The Mexican is not a daredevil fatalist like the American cowpuncher, and the hazard of crossing the river was "a plenty" to inspire him to indolence and waiting. The foreman was J. S. Robb, well-known as a good cowman, who was worried by the delay. He finally obtained the assistance of Johnny Peters and Runey Campbell. The former "went the Long-long Trail" a number of years ago, being a resident of Scotlsbluff at the time, and the latter now lives near Gering. Robb has also taken the "Long Trail."

The cattle, after much effort were forced over the river bank, and away they went, swimming steadily, until about half-way across.

when the leaders turned an arc downstream and started to return. Peters, Campbell and the foreman plunged their horses in to turn them back, but in the turning they continued the arc, and in a few moments six thousand cattle were milling in midstream where the water was six or eight feet deep.

A fortune. $100,000.00 or more, was threatened with complete destruction. Three American cowboys' reputations were in the scales (it destiny. Six thousand cattle were circling in the vortex of a whirlpool. Waves radiated out, waves ten or twelve feet high, and the "troughs" between them bared the sand of the river bed.

On horse between the waves, the shores were hidden by walls of water, and then a ten foot wave would slap horse and rider in the face and roll over their heads, like a comber on the beach. The flaring cow-ponies met the succeeding waves head end. In the troughs between two waves their hoofs braced in the yielding sand, their ears back, and the waves often lifted them backward a few feet. Emerging the alert ears flipped the water off, and the riders quickly getting their bearings the horses moved rapidly as indicated by knee pressure and bridle rein.