its territories included both the present counties of Eddy
and Chaves, and part of what is now Donna Ana. It extended west
practically as far the Rio Grande river, and embraced a tract of
mountains and high tableland nearly two hundred miles square. Out of
this mountain chain, to the east and southeast, ran two beautiful
mountain streams, the Bonito and the Ruidoso, flowing into the Hondo,
which continues on to the flat valley of the Pecos river--once the
natural pathway of the Texas cattle herds bound north to Utah and the
mountain territories, and hence the natural pathway also for many lawful
or lawless citizens from Texas.

At the close of the civil war, Texas was full of unbranded and unowned
cattle. Out of the town of Paris, Texas, which was founded by his
father, came one John Chisum--one of the most typical cow men that ever
lived. Bold, fearless, shrewd, unscrupulous, genial, magnetic, he was
the man of all others to occupy a kingdom which had heretofore had no
ruler.

John Chisum drove the first herds up the Pecos trail to the territorial
market. He held at one time perhaps eighty thousand head of cattle under
his brand of the "Long I" and "jinglebob." Moreover, he had powers of
attorney from a great many cow men in Texas and lower New Mexico,
authorizing him to take up any trail cattle which he found under their
respective brands. He carried a tin cylinder, large as a water-spout,
that contained, some said, more than a thousand of these powers of
attorney. At least, it is certain he had papers enough to give him a
wide authority. Chisum riders combed every north-bound herd. If they
found the cattle of any of his "friends," they were cut out and turned
on the Chisum range. There were many "little fellows," small cattlemen,
nested here and there on the flanks of the Chisum herds. What more
natural than that they should steal from him, in case they found a
market of their own? That was much easier than raising cows of their
own. Now, there was a market up this winding Bonito valley, at Lincoln
and Fort Stanton. The soldiers of the latter post, and the Indians of
the Mescalero reservation near by, needed supplies. There were others
besides John Chisum who might need a beef contract now and then, and
cattle to fill it.

[Illustration: JOHN SIMPSON CHISUM
A famous cattle king, died December 23, 1884]

At the end of the civil war, there was in New Mexico, with what was
known as the California Column, which joi