the outlet-第14部分

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　herd　greeted　our　view；　compelling　us　to　veer　to　the　right　and　intersect　the　trail　sooner　than　we　intended。　Keeping　a　clear　half…mile　between　us；　we　passed　them　within　an　hour　and　exchanged　the　compliments　of　the　trail。　They　proved　to　be　〃Laurel　Leaf〃　and　〃　Running　W〃　cattle；　the　very　ones　for　which　the　International　Railway　agent　at　the　meeting　in　February　had　so　boastfully　shown　my　employer　the　application　for　ears。　The　foreman　was　cursing　like　a　stranded　pirate　over　the　predicament　in　which　he　found　himself。　He　had　left　Santo　Gertrudo　Ranch　over　a　month　before　with　a　herd　of　three　thousand　straight　two…year…old　steers。　But　in　the　shipment　of　some　thirty…three　thousand　cattle　from　the　two　ranches　to　Wichita　Falls；　six　trains　had　been　wrecked；　two　of　which　were　his　own。　Instead　of　being　hundreds　of　miles　ahead　in　the　lead　of　the　year's　drive；　as　he　expected；　he　now　found　himself　in　charge　of　a　camp　of　cripples。　What　few　trains　belonging　to　his　herd　had　escaped　the　ditch　were　used　in　filling　up　other　unfortunate　ones；　the　injured　cattle　from　the　other　wrecks　forming　his　present　holdings。

〃Our　people　were　anxious　to　get　their　cattle　on　to　the　market　early　this　year；〃　said　he；　〃and　put　their　foot　into　it　up　to　the　knee。　Shipping　to　Red　River　was　an　experiment　with　them；　and　I　hope　they've　got　their　belly　full。　We've　got　dead　and　dying　cattle　in　every　pasture　from　the　falls　to　the　river；　while　these　in　sight　aren't　able　to　keep　out　of　the　stench　of　those　that　croaked　between　here　and　the　ford。　Oh；　this　shipping　is　a　fine　thingfor　the　railroads。　Here　I've　got　to　rot　all　summer　with　these　cattle；　just　because　two　of　my　trains　went　into　the　ditch　while　no　other　foreman　had　over　one　wrecked。　And　mind　you；　they　paid　the　freight　in　advance；　and　now　King　and　Kennedy　have　brought　suit　for　damages　amounting　to　double　the　shipping　expense。　They'll　get　it　all　rightin　pork。　I'd　rather　have　a　claim　against　a　nigger　than　a　railroad　company。　Look　at　your　beeves；　slick　as　weasels；　and　from　the　Nueces　River。　Have　to　hold　them　in；　I　reckon；　to　keep　from　making　twenty　miles　a　day。　And　here　I　amOh；　hell；　I'd　rather　be　on　a　rock…pile　with　a　ball　and　chain　to　my　foot！　Do　you　see　those　objects　across　yonder　about　two　milesin　that　old　grass？　That's　where　we　bedded　night　before　last　and　forty　odd　died。　We　only　lost　twenty…two　last　night。　Oh；　we're　getting　in　shape　fast。　If　you　think　you　can　hold　your　breakfast　down；　just　take　a　ride　through　mine。　No；　excuse　me　I've　seen　them　too　often　already。〃

Several　of　the　boys　and　myself　rode　into　the　herd　some　little　distance；　but　the　sight　was　enough　to　turn　a　copper…lined　stomach。　Scarcely　an　animal　had　escaped　without　more　or　less　injury。　Fully　one　half　were　minus　one　or　both　horns；　leaving　instead　bloody　stumps。　Broken　bones　and　open　sores　greeted　us　on　every　hand；　myriads　of　flies　added　to　the　misery　of　the　cattle；　while　in　many　instances　there　was　evidence　of　maggots　at　work　on　the　living　animal。　Turning　from　the　herd　in　disgust；　we　went　back　to　our　own；　thankful　that　the　rate　offered　us　had　been　prohibitory。　The　trials　and　vexatious　of　the　road　were　mere　nothings　to　be　endured；　compared　to　the　sights　we　were　then　leaving。　Even　what　we　first　supposed　were　cattle　lying　down；　were　only　bed…grounds；　the　occupants　having　been　humanely　relieved　by　unwaking　sleep。　Powerless　to　render　any　assistance；　we　trailed　away；　glad　to　blot　from　our　sight　and　memory　such　scenes　of　misery　and　death。

Until　reaching　the　Washita　River；　we　passed　through　a　delightful　country。　There　were　numerous　local　trails　coming　into　the　main　one；　all　of　which　showed　recent　use。　Abandoned　camp…fires　and　bed…grounds　were　to　be　seen　on　every　hand；　silent　witnesses　of　an　exodus　which　was　to　mark　the　maximum　year　in　the　history　of　the　cattle　movement　from　Texas。　Several　times　we　saw　some　evidence　of　settlement　by　the　natives；　but　as　to　the　freedom　of　the　country；　we　were　monarchs　of　all　we　surveyed。　On　arriving　at　the　Washita；　we　encountered　a　number　of　herds；　laboring　under　the　impression　that　they　were　water…bound。　Immediate　entrance　at　the　ford　was　held　by　a　large　herd　of　young　cattle　in　charge　of　a　negro　outfit。　Their　stock　were　scattered　over　several　thousand　acres；　and　when　I　asked　for　the　boss；　a　middle…aged　darky　of　herculean　figure　was　pointed　out　as　in　charge。　To　my　inquiry　why　he　was　holding　the　ford；　his　answer　was　that　until　to…day　the　river　had　been　swimming；　and　now　he　was　waiting　for　the　banks　to　dry。　Ridiculing　his　flimsy　excuse；　I　kindly　yet　firmly　asked　him　either　to　cross　or　vacate　the　ford　by　three　o'clock　that　afternoon。　Receiving　no　definite　reply；　I　returned　to　our　herd；　which　was　some　five　miles　in　the　rear。　Beyond　the　river's　steep；　slippery　banks　and　cold　water；　there　was　nothing　to　check　a　herd。

After　the　noonday　halt；　the　wrangler　and　myself　took　our　remuda　and　went　on　ahead　to　the　river。　Crossing　and　recrossing　our　saddle　stock　a　number　of　times；　we　trampled　the　banks　down　to　a　firm　footing。　While　we　were　doing　this　work；　the　negro　foreman　and　a　number　of　his　men　rode　up　and　sullenly　watched　us。　Leaving　our　horses　on　the　north　bank；　Levering　and　I　returned；　and　ignoring　the　presence　of　the　darky　spectators；　started　back　to　meet　the　herd；　which　was　just　then　looming　up　in　sight。　But　before　we　had　ridden　any　distance；　the　dusky　foreman　overtook　us　and　politely　said；　〃Look…ee　here；　Cap'n；　ain't　you…all　afraid　of　losin'　some　of　your　cattle　among　ours？〃　Never　halting；　I　replied；　〃Not　a　particle；　if　we　lose　any；　you　eat　them；　and　we'll　do　the　same　if　our　herd　absorbs　any　of　yours。　But　it　strikes　me　that　you　had　better　have　those　lazy　niggers　throw　your　cattle　to　one　side；〃　I　called　back；　as　he　halted　his　horse。　We　did　not　look　backward　until　we　reached　the　herd；　then　as　we　turned；　one　on　each　side　to　support　the　points；　it　was　evident　that　a　clear　field　would　await　us　on　reaching　the　river。　Every　horseman　in　the　black　outfit　was　pushing　cattle　with　might　and　main；　to　give　us　a　clean　cloth　at　the　crossing。

The　herd　forded　the　Washita　without　incident。　I　remained　on　the　south　bank　while　the　cattle　were　crossing；　and　when　they　were　about　half　over　some　half…dozen　of　the　darkies　rode　up　and　stopped　apart；　conversing　among　themselves。　When　the　drag　cattle　passed　safely　out　on　the　farther　bank；　I　turned　to　the　dusky　group；　only　to　find　their　foreman　absent。　Making　a　few　inquiries　as　to　the　ownership　of　their　herd；　its　destination；　and　other　matters　of　interest；　I　asked　the　group　to　express　my　thanks　to　their　foreman　for　moving　his　cattle　aside。　Our　commissary　crossed　shortly　afterward；　and　the　Washita　was　in　our　rear。　But　that　night；　as　some　of　my　outfit　returned　from　the　river；　where　they　had　been　fishing；　they　reported　the　negro　outfit　as　having　crossed　and　encamped　several　miles　in　our　rear。

〃All　they　needed　was　a　good　example；〃　said　Dorg　Seay。　〃Under　a　white　foreman；　I'll　bet　that's　a　good　lot　of　darkies。　They　were　just　about　the　right　shadeold　shiny　black。　As　good　cowhands　as　ever　I　saw　were　nigs；　but　they　need　a　white　man　to　blow　and　brag　on　them。　But　it　always　ruins　one　to　give　him　any　authority。〃

Without　effort　we　traveled　fifteen　miles　a　day。　In　the　absence　of　any　wet　weather　to　gall　their　backs；　there　was　not　a　horse　in　our　remuda　unfit　for　the　saddle。　In　fact；　after　reaching　the　Indian　Territory；　they　took　on　flesh　and　played　like　lambs。　With　the　exception　of　long　hours　and　night…herding；　the　days　passed　in　seeming　indolence　as　we　swept　northward；　crossing　rivers　without　a　halt　which　in　previous　years　had　defied　the　moving　herds。　On　arriving　at　the　Cimarron　River；　in　reply　to　a　letter　written　to　my　employer　on　leaving　Texas　behind　us；　an　answer　was　found　awaiting　me　at　Red　Fork。　The　latter　was　an　Indian　tradingpost；　located　on　the　mail　route　to　Fort　Reno；　and　only　a　few　miles　north　of　the　Chisholm　Crossing。　The　letter　was　characteristic　of　my　employer。　It　contained　but　one　imperative　order；that　I　should　touch；　either　with　or　without　the　herd；　at　Camp　Supply。　For　some　unexplained　reason　he　would　make　that　post　his　headquarters　until　after　the　Buford　herds　had　passed　that　point。　The　letter　concluded　with　the　injunction；　in　case　we　met　any　one；　to　conceal　the　ownership　of　the　herd　and　its　destination。

The　mystery　was　thickening。　But　having　previously　declined　to　borrow　trouble；　I　brushed　this　aside　as　unimportant；　though　I　gave　my　outfit　instructions　to　report　the　herd　to　every　one　as　belonging　to　Omaha　men；　and　on　its　way　to　Nebraska　to　be　corn…fed。　Fortunately　I　had　ridden　ahead　of　the　herd　after　crossing　the　Cimarron；　and　had　posted　the　outfit　before　they　reached　the　trading…station。　I　did　not　allow　one　of　my　boys　near　the　store；　and　the　herd　passed　by　as　in　contempt　of　such　a　wayside　place。　As　the　Dodge　cut…off　left　the　Chisholm　Trail　some　ten　miles　above　the　Indian　trading…post；　the　next　morning　we　waved　good…bye　to　the　old　cattle　trace　and　turned　on　a　northwest　angle。　Our　route　now　lay　up　the　Cimarron；　which　we　crossed　and　recrossed　at　our　pleasure；　for　the　sake　of　grazing　or　to　avoid　several　large　alkali　flats。　There　was　evidence　of　herds　in　our　advance；　and　had　we　not　hurried　past　Red　Fork；　I　might　have　learned　something　to　our　advantage。　But　disdaining　all　inquiry　of　the　cut…off；　fearful　lest　our　identit