Document text
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Page two
which I needed.
"In 1882, while there, we had a pretty bad stampede.
My brother and I and two hired punchers were holding about.
sevet-ereight hundred steers on the banks of the Colorado
river, where there had been an old field,_the fenee'stiI1
being good on two sides. There had been a lot of rain and
the river was on a big rise. The cattle secmed restless.
and along came an old mule, stopping near where the cattle
were bedded down and hee-hawing for all he was worth. We
had been holding the cattle there for three or four days,
waiting for the river to go down and they were getting ner-
vous and so were we. When that mule made his appearance
the cattle began running, and we began riding. We stayed
with them and when daylight came we were four miles from
home, but still had our herd, .and the next day we crossed
the river and delivered every one of them.
"In 1887 I helped to drive a herd of 3,300 head for
Joe Mitchell of Bell County to .mbilene, Kansas, starting
from his Bell Cmanty ranch. There were about twenty men
in the outfit. We traveled almost due north and crossed the
Rea River at Doans Store near Vernon. We didn't have any
trouble on this drive but we got somewhat excited.when
0
timmumnd ofete passing through the northern part of Oklahoma
and had to witness an Indian funeral. They had sewed the dead
Indian up in a buffalo hide and swung him to a limb, high up.
in a tree. That was the way the Cheyenne tribe buried, or
disposed of their dead.
we
Page three
"The best bronc buster I ever knew was Iky Stevens.
He could ride anything. I saw Booger Red thrown off of a
heathenish horse-- Booger was a good rider, too but Iky
was watching and saw him when he got thrown and he said
he would ride that filly for a dollar. And he did. He
rode him as clean as I ever saw one rode.
"The Indians killed my grandfather on the Colorado
river, near Wolf Crossing. It happened just before the
Pack. Saddle fight. He was on horseback, alone)and they
shot arrows into his back. He kept riding, but died soot
after reaching home. My mother said they would sneak up
to the spring and steal her milk and butter from the milk
house. Mother had a bulldog and a gun for protection against
the Redskins, when grandfather, was away from home. When I.
was about four years old, they stole some horses from a thicket
where my father had then tied. Of course father and a group
of men followed them but they didnot_recover any of the horses.
"I am now too old to ride the range or wqrk with cattle
in any way, but I still think the old days on the range were
the best I ever had."
REFERENCES
Personal interview with P. L. Cowan, who told the story.
Range lore
Annie, McAuley
Maverick, Texas
RAlfGH-LORIC
Page one
P. L. Cowan, now a redident of Runnels County, was
born near Belton, Bell County, Texas, December 18, 1886. He
tells the following story:
"I,learned to ride a horse when I was very young. My
older brother taught me hew to ride and also how to work with
cattle. My father being a freighter, owned several wagons and
teams. In the early days he used ox teams but later he used
mules to freight with. Freight was hauled from points east to
Fort Concha. On some of these trips they ancountered_bands of
Indians, some of wham were not friendly toward the whites. One
group killed one of father's oxen. They freighters went in
groups and were well armed, as 'they were in danger of encount-
ers with robbers, as well as Indians, at all times.
"In 1879 my father moved his herd from Ball County to
Llano County and sent my brother and I to look after the cattle.
Ve worked there several years and I got some real experience
Page two
which I needed.
"In 1882, while there, we had a pretty bad stampede.
My brother and I and two hired punchers were holding about
aeven or eight hundred steers on the banks of the Colorado
river, where there had been an old field, the fence still
being good on two sides. There had been a lot of rain and
the river was .on a big rise. The cattle seemed restless
and along came an old mule, stopping near where the cattle
were bedded down. Be was hee-hawing for all he was worth.
We had been holding the cattle there for three or four days,
waiting for the river to go down and they were getting nor*
vous and so were we. ,When that mule made his appearance the
cattle began running, and we began riding. We stayed with
them and when daylight cams we were four miles from home,
but still had our herd, and the next day we crossed the river
and delivered every one of then.
"In 1887 I helped to drive a herd of 3,300,head for
Zoe Mitchell of Bell County, to Abilene, Kansas, starting
from his Bell County ranch. There were about twenty men in
the outfit.. We traveled almost due north and crossed the
Red River at Doans Store near Vernon. We didn't have any
trouble on this drive but we got somewhat excited when we
were passing through the northern part of Oklahoma and had
to witness an Indian funeral. They had sewed the dead Indian
up in a buffalo hide and swung him to a limb, high up in a
tree. That was the way the Cheyenne tribe buried or disposed
of their dela.
Page three
"The best brow) buster I ever knew was Iky Stevens.
Hs could ride anything. I saw Booger Red thrown off of a
heathenish horse Booger was a good rider, too but Iky
was watching and saw him when he got thrown and he said he
would ride that filly for a dollar. And he did. Hs rode
the best I ever saw.
"The Indians killed my grandfather on the Colorado
river, near Wolf Crossing. It happened just before the
Pack Saddle fight. Be was on horseback, alone, and they
shot arrows into his back. BA kept on riding, but lied soon
after reaching home. My mother said they would sneak up to
the spring and steal her milk and butter from the milk house.
Mother had a bulldog and a gun for protection against the
Redskins, when father was away from home. When I was about
four years old they stole some horses from a thicket where
my father had tied them. Of course father and a group of
men followed them, but they dIdn't recover any ot the horses.
"I am too old now to ride the range or work with'eattle
in any way, but I still think the old days on the range were
the best I ever had."
REFERBMOBS
Personal interview with P. L. Cowan, who told the story.