The Log of a Cowboy | Page 6

myself,
started to meet the herd. The nearest ferry was at Brownsville, and it
was eleven o'clock when we reached the cattle. Flood had dispensed
with an interpreter and had taken Quarternight and me along to do the
interpreting. The cattle were well shed and in good flesh for such an
early season of the year, and in receiving, our foreman had been careful
and had accepted only such as had strength for a long voyage. They
were the long-legged, long-horned Southern cattle, pale-colored as a
rule, possessed the running powers of a deer, and in an ordinary walk
could travel with a horse. They had about thirty vaqueros under a
corporal driving the herd, and the cattle were strung out in regular
trailing manner. We rode with them until the noon hour, when, with the
understanding that they were to bring the herd to Paso Ganado by ten
o'clock the following day, we rode for Matamoros. Lovell had other
herds to start on the trail that year, and was very anxious to cross the
cattle the following day, so as to get the weekly steamer--the only
mode of travel--which left Point Isabel for Galveston on the first of
April.
The next morning was bright and clear, with an east wind, which
insured a flood tide in the river. On first sighting the herd that morning,
we made ready to cross them as soon as they reached the river. The
wagon was moved up within a hundred yards of the ford, and a
substantial corral of ropes was stretched. Then the entire saddle stock
was driven in, so as to be at hand in case a hasty change of mounts was
required. By this time Honeyman knew the horses of each man's mount,
so all we had to do was to sing out our horse, and Billy would have a
rope on one and have him at hand before you could unsaddle a tired
one. On account of our linguistic accomplishments, Quarternight and I

were to be sent across the river to put the cattle in and otherwise
assume control. On the Mexican side there was a single string of high
brush fence on the lower side of the ford, commencing well out in the
water and running back about two hundred yards, thus giving us a half
chute in forcing the cattle to take swimming water. This ford had been
in use for years in crossing cattle, but I believe this was the first herd
ever crossed that was intended for the trail, or for beyond the bounds of
Texas.
When the herd was within a mile of the river, Fox and I shed our
saddles, boots, and surplus clothing and started to meet it. The water
was chilly, but we struck it with a shout, and with the cheers of our
outfit behind us, swam like smugglers. A swimming horse needs
freedom, and we scarcely touched the reins, but with one hand buried
in a mane hold, and giving gentle slaps on the neck with the other, we
guided our horses for the other shore. I was proving out my black, Fox
had a gray of equal barrel displacement,--both good swimmers; and on
reaching the Mexican shore, we dismounted and allowed them to roll in
the warm sand.
Flood had given us general instructions, and we halted the herd about
half a mile from the river. The Mexican corporal was only too glad to
have us assume charge, and assured us that he and his outfit were ours
to command. I at once proclaimed Fox Quarternight, whose years and
experience outranked mine, the gringo corporal for the day, at which
the vaqueros smiled, but I noticed they never used the word. On Fox's
suggestion the Mexican corporal brought up his wagon and corralled
his horses as we had done, when his cook, to our delight, invited all to
have coffee before starting. That cook won our everlasting regards, for
his coffee was delicious. We praised it highly, whereupon the corporal
ordered the cook to have it at hand for the men in the intervals between
crossing the different bunches of cattle. A March day on the Rio
Grande with wet clothing is not summer, and the vaqueros hesitated a
bit before following the example of Quarternight and myself and
dispensing with saddles and boots. Five men were then detailed to hold
the herd as compact as possible, and the remainder, twenty-seven all
told, cut off about three hundred head and started for the river. I took

the lead, for though cattle are less gregarious by nature than other
animals, under pressure of excitement they will follow a leader. It was
about noon and the herd were thirsty, so when we reached the brush
chute, all hands started them on a