第16章 MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS(1)

By noon the herd had grazed out five miles on its way.The boys were so anxious to get off that on my return the camp was deserted with the exception of the cook and the horse-wrangler, none even returning for dinner.Before leaving I had lunched at Los Lobos with its owner, and on reaching the wagon, Levering and I assisted the cook to harness in and start the commissary.The general course of the Nueces River was southeast by northwest, and as our route lay on the latter angle, the herd would follow up the valley for the first day.Once outside the boundaries of our camp of the past week, the grass matted the ground with its rank young growth.As far as the eye could see, the mesas, clothed in the verdure of spring, rolled in long swells away to the divides.Along the river and in the first bottom, the timber and mesquite thickets were in leaf and blossom, while on the outlying prairies the only objects which dotted this sea of green were range cattle and an occasional band of horses.

The start was made on the 27th of March.By easy drives and within a week, we crossed the "Sunset" Railway, about thirty miles to the westward of the ranch in Medina.On reaching the divide between the Leona and Frio rivers, we sighted our first herd of trail cattle, heading northward.We learned that some six herds had already passed upward on the main Frio, while a number of others were reported as having taken the east fork of that river.The latter stream almost paralleled the line between Medina and Uvalde counties, and as we expected some word from headquarters, we crossed over to the east fork.When westward of and opposite the ranch, Runt Pickett was sent in for any necessary orders that might be waiting.By leaving us early in the evening he could reach headquarters that night and overtake us before noon the next day.We grazed leisurely forward the next morning, killing as much time as possible, and Pickett overtook us before the wagon had even gone into camp for dinner.Lovell had not stopped on his return from the west, but had left with the depot agent at the home station a letter for the ranch.From its contents we learned that the other two Buford herds had started from Uvalde, Sponsilier in the lead, one on the 24th and the other the following day.Local rumors were encouraging in regard to grass and water to the westward, and the intimation was clear that if favorable reports continued, the two Uvalde herds would intersect an old trail running from the head of Nueces Canon to the Llano River.Should they follow this route there was little hope of their coming into the main western trail before reaching the Colorado River.Sponsilier was a daring fellow, and if there was a possible chance to get through beyond the borders of any settlement, he was certain to risk it.

The letter contained no personal advice.Years of experience in trail matters had taught my employer that explicit orders were often harmful.The emergencies to be met were of such a varied nature that the best method was to trust to an outfit worming its way out of any situation which confronted it.From the information disclosed, it was evident that the other Buford herds were then somewhere to the northwest, and possibly over a hundred miles distant.Thus freed from any restraint, we held a due northward course for several days, or until we encountered some rocky country.Water was plentiful and grass fairly good, but those flinty hills must be avoided or sorefooted beeves would be the result.I had seen trails of blood left by cattle from sandy countries on encountering rock, and now the feet of ours were a second consideration to their stomachs.But long before the herd reached this menace, Morg Tussler and myself, scouting two full days in advance, located a safe route to the westward.Had we turned to the other hand, we should have been forced into the main trail below Fredericksburg, and we preferred the sea-room of the boundless plain.From every indication and report, this promised to be the banner year in the exodus of cattle from the South to the then new Northwest.This latter section was affording the long-looked-for outlet, by absorbing the offerings of cattle which came up from Texas over the trail, and marking an epoch barely covering a single decade.

Turning on a western angle, a week's drive brought us out on a high tableland.Veering again to the north, we snailed along through a delightful country, rich in flora and the freshness of the season.From every possible elevation, we scanned the west in the hope of sighting some of the herd which had followed up the main Frio, but in vain.Sweeping northward at a leisurely gait, the third week out we sighted the Blue Mountains, the first familiar landmark on our course.As the main western trail skirted its base on the eastward, our position was easily established.