would have to be road-branded before starting, as they were in a dozen or more brands, the work being done in a chute built for that purpose.  My employer and I fully agreed on the quality of cattle to be received, and when possible we both passed on each tender of beeves before accepting them.  The two herds were being held separate, and a friendly rivalry existed between the outfits as to which herd would be ready to start first.  It only required a few days extra to receive and road-brand the outside cattle, when all were ready to start.  As Major Seth knew the most practical route, in deference to his years and experience I insisted that he should take the lead until after Red River was crossed.  I had been urging the Chisholm trail in preference to more eastern ones, and with the compromise that I should take the lead after passing Fort Worth, the two herds started on the last day of March.

There was no particular trail to follow.  The country was all open, and the grass was coming rapidly, while the horses and cattle were shedding their winter coats with the change of the season.  Fine weather favored us, no rains at night and few storms, and within two weeks we passed Fort Worth, after which I took the lead.  I remember that at the latter point I wrote a letter to the elder Edwards, inclosing my land scrip, and asking him to send a man out to my new ranch occasionally to see that the improvements were not destroyed.  Several herds had already passed the fort, their destination being the same as ours, and from thence onward we had the advantage of following a trail.  As we neared Red River, nearly all the herds bore off to the eastward, but we held our course, crossing into the Chickasaw Nation at the regular Chisholm ford.  A few beggarly Indians, renegades from the Kiowas and Comanches on the west, annoyed us for the first week, but were easily appeased with a lame or stray beef.  The two herds held rather close together as a matter of mutual protection, as in some of the encampments were fully fifty lodges with possibly as many able-bodied warriors.  But after crossing the Washita River no further trouble was encountered from the natives, and we swept northward at the steady pace of an advancing army.  Other herds were seen in our rear and front, and as we neared the Kansas line several long columns of cattle were sighted coming in over the safer eastern routes.

The last lap of the drive was reached.  A fortnight later we went into camp within twelve miles of Abilene, having been on the trail two months and eleven days.  The same week we moved north of the railroad, finding ample range within seven miles of town.  Herds were coming in rapidly, and it was important to secure good grazing grounds for our cattle.  Buyers were arriving from every territory in the Northwest, including California, while the usual contingent of Eastern dealers, shippers, and market-scalpers was on hand.  It could hardly be said that prices had yet opened, though