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RANGE -LORE
Annie McAulay
Maverick, Texas
RANGE -LORE
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Forest Clark was born in the state of Georgia in
1876 and came with is parents to Ft. lorth, Texas, when
just an infant. 'Chen he was five years old the family
moved to Runnels County and a few years later settled
across the Colorado river from Bronte. He tells the fol-
lowing story:
"hen we moved from Ft. Torth to Runnels County, I
rode a horse most of the way and helped to drive our small
herd of ninety-eight cattle. I was only five years old at
that time.
"There was lots of wild stuff in the country then
everything but buffalo; they had 1:ten killed out., grand-
tAher and uncle used to come out this way in the sixties and
shoot buffalo and sell their hides. They made good money
and thought it great sport. Alen AC OttMe: ther yk,s lots
of deer, antA.ope, wild turkeys'beevr, coyote, lobo volves,
wildcats and some Mexican lions. Rattlesnakes were plentiful,
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too.
e landed on the Wylie ranch that fall. But it
came a blizzard in the month of February that held on for
several days. It was the worst I've ever seen. It was dry,
too, and grass was hard to find, so of course the cattle
were in poor shape for the hard winter. The men rode
day and night, trying to find shelter and a little some-
thing for the herds to eat. 11 father had only eighteen
head of cattle left, when spring came.
"hen we moved to Live Oak my father had bought more
cattle, a few horses and 37b goats and started in the
stock business in earnest, but after the drouth of '86
and '87 he sold his remaining cattle for a mere pittance
and after that only tried to raise a feu gouts. He was
a physician though, and did not depend altogether on
ranching for a living. As a country doctor, he had a
large territory to cover. He was called as far north as
Ft. Chadbourne, west to Robert Lee, east to ,liveriok and
as far south as Eden, and he always rode horseback.
"I remember encountering a few Indians, but they
were friendly I have heard my mother tell about Indian
troubles. She said when she was small, one time when the
men were all away from home, some Indians came to the house
and po,ed their hands under the door and wiggled their
fingers but the door was barred. They aame three nights
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in successin, but her mother didn't open the door and
they finally gave up and left without harming anything.
"In 1877, my uncle 7am Weaver, and another man were
moving a herd of cattle, some horses and furniture from
California to Texas, With the intention of startigg a
ranch. 7then they were crossing New Mexico they were at-
tacked by a band of Indians and two or three Mexicans.
The Indians made off with everything they had except one
wagon and team. But the folks finally reached Tom Green
Col.nty and they felt pretty lucky, too, although they were
broke.
"Besides having drouths to contend with, the early
settlers sometimes had serious floods, the same as we do
today. I retmetaber one spring, old Oak Creek got on a big
rise after heavy ruins. I rode with ry'father to, see it.
It w,As a great sight to me. The water reached back to the
hill, about one and one-half miles. Bob Castlebury lost
his burn, fence and some hogs. Kickapoo Creek got up that
spring, tco. And the land where Bronte is now, %dB all
under water. Crops were damaged and many cattle lost in
that flood.
"On one of my, rides, I happened up on a '-exican lion.
He was lying quietly under a bush and didn't move until I
threw a stick at him. I thought he might be wounded but he
jumped up and I lit out. I didn't have a Emu with me and it
was time to be moving.
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"I believe Clarence Zones was the best rider I
knew. He worked for the Blocker outfit a long time. He
could ride 'em bucking, backward,, forward, upaide down
or any way. Bob Harwell was a good rider and cowman, too.
If every cowhand wasn't pretty good then, well, he just
didn't lust long on a ranch.
"We had a great time during the big round -ups.
Each outfit would have riders and a chuck wagon. ,1.11
the nesters were there too, to help and get their stuff.
The range boss would direct the men where to start, scat-
tering the riders so as to cover thoroughly the designated
area. Then they would drive all the stuff to a certain
place and cut, and brand. Each outfit toot care of their
cattle. Then they'd hold them until all the territory
had been covered. The ones for marketing were driven
away and the others turned loose."
REItat ENO ES
Forest Clark, Bronte, Texas.