Cowboy Codes of the West
The Western expansion of the United States lives on in legend – a long ago time when the possibilities of the frontier were endless, and anyone with a good work ethic had a shot at making something of themselves. All legends have some bearing in truth, and it is true that there was a code of ethics that followed these Cowboys up the trail with hundreds of heads of cattle, a chuckwagon, and a cook.
Most of these rules were unspoken, and most are still in use. One rule that’s antiquated, but still a good idea, is that no profanity is allowed around the chuckwagon when there is a woman in camp. The cook would tie a white kerchief up on a pole to notify Cowboys as they came into camp that a lady was present, and they better watch their manners. Now, I’ve heard some women that can cuss better than any Cowboy I’ve ever met, but still, watching your tongue around people you don’t know is generally a good idea in any situation.
We hope you enjoy this week’s episode, where I talk a little about some of my experiences on the trail, and what was expected of the ranch hands as they gathered around the wagon their twice-daily meals.