Fightin’ the Chisholm Trail (Part four)
Boys, it’s been a long hard trail, but payday is just over the hill.
The life of a cowboy on a cattle drive was exceedingly tough, characterized by long hours, physical hardship.
Cowboys typically worked from dawn until dusk, and were exposed to various dangers and challenges These challenges included harsh weather, dangerous terrain, the constant threat of stampedes, and interactions with nature and other humans along the way. Despite the hard work and dangerous conditions, cowboys were often paid poorly, and the question hangs, Why do you ride for your money? And why do you rope for short pay? The answer my friend hangs in the wind and a cowboy worth his salt would say,. “It’s the freedom of the open range, it’s the love of the life to be lived, and it is the satisfaction of being surrounded by God’s creation!”
The end of the trail is in sight! That must have caused many a cowboy to breathe a sigh of relief. After 100 plus days of the toughest kind of travel, they soon would find the finish line.
That means that the boss would have made a good deal with a cattle buyer and soon the dust and heat of the trail, the constant being alert to danger, the day after day of eating biscuits, bacon, beef, and beans, and the boredom of companionship would soon turn to the good life of a bath and a shave, a store bought beefsteak dinner, a shot of whiskey or a lukewarm beer, and a whole different kind of companionship was waiting for you and your wages. But you had stood the test, faced the tough times, until now, you are at the finish line.
Texas took a while to get the herd trail broke as you faced thunderstorms and swollen river crossings. Indian Territory brought more of the same along with the uncertainty of the actions from the Indian tribes. Kansas provided its own brand of danger with the lawless bands of redlegs and jayhawkers.
But now the end is in sight and soon you will start the long trail home. What comes next? Years later, Bruce Kiskaddon summed it up when he wrote, “Though you’re not exactly blue, yet you just don’t feel like you do, in the winter or the long hot summer days. For your feelin’s and the weather seem to sort of go together, and you’re quiet in the dreamy autumn haze. When the last big steer is goaded down the chute, and safely loaded; and the summer crew has ceased to hit the ball; when a fellow starts to draggin’ to the home ranch with the wagon—When they’ve finished shipping cattle in the fall.” My Ol’ Daddy would have said, “Kiskaddon was a classic cowboy poet and his classic poem says it all as we finish this drive!”
FIGHTIN’ THE CHISHOLM TRAIL (PART FOUR) Purty soon we’ll be in Kansas territory, with Jayhawkers an’ wind.
But, we’ll shore meet ‘em with all our glory, an’ we don’t plan to bend.
We’ll soon reach Abilene an’ the railhead, at the end of the Chisholm Trail.
We’re all trail weary, ‘bout wore out its said, feelin’ meaner than hell.
Our scout sez Abilene has rebuilt their pens, they’re shore ready for our herd.
But it’ll be a few days ‘fore we get in, ‘cordin’ to the bosses word.
The days were shore ‘nuff tedious an’ mighty slow, we was ‘bout tired out.
Hard on ponies too, they shore needed a blow, a weary bunch no doubt.
Boss said the pens were just over the hill, he’d ride in to see McCoy.
Warned us ‘bout Hickok. That marshal, Wild Bill, gave no slack to cowboys.
But the boys was ready for a drink an’ a bath Or just seein’ them gals All of that was at the end of their path They’d try to best their pals Abilene was the end of the Chisholm Trail. we’ll load them cattle here.
Even tho that wind is blowin’ a gale Take the bell off that ol’ blue steer!
Wal, time for the wagon to head on home, after we get our wages.
We survived the Chisholm Trail, now I ‘spect I’ll roam, puncher’s curse through the ages!
© Ol’ Jim Cathey
Thanks for riding along!
God Bless each of you and God Bless America!