CHAPTER III. RECEIVING AT LOS LOBOS
The trip to Lasalle County was mere pastime. All three of the outfitskept in touch with each other, camping far enough apart to avoid anyconflict in night-herding the remudas. The only incident to mar thepleasure of the outing was the discovery of ticks in many of our horses'ears. The pasture in which they had wintered was somewhat brushy, and asthere had been no frost to kill insect life, myriads of seed-ticks haddropped from the mesquite thickets upon the animals when rubbing againstor passing underneath them. As the inner side of a horse's ear is bothwarm and tender, that organ was frequently infested with this pest,whose ravages often undermined the supporting cartilages and producedthe drooping or "gotch" ear. In my remuda over one half the horses wereafflicted with ticks, and many of them it was impossible to bridle,owing to the inflamed condition of their ears. Fortunately we had withus some standard preparations for blistering, so, diluting this inaxle-grease, we threw every animal thus affected and thoroughly swabbedhis ears. On reaching the Nueces River, near the western boundary ofLasalle County, the other two outfits continued on down that stream fortheir destination in the lower country. Flood remained behind with me,and going into camp on the river with my outfit, the two of us rodeover to Los Lobos Ranch and announced ourselves as ready to receivethe cattle. Dr. Beaver, the seller of the herd, was expecting us, andsending word of our arrival to neighboring cowmen, we looked over thecorrals before returning to camp. They had built a new branding-chuteand otherwise improved their facilities for handling cattle. Themain inclosure had been built of heavy palisades in an early day, butrecently several of smaller sized lumber had been added, making the mostcomplete corrals I had ever seen. An abundance of wood was at hand forheating the branding-irons, and every little detail to facilitate thework had been provided for. Giving notice that we would receive everymorning on the open prairie only, we declined an invitation to remain atthe ranch and returned to my wagon.
In the valley the grass was well forward. We had traveled only sometwenty miles a day coming down, and our horses had fared well. But assoon as we received any cattle, night-herding the remuda would cease,and we must either hobble or resort to other measures. John Leveringwas my horse-wrangler. He had made two trips over the trail with Fant'sherds in the same capacity, was careful, humane, and an all-roundhorseman. In employing a cook, I had given the berth to Neal Parent, anold boyhood chum of mine. He never amounted to much as a cow-hand, butwas a lighthearted, happy fool; and as cooking did not require muchsense, I gave him the chance to make his first trip. Like a courtjester, he kept the outfit in fine spirits and was the butt of alljokes. In entertaining company he was in a class by himself, and spokewith marked familiarity of all the prominent cowmen in southern Texas.To a stranger the inference might be easily drawn that Lovell was in hisemploy.
As we were expecting to receive cattle on the third day, the nextmorning the allotment of horses was made. The usual custom of giving theforeman first choice was claimed, and I cut twelve of solid colors butnot the largest ones. Taking turns, the outfit roped out horse afterhorse until only the ten extra ones were left. In order that theseshould bear a fair share in the work, I took one of them for anight-horse and allotted the others to the second, third, and lastguard in a similar capacity. This gave the last three watches two horsesapiece for night work, but with the distinct understanding that incase of accident or injury to any horse in the remuda, they could berecalled. There was little doubt that before the summer ended, theywould be claimed to fill vacancies in the regular mounts. Flood had keptbehind only two horses with which to overtake the other outfits, andduring his stay with us would ride these extras and loans from my mount.
The entire morning was spent working with the remuda. Once a man knewhis mount, extra attention was shown each horse. There were witches'bridles to be removed from their manes, extra long tails were thinnedout to the proper length, and all hoofs trimmed short. The horses werefast shedding their winter coats, matting the saddle blankets withfalling hair, and unless carefully watched, galled backs would result.The branding-irons had been altered en route, and about noon a vaquerocame down the river and reported that the second round-up of the daywould meet just over the county line in Dimmit. He belonged at LosLobos, and reported the morning rodeo as containing over five hundredbeeves, which would be ready for delivery at our pleasure. We made himremain for dinner, after which Flood and I saddled up and returned withhim. We reached the round-up just as the cutting-out finished. They werea fine lot of big rangy beeves, and Jim suggested that we pass uponthem at once. The seller agreed to hold them overnight, and Flood andI culled back about one hundred and twenty which were under age ortoo light. The round-up outfit strung the cattle out and counted them,reporting a few over seven hundred head. This count was merely informaland for the information of the seller; but in the morning the final onewould be made, in which we could take a hand.
After the cut had started in for the ranch, we loitered along, lookingthem over, and I noticed several that might have been thrown out. "Well,now," said Flood, "if you are going to be so very choice as all that,I might as well ride on. You can't use me if that bunch needs any moretrimming. I call them a fine lot of beeves. It's all right for Donto rib the boys up and make them think that the cattle have to betop-notchers. I've watched him receive too often; he's about the easiestman I know to ring in short ages on. Just so a steer looks nice,it's hard for the old man to turn one back. I've seen him receivingthree-year-olds, when one fourth of the cattle passed on were shorttwos. And if you call his attention to one, he'll just smile that littlesmile of his, and say, 'yes, he may be shy a few months, but he'llgrow.' But then that's just old man Don's weakness for cattle; he can'tlook a steer in the face without falling in love with him. Now, I'vereceived before when by throwing out one half the stock offered, youcouldn't get as uniform a bunch of beeves as those are. But you goright ahead, Tom, and be sure that every hoof you accept will dress fivehundred pounds at Fort Buford. I'll simply sit around and clerk and helpyou count and give you a good chance to make a reputation."
Los Lobos was still an open range. They claimed to have over tenthousand mixed cattle in the straight ranch brand. There had been nodemand for matured beeves for several years, and now on effecting thissale they were anxious to deliver all their grown steers. Dr. Beaverinformed us that, previous to our arrival, his foreman had been throwingeverything in on the home range, and that he hoped to deliver to us overtwo thousand head from his own personal holdings. But he was liberalwith his neighbors, for in the contingent just passed upon, there musthave been over a hundred head in various ranch brands. Assuring him thatwe would be on hand in the morning to take possession of the cattle, andrequesting him to have a fire burning, on coming opposite the camp,we turned off and rode for our wagon. It meant a big day's work toroad-brand this first contingent, and with the first sign of dawn, myoutfit were riding for Los Lobos. We were encamped about three milesfrom the corrals, and leaving orders for the cook to follow up, the campwas abandoned with the exception of the remuda. It was barely sun-upwhen we counted and took possession of the beeves. On being relieved,the foreman of Los Lobos took the ranch outfit and started off to renewthe gathering. We penned the cattle without any trouble, and as soon asthe irons were ready, a chuteful were run in and the branding commenced.This branding-chute was long enough to chamber eight beeves. It wasbuilt about a foot wide at the bottom and flared upward just enoughto prevent an animal from turning round. A heavy gate closed the exit,while bull-bars at the rear prevented the occupant from backing out. Ahigh platform ran along either side of the branding-chute, on which themen stood while handling the irons.
Two men did the branding. "Runt" Pickett attended the fire, passing upthe heated irons, and dodging the cold branding-steel. A single ironwas often good for several animals, and sometimes a chuteful was brandedwith two irons. It was necessary that the work should be well done; notthat a five months' trip required it, but the unforeseen must be guard
edagainst. Many trail herds had met disaster and been scattered to thefour winds with nothing but a road brand to identify them afterward.The cattle were changing owners, and custom decreed that an abstract oftitle should be indelibly seared on their sides. The first guard, JakeBlair, Morg Tussler, and Clay Zilligan, were detailed to cut and drivethe squads into the chute. These three were the only mounted men, theothers being placed so as to facilitate the work. Cattle are as innocentas they are strong, and in this necessary work everything was donequietly, care being taken to prevent them from becoming excited. Asfast as they were released from the chute, Dr. Beaver took a list of theranch brands, in order to bill of sale them to Lovell and settle withhis neighbors.
The work moved with alacrity. As one chuteful was being freed the nextone was entering. Gates closed in their faces and the bull-bars at therear locked them as in a vice. We were averaging a hundred an hour, butthe smoke from the burning hair was offensive to the lungs. During theforenoon Burl Van Vedder and Vick Wolf "spelled" Flood and myself forhalf an hour at a time, or until we could recover from the nauseousfumes. When the cook called us to dinner, we had turned out nearly fivehundred branded cattle. No sooner was the midday meal bolted than thecook was ordered back to camp with his wagon, the branded contingent ofcattle following in charge of the first guard. Less than half an hourwas lost in refreshing the inner man, and ordering "G--G" Cederdall, TimStanley, and Jack Splann of the second guard into their saddles to takethe place of the relieved men, we resumed our task. The dust of thecorrals settled on us unheeded, the smoke of the fire mingled with thatof the singeing hair and its offensive odors, bringing tears to oureyes, but the work never abated until the last steer had passed thechute and bore the "Open A."
The work over, a pretense was made at washing the dust and grime fromour faces. It was still early in the day, and starting the cattle forcamp, I instructed the boys to water and graze them as long as theywould stand up. The men all knew their places on guard, this havingbeen previously arranged; and joining Dr. Beaver, Jim and I rode for theranch about a mile distant. The doctor was a genial host, and prescribeda series of mint-juleps, after which he proposed that we ride out andmeet the cattle gathered during the day. The outfit had been working asection of country around some lagoons, south of the ranch, and it wasfully six o'clock when we met them, heading homeward. The cattle werefully up to the standard of the first bunch, and halting the herd wetrimmed them down and passed on them. After Flood rode out of thissecond contingent, I culled back about a dozen light weights. Onfinishing, Jim gave me a quiet wink, and said something to Dr. Beaverabout a new broom. But I paid no attention to these remarks; in acountry simply teeming with prime beeves, I was determined to get a herdto my liking. Dr. Beaver had assured Lovell that he and his neighborswould throw together over four thousand beeves in making up the herd,and now I was perfectly willing that they should. It would take two dayslonger to gather the cattle on the Los Lobos range, and then there werethe outside offerings, which were supposed to number fully two thousand.There was no excuse for not being choice.
On returning to Los Lobos about dusk, rather than offend its owner,Flood consented to remain at the ranch overnight, but I rode for camp.Darkness had fallen on my reaching the wagon, the herd had been beddeddown, and Levering felt so confident that the remuda was contented thathe had concluded to night-herd them himself until midnight, and thenturn them loose until dawn. He had belled a couple of the leaders, andassured me that he would have them in hand before sun-up. The cook wasurging me to supper, but before unsaddling, I rode around both herd andremuda. The cattle were sleeping nicely, and the boys assured me thatthey had got a splendid fill on them before bedding down. That wasthe only safe thing to do, and after circling the saddle stock on theopposite side of camp, I returned to find that a stranger had arrivedduring my brief absence. Parent had fully enlightened him as to who hewas, who the outfit were, the destination of the herd, the names ofboth buyer and seller, and, on my riding in, was delivering a volubledissertation on the tariff and the possible effect on the state ofputting hides on the free list. And although in cow-camps a soldier'sintroduction is usually sufficient, the cook inquired the stranger'sname and presented me to our guest with due formality. Supper beingwaiting, the stranger was invited to take pot-luck with us, and beforethe meal was over recognized me. He was a deputy cattle inspector forDimmit County, and had issued the certificate for Flood's herd the yearbefore. He had an eye for the main chance, and informed me that fullyone half the cattle making up our herd belonged to Dimmit; that thecounty line was only a mile up the river, and that if I would allow theherd to drift over into his territory, he would shade the legal rate.The law compelling the inspection of herds before they could be movedout of the county, like the rain, fell upon the just and the unjust. Itwas not the intent of the law to impose a burden on an honest drover.Yet he was classed with the rustler, and must have in his possession acertificate of inspection before he could move out a purchased herd, orbe subject to arrest. A list of brands was recorded, at the county seat,of every herd leaving, and if occasion required could be referred to infuture years. No railroad would receive any consignment of hides or livestock, unless accompanied by a certificate from the county inspector.The legal rate was ten cents on the first hundred, and three cents onall over that number, frequently making the office a lucrative one.
Once the object of his call was made clear, I warmed to our guest. Ifthe rate allowed by law was enforced, it meant an expense of over ahundred dollars for a certificate of inspection covering both herd andsaddle stock. We did not take out certificates in Medina on the remudasas a matter of economy. By waiting until the herd was ready, the twowould be inspected as one, and the lower rate apply. So I urged thedeputy to make himself at home and share my blankets. Pretending that Iremembered him well, I made numerous inquiries about the ranch where wereceived our herd the year before, and by the time to turn in, we wereon the most friendly terms. The next morning I offered him a horse fromour extras, assuring him that Flood would be delighted to renew hisacquaintance, and invited him to go with us for the day. Turning hishorse among ours, he accepted and rode away with us. The cattle passedon the evening before had camped out several miles from the corrals andwere grazing in when we met them. Flood and the Doctor joined us shortlyafterward, and I had a quiet word with Jim before he and the inspectormet. After the count was over, Flood made a great ado over my guest andgave him the glad hand as if he had been a long-lost brother. We werea trifle short-handed the second day, and on my guest volunteeringto help, I assigned him to Runt Pickett's place at the fire, where heshortly developed a healthy sweat. As we did not have a large bunch ofbeeves to brand that day, the wagon did not come over and we brandedthem at a single shift. It was nearly one o'clock when we finished,and instead of going in to Los Lobos, we left the third guard, WayneOutcault, "Dorg" Seay, and Owen Ubery, to graze the cattle over to ourcamp.
The remainder of the afternoon was spent in idleness and in theentertainment of our guest. Official-like, he pretended he could hardlyspare the time to remain another night, but was finally prevailed on anddid so. After dark, I took him some distance from camp, and the two ofus had a confidential chat. I assured him if there was any object indoing so, we could move camp right to or over the county line, andfrankly asked him what inducement he would offer. At first he thoughtthat throwing off everything over a hundred dollars would be aboutright. But I assured him that there were whole families of inspectors inLasalle County who would discount that figure, and kindly advised him,if he really wanted the fee, to meet competition at least. We discussedthe matter at length, and before returning to camp, he offered to makeout the certificate, covering everything, for fifty dollars. As it wascertain to be several days yet before we would start, and there was aprospect of a falling market in certificates of inspection, I would makeno definite promises. The next morning I insisted that he remain at somenear-by ranch in his own territory, and, if convenient, ride down everyfew days a
nd note the progress of the herd.
We were promised a large contingent of cattle for that day. The ranchoutfit were to make three rodeos down the river the day before, wherethe bulk of their beeves ranged. Flood was anxious to overtake the otheroutfits before they reached the lower country, and as he assured me Ihad no further use for him, we agreed that after receiving that morninghe might leave us. Giving orders at camp to graze the received beeveswithin a mile of the corrals by noon, and the wagon to follow, we madean early start, Flood taking his own horses with him. We met thecattle coming up the river a thousand strong. It was late when the lastround-up of the day before had finished, and they had camped for thenight fully five miles from the corrals. It took less than an hour tocull back and count, excuse the ranch outfit, and start this contingentfor the branding-pens in charge of my boys. Flood was in a hurry, andriding a short distance with him, I asked that he pass or send word tothe county seat, informing the inspector of hides and animals that atrail herd would leave Los Lobos within a week. Jim knew my motive ingetting competition on the inspection, and wishing me luck on my trip,I wrung his hand in farewell until we should meet again in the uppercountry.
The sun was setting that night when we finished road-branding the lastof the beeves received in the morning. After dinner, when the wagonreturned to camp, I instructed Parent to move up the river fully amile. We needed the change, anyhow, and even if it was farther, the nextmorning we would have the Los Lobos outfit to assist in the branding, asthat day would finish their gathering. The outside cattle were beginningto report in small bunches, from three hundred upward. Knowing that Dr.Beaver was anxious to turn in as many as possible of his own, we delayedreceiving from the neighboring ranches for another day. But the nextmorning, as we were ironing-up the last contingent of some four hundredLos Lobos beeves, a deputy inspector for Lasalle arrived from the countyseat. He was likewise officious, and professed disappointment that theherd was not ready to pass upon. On his arrival, I was handling theirons, and paid no attention to him until the branding was over for themorning. When he introduced himself, I cordially greeted him, but at thefirst intimation of disappointment from his lips, I checked him.
Using the best diplomacy at my command, I said, "Well, I'm sorry tocause you this long ride when it might have been avoided. You see, weare receiving cattle from both this and Dimmit County. In fact, we areholding our herd across the line just at present. On starting, we expectto go up the river to the first creek, and north on it to the LeonaRiver. I have partially promised the work to an inspector from Dimmit.He inspected our herd last year, and being a personal friend that way,you couldn't meet his figures. Very sorry to disappoint you, but won'tyou come over to the wagon and stay all night?"
But Dr. Beaver, who understood my motive, claimed the privilege ofentertaining the deputy at Los Lobos, and I yielded. We now had a fewover twenty-four hundred beeves, of which nineteen hundred were in theLos Lobos brand, the others being mixed. There was a possibility offully a hundred more coming in with the neighboring cattle, and Dr.Beaver was delighted over the ranch delivery. The outside contingentswere in four bunches, then encamped in different directions and withinfrom three to five miles of the ranch. Taking Vick Wolf with me for theafternoon, I looked over the separate herds and found them numberingmore than fifteen hundred. They were the same uniform Nueces Valleycattle, and as we lacked only a few over a thousand, the offerings wereextremely liberal. Making arrangements with three of the four herds toreceive the next day, Vick and I reached our camp on the county lineabout sunset. The change was a decided advantage; wood, water, and grasswere plentiful, and not over a mile farther from the branding-pens.
The next morning found us in our saddles at the usual early hour. Wewere anxious to receive and brand every animal possible that day, sothat with a few hours' work the next forenoon the herd would be readyto start. After we had passed on the first contingent of the outsidecattle, and as we were nearing the corrals, Dr. Beaver overtook us.Calling me aside, he said: "Quirk, if you play your cards right, you'llget a certificate of inspection for nothing and a chromo as a pelon.I've bolstered up the Lasalle man that he's better entitled to the workthan the Dimmit inspector, and he'll wait until the herd is ready tostart. Now, you handle the one, and I'll keep the other as my guest.We must keep them apart and let them buck each other to their hearts'content. Every hoof in your herd will be in a ranch brand of record; butstill the law demands inspection and you must comply with it. I'll giveyou a duplicate list of the brands, so that neither inspector need seethe herd, and if we don't save your employer a hundred dollars, then weare amateurs."
Everything was pointing to an auspicious start. The last cattle on thedelivery were equal to the first, if not better. The sky clouded over,and before noon a light shower fell, settling the dust in the corrals.Help increased as the various bunches were accepted, and at the end ofthe day only a few over two hundred remained to complete our numbers.The last contingent were fully up to the standard; and rather thandisappoint the sellers, I accepted fifty head extra, making my herd atstarting thirty-four hundred and fifty. When the last beef had passedthe branding-chute, there was nothing remaining but to give a receiptto the seller for the number of head received, in behalf of my employer,pending a later settlement between them.
Meanwhile competition in the matter of inspection had been carefullynursed. Conscious of each other's presence, and both equally anxious forthe fee, the one deputy was entertained at my camp and the other at LosLobos. They were treated courteously, but given to understand that inthe present instance money talked. With but a small bunch of beeves tobrand on the starting day, the direction in which the herd was allowedto leave the bed-ground would be the final answer. If west, Dimmit hadunderbid Lasalle; if the contrary, then the departure of this herdwould be a matter of record in the latter county. Dr. Beaver enjoyedthe situation hugely, acting the intermediary in behalf of his guest.Personally I was unconcerned, but was neutral and had little to say.
My outfit understood the situation perfectly. Before retiring on thenight of our last camp on the county line, and in the presence of theDimmit inspector, the last relief received instructions, in the absenceof contrary orders, to allow the herd to drift back into Lasalle inthe morning. Matters were being conducted in pantomime, and the playersunderstood their parts. Our guest had made himself useful in variousways, and I naturally felt friendly towards him. He had stood severalguards for the boys, and Burl Van Vedder, of the last watch, had secretinstructions to call him for that guard.
The next morning the camp was not astir as early as usual. On the cook'sarousing us, in the uncertain light of dawn, the herd was slowly rising,and from the position of a group of four horsemen, it was plainlyevident that our guest had shaded all competition. Our camp was in plainview of Los Lobos, and only some five or six miles distant. With therising of the sun, and from the top of a windmill derrick, by the aid ofa field-glass, the Lasalle inspector had read his answer; and after thework in the morning was over, and the final papers had been exchanged,Dr. Beaver insisted that, in commiseration of his departed guest, justone more mint-julep should be drunk standing.
When Don Lovell glanced over my expense account on our arrival atAbilene, he said: "Look here, Tom, is this straight?--twenty dollars forinspection?--the hell you say! Corrupted them, did you? Well, that'sthe cheapest inspection I ever paid, with one exception. Dave Sponsilieronce got a certificate for his herd for five dollars and a few drinks.But he paid for it a month in advance of the starting of the herd.It was dated ahead, properly sealed, and all ready for filling in thebrands and numbers. The herd was put up within a mile of where fourcounties cornered, and that inspector was a believer in the maxim ofthe early bird. The office is a red-tape one, anyhow, and little harm intaking all the advantage you can.--This item marked 'sundries' was DRYgoods, I suppose? All right, Quirk; I reckon rattlesnakes were ratherrabid this spring."