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incapable； it insisted on a loftiness of soul； a dignity； an aloofness from the
ordinary affairs of life； the ordinary occupations of thought hardly
compatible with the powers of any creature less noble； less aged； less wise
in the passing of centuries than itself。
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XIX
ON COWBOYS
Your cowboy is a species variously subdivided。 If you happen to be
traveled as to the wild countries； you will be able to recognize whence
your chance acquaintance hails by the kind of saddle he rides； and the
rigging of it； by the kind of rope he throws； and the method of the
throwing； by the shape of hat he wears； by his twist of speech； even by the
very manner of his riding。 Your California 〃vaquero〃 from the Coast
Ranges is as unlike as possible to your Texas cowman； and both differ
from the Wyoming or South Dakota article。 I should be puzzled to define
exactly the habitat of the 〃typical〃 cowboy。 No matter where you go； you
will find your individual acquaintance varying from the type in respect to
some of the minor details。
Certain characteristics run through the whole tribe； however。 Of
these some are so well known or have been so adequately done elsewhere
that it hardly seems wise to elaborate on them here。 Let us assume that
you and I know what sort of human beings cowboys are；with all their
taciturnity； their surface gravity； their keen sense of humor； their courage；
their kindness； their freedom； their lawlessness； their foulness of mouth；
and their supreme skill in the handling of horses and cattle。 I shall try to
tell you nothing of all that。
If one thinks down doggedly to the last analysis； he will find that the
basic reason for the differences between a cowboy and other men rests
finally on an individual liberty； a freedom from restraint either of society
or convention； a lawlessness； an accepting of his own standard alone。 He
is absolutely self… poised and sufficient； and that self…poise and that
sufficiency he takes pains to assure first of all。 After their assurance he is
willing to enter into human relations。 His attitude toward everything in
life is； not suspicious； but watchful。 He is 〃gathered together；〃 his
elbows at his side。
This evidences itself most strikingly in his terseness of speech。 A
man dependent on himself naturally does not give himself away to the first
comer。 He is more interested in finding out what the other fellow is than
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in exploiting his own importance。 A man who does much promiscuous
talking he is likely to despise； arguing that man incautious； hence weak。
Yet when he does talk； he talks to the point and with a vivid and direct
picturesqueness of phrase which is as refreshing as it is unexpected。 The
delightful remodeling of the English language in Mr。 Alfred Lewis's
〃Wolfville〃 is exaggerated only in quantity； not in quality。 No cowboy
talks habitually in quite as original a manner as Mr。 Lewis's Old Cattleman；
but I have no doubt that in time he would be heard to say all the good
things in that volume。 I myself have note…books full of just such
gorgeous language； some of the best of which I have used elsewhere； and
so will not repeat here。＇4＇
＇4＇ See especially Jackson Himes in The Blazed Trail； and
TheRawhide。
This vividness manifests itself quite as often in the selection of the
apt word as in the construction of elaborate phrases with a half…humorous
intention。 A cowboy once told me of the arrival of a tramp by saying；
〃He SIFTED into camp。〃 Could any verb be more expressive？ Does
not it convey exactly the lazy； careless； out…at…heels shuffling gait of the
hobo？ Another in the course of description told of a saloon scene； 〃They
all BELLIED UP TO the bar。〃 Again； a range cook； objecting to
purposeless idling about his fire； shouted： 〃If you fellows come
MOPING around here any more； I'LL SURE MAKE YOU HARD TO
CATCH！〃 〃Fish in that pond； son？ Why； there's some fish in there big
enough to rope；〃 another advised me。 〃I quit shoveling；〃 one explained
the story of his life； 〃because I couldn't see nothing ahead of shoveling but
dirt。〃 The same man described ploughing as； 〃Looking at a mule's tail all
day。〃 And one of the most succinct epitomes of the motifs of fiction was
offered by an old fellow who looked over my shoulder as I was reading a
novel。 〃Well； son；〃 said he； 〃what they doing now； KISSING OR
KILLING？〃
Nor are the complete phrases behind in aptness。 I have space for
only a few examples； but they will illustrate what I mean。 Speaking of a
companion who was 〃putting on too much dog；〃 I was informed； 〃He
walks like a man with a new suit of WOODEN UNDERWEAR！〃 Or
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again； in answer to my inquiry as to a mutual acquaintance； 〃Jim？ Oh；
poor old Jim！ For the last week or so he's been nothing but an
insignificant atom of humanity hitched to a boil。〃
But to observe the riot of imagination turned loose with the bridle off；
you must assist at a burst of anger on the part of one of these men。 It is
mostly unprintable； but you will get an entirely new idea of what profanity
means。 Also you will come to the conclusion that you； with your trifling
DAMNS； and the like； have been a very good boy indeed。 The remotest；
most obscure； and unheard of conceptions are dragged forth from earth；
heaven； and hell； and linked together in a sequence so original； so gaudy；
and so utterly blasphemous； that you gasp and are stricken with the most
devoted admiration。 It is genius。
Of course I can give you no idea here of what these truly magnificent
oaths are like。 It is a pity； for it would liberalize your education。
Occasionally； like a trickle of clear water into an alkali torrent； a straight
English sentence will drop into the flood。 It is refreshing by contrast； but
weak。
〃If your brains were all made of dynamite； you couldn't blow the top
of your head off。〃
〃I wouldn't speak to him if I met him in hell carrying a lump of ice in
his hand。〃
〃That little horse'll throw you so high the black… birds will build nests
in your hair before you come down。〃
These are ingenious and amusing； but need the blazing settings from
which I have ravished them to give them their due force。
In Arizona a number of us were sitting around the feeble camp…fire the
desert scarcity of fuel permits； smoking our pipes。 We were all
contemplative and comfortably silent with the exception of one very
youthful person who had a lot to say。 It was mainly about himself。
After he had bragged awhile without molestation； one of the older cow…
punchers grew very tired of it。 He removed his pipe deliberately； and
spat in the fire。
〃Say； son；〃 he drawled； 〃if you want to say something big； why don't
you say ‘elephant'？〃
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The young fellow subsided。 We went on smoking our pipes。
Down near the Chiracahua Range in southeastern Arizona； there is a
butte； and halfway up that butte is a cave； and in front of that cave is a
ramshackle porch…roof or shed。 This latter makes the cave into a
dwelling…house。 It is inhabited by an old 〃alkali〃 and half a dozen bear
dogs。 I sat with the old fellow one day for nearly an hour。 It was a