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Gathering the Herd |
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| The first thing the cowhands did was gather the cattle into a large herd. The night before the roundup began, the range boss would go out to the wagons and ask two or three men from each to ride out ten to fifteen miles. There, the men would make dry camp. In the morning they would begin working the range to find cattle and move them into the center area. Visually the exercise resembled a large spider web. The men at the dry camp would be on the outside moving towards the center with cattle. The process sounds much easier than it was. Many of the cattle, used to being on the range, would run, hide, or get stuck in the mud or rocks. An example of this can be seen in Smith’s photograph Taking Care of Cows [Zack T. Burkett, Range Boss of the LS, and Ysabel Gurule, Mexican Cowpuncher, Coming to the Rescue of a Cow that has |  Erwin E. Smith (1886–1947) A thirsty herd arriving at a watering place in a cloud of dust. Spur Ranch, Texas. 1909 Gelatin dry plate negative Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas LC.S6.344 |
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| become wedged under an overhanging rock on a dangerous trail,
LS Ranch, near Tascosa, Texas] (LC S59-126).
The cattle could not go far without coming into the path of another cowboy
who was moving toward the center roundup grounds. The movement was slow,
deliberate, and gentle and required patience and stamina.
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