scabs. The larger demand
however, seemed to be for straight three and four year old steers. These
latter kind were the easiest to handle on the trail. It is no doubt
necessary that I explain the difference between the different kind
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