the passing of the frontier-第7章

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Loosely　thrown　about　the　cowboy's　shirt　collar　was　a　silk　kerchief。　It　was　tied　in　a　hard　knot　in　front；　and　though　it　could　scarcely　be　said　to　be　devoted　to　the　uses　of　a　neck　scarf；　yet　it　was　a　great　comfort　to　the　back　of　the　neck　when　one　was　riding　in　a　hot　wind。　It　was　sure　to　be　of　some　bright　color；　usually　red。　Modern　would…be　cowpunchers　do　not　willingly　let　this　old　kerchief　die；　and　right　often　they　over…play　it。　For　the　cowboy　of　the　〃movies；〃　however；　let　us　register　an　unqualified　contempt。　The　real　range　would　never　have　been　safe　for　him。

A　peculiar　and　distinctive　feature　of　the　cowboy's　costume　was　his　〃chaps〃　（chaparejos）。　The　chaps　were　two　very　wide　and　full…length　trouser…legs　made　of　heavy　calfskin　and　connected　by　a　narrow　belt　or　strap。　They　were　cut　away　entirely　at　front　and　back　so　that　they　covered　only　the　thigh　and　lower　legs　and　did　not　heat　the　body　as　a　complete　leather　garment　would。　They　were　intended　solely　as　a　protection　against　branches；　thorns；　briers；　and　the　like；　but　they　were　prized　in　cold　or　wet　weather。　Sometimes　there　was　seen；　more　often　on　the　southern　range；　a　cowboy　wearing　chaps　made　of　skins　tanned　with　the　hair　on；　for　the　cowboy　of　the　Southwest　early　learned　that　goatskin　left　with　the　hair　on　would　turn　the　cactus　thorns　better　than　any　other　material。　Later；　the　chaps　became　a　sort　of　affectation　on　the　part　of　new　men　on　the　range；　but　the　old…time　cowboy　wore　them　for　use；　not　as　a　uniform。　In　hot　weather　he　laid　them　off。

In　the　times　when　some　men　needed　guns　and　all　men　carried　them；　no　pistol　of　less　than　44…caliber　was　tolerated　on　the　range；　the　solid　framed　45…caliber　being　the　one　almost　universally　used。　The　barrel　was　eight　inches　long；　and　it　shot　a　rifle　cartridge　of　forty　grains　of　powder　and　a　blunt…ended　bullet　that　made　a　terrible　missile。　This　weapon　depended　from　a　belt　worn　loose　resting　upon　the　left　hip　and　hanging　low　down　on　the　right　hip　so　that　none　of　the　weight　came　upon　the　abdomen。　This　was　typical；　for　the　cowboy　was　neither　fancy　gunman　nor　army　officer。　The　latter　carries　the　revolver　on　the　left；　the　butt　pointing　forward。

An　essential　part　of　the　cow…puncher's　outfit　was　his　〃rope。〃　This　was　carried　in　a　close　coil　at　the　side　of　the　saddle…horn；　fastened　by　one　of　the　many　thongs　scattered　over　the　saddle。　In　the　Spanish　country　it　was　called　reata　and　even　today　is　sometimes　seen　in　the　Southwest　made　of　rawhide。　In　the　South　it　was　called　a　lariat。　The　modern　rope　is　a　well…made　three…quarter…inch　hemp　rope　about　thirty　feet　in　length；　with　a　leather　or　rawhide　eye。　The　cowboy's　quirt　was　a　short　heavy　whip；　the　stock　being　of　wood　or　iron　covered　with　braided　leather　and　carrying　a　lash　made　of　two　or　three　heavy　loose　thongs。　The　spur　in　the　old　days　had　a　very　large　rowel　with　blunt　teeth　an　inch　long。　It　was　often　ornamented　with　little　bells　or　oblongs　of　metal；　the　tinkling　of　which　appealed　to　the　childlike　nature　of　the　Plains　rider。　Their　use　was　to　lock　the　rowel。

His　bridlefor；　since　the　cowboy　and　his　mount　are　inseparable；　we　may　as　well　speak　of　his　horse's　dress　alsowas　noticeable　for　its　tremendously　heavy　and　cruel　curbed　bit；　known　as　the　〃Spanish　bit。〃　But　in　the　ordinary　riding　and　even　in　the　exciting　work　of　the　old　round…up　and　in　〃cutting　out；〃　the　cowboy　used　the　bit　very　little；　nor　exerted　any　pressure　on　the　reins。　He　laid　the　reins　against　the　neck　of　the　pony　opposite　to　the　direction　in　which　he　wished　it　to　go；　merely　turning　his　hand　in　the　direction　and　inclining　his　body　in　the　same　way。　He　rode　with　the　pressure　of　the　knee　and　the　inclination　of　the　body　and　the　light　side…shifting　of　both　reins。　The　saddle　was　the　most　important　part　of　the　outfit。　It　was　a　curious　thing；　this　saddle　developed　by　the　cattle　trade；　and　the　world　has　no　other　like　it。　Its　great　weightfrom　thirty　to　forty　poundswas　readily　excusable　when　one　remembers　that　it　was　not　only　seat　but　workbench　for　the　cowman。　A　light　saddle　would　be　torn　to　pieces　at　the　first　rush　of　a　maddened　steer；　but　the　sturdy　frame　of　a　cow…saddle　would　throw　the　heaviest　bull　on　the　range。　The　high　cantle　would　give　a　firmness　to　the　cowboy's　seat　when　he　snubbed　a　steer　with　a　sternness　sufficient　to　send　it　rolling　heels　over　head。　The　high　pommel；　or　〃horn；〃　steel…forged　and　covered　with　cross　braids　of　leather；　served　as　anchor　post　for　this　same　steer；　a　turn　of　the　rope　about　it　accomplishing　that　purpose　at　once。　The　saddle…tree　forked　low　down　over　the　pony's　back　so　that　the　saddle　sat　firmly　and　could　not　readily　be　pulled　off。　The　great　broad　cinches　bound　the　saddle　fast　till　horse　and　saddle　were　practically　one　fabric。　The　strong　wooden　house　of　the　old　heavy　stirrup　protected　the　foot　from　being　crushed　by　the　impact　of　the　herd。　The　form　of　the　cow…saddle　has　changed　but　little；　although　today　one　sees　a　shorter　seat　and　smaller　horn；　a　〃swell　front〃　or　roll；　and　a　stirrup　of　open　〃ox…bow〃　pattern。

The　round…up　was　the　harvest　of　the　range。　The　time　of　the　calf　round…up　was　in　the　spring　after　the　grass　had　become　good　and　after　the　calves　had　grown　large　enough　for　the　branding。　The　State　Cattle　Association　divided　the　entire　State　range　into　a　number　of　round…up　districts。　Under　an　elected　round…up　captain　were　all　the　bosses　in　charge　of　the　different　ranch　outfits　sent　by　men　having　cattle　in　the　round…up。　Let　us　briefly　draw　a　picture　of　this　scene　as　it　was。

Each　cowboy　would　have　eight　or　ten　horses　for　his　own　use；　for　he　had　now　before　him　the　hardest　riding　of　the　year。　When　the　cow…puncher　went　into　the　herd　to　cut　out　calves　he　mounted　a　fresh　horse；　and　every　few　hours　he　again　changed　horses；　for　there　was　no　horse　which　could　long　endure　the　fatigue　of　the　rapid　and　intense　work　of　cutting。　Before　the　rider　stretched　a　sea　of　interwoven　horns；　waving　and　whirling　as　the　densely　packed　ranks　of　cattle　closed　in　or　swayed　apart。　It　was　no　prospect　for　a　weakling；　but　into　it　went　the　cow…puncher　on　his　determined　little　horse；　heeding　not　the　plunging；　crushing；　and　thrusting　of　the　excited　cattle。　Down　under　the　bulks　of　the　herd；　half　hid　in　the　whirl　of　dust；　he　would　spy　a　little　curly　calf　running；　dodging；　and　twisting；　always　at　the　heels　of　its　mother；　and　he　would　dart　in　after；　following　the　two　through　the　thick　of　surging　and　plunging　beasts。　The　sharp…eyed　pony　would　see　almost　as　soon　as　his　rider　which　cow　was　wanted　and　he　needed　small　guidance　from　that　time　on。　He　would　follow　hard　at　her　heels；　edging　her　constantly　toward　the　flank　of　the　herd；　at　times　nipping　her　hide　as　a　reminder　of　his　own　superiority。　In　spite　of　herself　the　cow　would　gradually　turn　out　toward　the　edge；　and　at　last　would　be　swept　clear　of　the　crush；　the　calf　following　close　behind　her。　There　was　a　whirl　of　the　rope　and　the　calf　was　laid　by　the　heels　and　dragged　to　the　fire　where　the　branding　irons　were　heated　and　ready。

Meanwhile　other　cow…punchers　are　rushing　calves　to　the　branding。　The　hubbub　and　turmoil　increase。　Taut　ropes　cross　the　ground　in　many　directions。　The　cutting　ponies　pant　and　sweat；　rear　and　plunge。　The　garb　of　the　cowboy　is　now　one　of　white　alkali　which　hangs　gray　in　his　eyebrows　and　moustache。　Steers　bellow　as　they　surge　to　and　fro。　Cows　charge　on　their　persecutors。　Fleet　yearlings　break　and　run　for　the　open；　pursued　by　men　who　care　not　how　or　where　they　ride。

We　have　spoken　in　terms　of　the　past。　There　is　no　calf　round…up　of　the　open　range　today。　The　last　of　the　roundups　was　held　in　Routt　County；　Colorado；　several　years　ago；　so　far　as　the　writer　knows；　and　it　had　only　to　do　with　shifting　cattle　from　the　summer　to　the　winter　range。

After　the　calf　round…up　came　the　beef　round…up；　the　cowman's　final　harvest。　This　began　in　July　or　August。　Only　the　mature　or　fatted　animals　were　cut　out　from　the　herd。　This　〃beef　cut〃　was　held　apart　and　driven　on　ahead　from　place　to　place　as　the　round…up　progressed。　It　was　then　driven　in　by　easy　stages　to　the　shipping　point　on　the　railroad；　whence　the　long　trainloads　of　cattle　went　to　the　great　markets。

In　the　heyday　of　the　cowboy　it　was　natural　that　his　chief　amusements　should　be　those　of　the　outdoor　air　and　those　more　or　less　in　line　with　his　empl