Life on the trail was long and lonely. Most drives lasted 3-5 months depending on the distance they needed to travel and delays they experienced along the way. A typical drive could cover 15-25 miles per day. Although it was important to arrive at their destination on time, the cattle needed time to rest and graze.

Cattle drives moved large herds of livestock to market, to shipping points, or to find fresh pasturage. The practice was introduced to North America early during European colonization.

wrangler

One of the most dangerous parts of the drive especially for the herd was a river crossing. Cattle drives usually started in the spring which was good for the availability of grass and water but bad when it came to swollen rivers. A deep river that was wide and had a strong current presented three great hazards.

One of the greatest fears was the stampede, which could result in lost or dead cattle or cowboys. One method of containing a stampede was to get the cattle to run in a circle, where the steer would eventually tire.

Old West cuss words

• bad cess to = may evil befall.
• bally = an intensifier; cf.
• blam-jam = mild expletive for “damned.” “We can’t get that blam-jam handcar up to Palisade and back without somethin’ more’n four-man power.” A. B.
• by ginger = a mild oath.
• by grabs = a mild oath.
• by Harry = a mild expletive.

It’s actually accurate — beans often cause gas, and yes, cowboys often ate beans on the trail. That was especially true in the early days of the trail drives, before rancher and cattle baron Charles Goodnight realized that he could attract and keep his help if he took better care of them on the job.

Most pistols were stowed in the Chuck Wagon unless a “need” became apparent. Powder flask was the common method of carrying powder, stuffed in a pocket or a belt pouch. Working cowboys didn’t “play” with their guns as we do. Theirs was a possession of necessity.

With a high enough proof, Whiskey acted like gasoline on the fire. Beer was not as common as whiskey, yet there were those that drank it. Since pasteurization was not invented yet, a cowboy had to take his beer warm and drink it quick.

Some parts of the West had cold beer. Ice plants began cropping up in Western towns as early as the 1870s. Before then, brewers cut ice from frozen rivers in the winter and stored it underground during the summer to keep the brew cool. Beer was not bottled widely until pasteurization came in 1873.

Some parts of the West had cold beer. Before then, folks in the Old West didn’t expect their beer to be cold; they were accustomed to the European tradition of beer served at room temperature. Beer was not bottled widely until pasteurization came in 1873. Up to then, it was mostly kept in kegs.