Roosevelt, Theodore. 1896. Ranch Life and the Hunting-Trail

Nonfiction > Theodore Roosevelt > Ranch Life and the Hunting-Trail

The old race of Rocky Mountain hunters and trappers, of reckless, dauntless Indian fighters, is now fast dying out. Yet here and there these restless wanderers of the untrodden wilderness still linger, in wooded fastnesses so inaccessible that the miners have not yet explored them, in mountain valleys so far off that no ranchman has yet driven his herds thither.

Theodore
Roosevelt

Ranch Life and the Hunting-Trail

Theodore Roosevelt

After the death of his first wife, Roosevelt set off to the frontier, eventually settling his own ranch in the Dakota Territory. Covering the years of 1884–1886, Roosevelt records, with obvious joy, his experiences on the ranch, from the people (and animals) that he meets, his adventures on the hunt, the excitement of the round up, to the everyday life on the ranch.

CONTENTS

Bibliographic Record Frontispiece: The Round-Up Illustrations Epigram

ILLUSTRATED BY FREDERIC REMINGTON

NEW YORK: THE CENTURY CO., 1888, 1896
NEW YORK: BARTLEBY.COM, 1999

I. THE CATTLE COUNTRY OF THE FAR WEST

ILLUSTRATIONS: A STUDY FROM LIFE — INITIAL — AN EXPLORING OUTFIT — THE MIDDAY MEAL — THE OUTLYING CAMP — COWBOY FUN — IN A BOG-HOLE — TAIL-PIECE.

II. OUT ON THE RANGE

ILLUSTRATIONS: THE BRANDING CHUTE — INITIAL — PULLING A COW OUT OF THE MUD — A DISPUTE OVER A BRAND — BRONCO-BUSTERS SADDLING — TAIL-PIECE.

III. THE HOME RANCH

ILLUSTRATIONS: PONIES PAWING IN THE SNOW — INITIAL — ELK HORN RANCH BUILDINGS — ROPING IN A HORSE-CORRAL — A DEEP FORD — A HARD TRAIL — IN WITH THE HORSE HERD — A BUCKING BRONCO — CRUISING FOR STOCK — TAIL-PIECE, OLD-STYLE TEXAN COWMAN.

IV. THE ROUND-UP

ILLUSTRATIONS: BRONCOS AND TIMBER WOLVES — INITIAL — DRIVING TO THE ROUND-UP — SADDLING FRESH HORSES — TRAILING CATTLE — THE ROPE CORRAL — CUTTING OUT A STEER — BRANDING A CALF — BRANDING A HORSE — THE HERD AT NIGHT — IN A STAMPEDE — TAIL-PIECE, ROPED! — A TEXAN PONY.

V. WINTER WEATHER

ILLUSTRATIONS: LINE RIDING IN WINTER — INITIAL — CATTLE DRIFTING BEFORE THE STORM — TAIL-PIECE — HORSE OF THE CANADIAN NORTHWEST.

VI. FRONTIER TYPES

ILLUSTRATIONS: THE FUGITIVE — INITIAL, A MEXICAN VAQUERO — A FRENCH-CANADIAN TRAPPER — A FIGHT IN THE STREET — MAKING A TENDERFOOT DANCE — PAINTING THE TOWN RED — A ROW IN A CATTLE TOWN — THE MAGIC OF THE DROP — TAIL-PIECE, WHICH IS THE BAD MAN?

VII. RED AND WHITE ON THE BORDER

ILLUSTRATIONS: SIGN LANGUAGE — INITIAL, THE PEACE SIGN — STANDING OFF INDIANS — AN EPISODE IN THE OPENING UP OF A CATTLE COUNTRY — TAIL-PIECE, ONE OF THE BOYS — THE INDIAN PONY.

VIII. SHERIFF'S WORK ON A RANCH

ILLUSTRATIONS: AN OLD-TIME MOUNTAIN MAN WITH HIS PONIES — INITIAL — THE CAPTURE OF THE GERMAN: "HANDS UP!" — THE CAPTURE OF FINNIGAN — "TAKE OFF YOUR BOOTS!" — DOWN-STREAM — ON GUARD AT NIGHT — "A SHARP PRELIMINARY TUSSLE" — ON THE ROAD TO DICKINSON — TAIL-PIECE, A TEXAN COWBOY — AN AGENCY POLICEMAN.

IX. THE RANCHMAN'S RIFLE ON CRAG AND PRAIRIE

ILLUSTRATIONS: AN ELK — INITIAL — BRINGING HOME THE GAME — A PRONG-HORN BUCK VISITS CAMP — THE BUCK OVERTAKEN — TAIL-PIECE, OUR CAMP — MOUNTAIN LIONS AT THE DEER CACHE.

X. THE WAPITI, OR ROUND-HORNED ELK

ILLUSTRATIONS: OUR ELK OUTFIT AT THE FORD — TAIL-PIECE — HERALDING THE SUNRISE.

XI. THE BIG-HORN SHEEP

ILLUSTRATIONS: A MOUNTAIN HUNTER — SHOT! — TAIL-PIECE, A MONTANA COWBOY.

XII. THE GAME OF THE HIGH PEAKS: THE WHITE GOAT

ILLUSTRATIONS: A PONY OF THE NORTHERN ROCKIES — INITIAL — IN A CAÑON OF THE COEUR D'ALÊNE — DOWN BRAKES! — THE INDIANS WE MET — THE FIRST SHOT — STALKING GOATS — THE WHITE GOAT AT HOME — TAIL-PIECE, ADIOS.

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