All language subtitles for Centennial 06 The Longhorns.eng

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NARRATOR:
The War Between the States tore the nation apart.

Fort Sumter, Bull Run,

Chickamauga, Shiloh,

Vicksburg and,
finally, Appomattox.

Colorado had survived
the Civil War without coming under fire.

But it had been
the battleground of another bloody conflict

over who was rightful ruler
of the land.

The Indians, who had
roamed its open spaces for hundreds of years

or the white man
who had come to build forts and start farms.

There had been a disgraceful
massacre by an obsessed militia colonel

named Frank Skimmerhorn,

and retaliation led by
the Cheyenne chief, Broken Thumb

and the Pasquinel brothers.

During the hostilities,
men of honor, like Major Maxwell Mercy,

worked tirelessly to
bring about a lasting peace.

Men of integrity,
like the trader, Levi Zendt, stood their ground.

Men of vision, like
the farmer, Hans Brumbaugh, began to prosper.

And now, as peace prevailed,
yet another kind of man returned.

His name was Oliver Seccombe.
And Seccombe was a dreamer.

It was what brought him west
with Levi and Elly Zendt in 1844

and what kept him going
when Levi and Elly turned back.

Now he would found an empire
from the dream of a lifetime.

A ranch that would spread
from the Rocky Mountains on the west

to the Nebraska border.

A 150-mile stretch
running 50 miles from north to south.

A landholding that dominated
an area of 5, 760,000 acres.

A ranch called Venneford.

To make this ranch prosper,
Seccombe needed two things,

cattle tough enough to survive
on the open range,

and men tough enough
to bring them to him.

The cattle were in Texas,

a sturdy, wild breed
called longhorns.

The men would be
found there, too.

And the man he sent
to find them was John Skimmerhorn.

(SINGING IN SPANISH)

Meat and onions.

(WHISTLING)

Se�or, I no steal!

Don't worry.

What's that you're cooking?

Se�or, onions.

So it is.
It just smells like a lot more.

You want some?

Yeah, thanks.

Delicious.

What's in it
onions and peppers and sage?

If you know what's in it,
then it isn't done right.

You want some more?

Listen to me. I have
some real beef here.

You think we
could put a little... Real beef?

With real beef, se�or,
we will have a feast!

JOHN: I haven't had
anything tasted that good since back home in Minnesota.

Minnesota? Where is that?

You never heard
of Minnesota?

No, se�or.

Well, it's a place
a long way from here.

Good farmland.

A farm! Yes, I come
from farm, too. You know Santa Ynez in Mexico?

Hmm. You a farmer?

No, se�or.

Everything I plant won't
even grow in Minnesota,

but what I cook
tastes good, s�?

Best I ever tasted.

So what do you do?

I cook.

For who?

No work now.

How'd you like to ride for me?
Tend to the horses, do the cooking?

Where you heading
to, se�or? Who knows?

Wherever I can find a trail
boss that'll drive a herd north for me.

Going to Kansas?
Colorado.

(EXCLAIMS)

What's the matter?

I've always wanted
to see Colorado.

Well, then, that's settled.

My name's Skimmerhorn.
John Skimmerhorn.

Skimmerhorn? Are you the man
who fought the Indians?

You never heard of Minnesota,
but you heard of Skimmerhorn, huh?

No, I heard of the massacre,
se�or. I mean, everybody's heard it.

That was my father.

Did you go with him?

No.
Thanks for the meal.

Se�or?

My name is Gomez.
Ignacio Gomez.

My friends call me Nacho.

I think I know where
we can find a man to drive your cattle.

Where's that?

In Palo Pinto County.

Poteet.
His name is R.J. Poteet.

I heard the men
talk about him.

He's...
He's a tall man.

He knows cattle and he knows
how to drive them.

Palo Pinto County,
where is that?

Oh, two, three days
from here if we ride hard.

We?

I'm sorry for the way I acted.

I should know, like everyone
else, a man can't help what his family does.

My own brother, he's a priest.

R. J. Poteet!

Poteet?

I'm Poteet.

I'm Skimmerhorn,
down from Colorado.

Well, what can I do for you,
Mr. Skimmerhorn?

I want you
to put me together a good mixed herd.

Well, why mix?
If you're selling beef, steers'll trail a lot better.

I'm not selling.
We're starting a ranch.

How many you need?

Two, three thousand.

Well, we can get them for you.

But can you get them north?

Well, you know,

if we tried pushing them
across western Kansas,

we'll be lucky to keep
half the herd, I've tried that.

What can we do?

That all depends on you.

What do you mean?

Well, there's another way,
but I wouldn't wanna force it on you.

What way?

About two years ago,
a man named Goodnight,

he was something,
he headed 2,000 critters far south of here,

right straight across
the desert,

then swung them
north to Colorado, and Wyoming.

The desert?

That way, his greatest risk
was nature, not the Indians or outlaws.

Could it be done again?

It could.

What are your terms?

Eighty cents a head for
every animal I deliver.

I pay the crew,
you furnish the horses.

How soon could we
get started?

Well, the way the weather
is shaping up, I'd say a week, 10 days.

Mr. Poteet, you're the man
I've been looking for.

Tomorrow, we can put together
the herd, you pick your men and we'll head north.

Well, we could start buying
right now. Let's go.

Who's the Mexican?

Nacho.
He'll be the cook.

Not on my trail, he won't.

(SPEAKING SPANISH)
You skinny little, half-baked excuse for a dough-puncher.

Who the hell told you
you could ride trail with a Texan?

(SPEAKING SPANISH)
I was riding trail in this territory

when you were still learning
to speak my language

and riding the chuck line,
you big, overgrown, bed louse.

Hey!

Wait just a minute.

What kind of cocinero are you
to be calling me names?

I am the cocinero who's gonna
fill your big overblown belly when it's empty,

and pour a bottle
of painkiller in it when it's aching.

I'm the cocinero who's
gonna hold your bets, settle your quarrels,

listen to your complaints
and hear your confessions.

I keep my wagon packed tight
and my coffee's always hot.

If I didn't think that
you were testing me, se�or,

I will be holding this
the way it should be held.

And you,

you will be blowing hot airs
out of more holes than one.

He's a cook?

(SIGHING)

(CHUCKLING)

(GUNS FIRING)

Brumbaugh?

Seccombe.

Looks like you
bought out the store.

Well, I don't get
to town that often.

I heard you had quite
a harvest. Potatoes? Mostly.

What precious little food
was transported out here,

I imagine your vegetables
sold at a premium.

I suppose you know my profits
just as good as I do.

I made inquiries.

And that Mr. Farwell,
that came out to ask about buying my land,

that was another one
of your inquiries?

Farwell?

Let's don't waste the time.
You wanna buy my land.

I don't intend to sell.

You haven't heard
my best offer.

I heard what happened
to Henry Kolvig when he said no to your best offer.

That's a calumny I don't
have to suffer, sir.

I was in Chicago at the time.

You wired a lawyer
to buy his land before Henry was buried.

I will not be called
a murderer.

And I won't sell my land.

Mr. Brumbaugh,
I need your water. So do I.

For potatoes? I'm bringing
3,000 head of cattle onto this land.

I'm creating an industry
that will make the territory ready for statehood.

I know what you're doing,
Seccombe.

You're taking advantage
of the Homestead Act.

You get people to prove up
every piece of land that has water on it

and sell it back to you
for next to nothing,

then you control all
the dry land around it

because no one
but you will be able to work your water.

Well, that's a real good idea,

but it doesn't happen
to be what the Homestead Act was passed for.

It was passed so men coming
out of the war with nothing

could work hard
on land that they own.

So they could know
some dignity they lost in the terrible fight.

It was passed for farmers,
not cows.

And not a bunch of
fancy-pantsed English Lords

sitting in their mansions
6,000 miles away.

You really can't see
what this ranch will do for this territory, can you?

See what you think
it could do for you.

Tell you flat out,
you send any nightriders onto my land,

you won't live to see
if a Texas cow gets here or not.

RACHEL: Howdy, Mr. Poteet.

Rachel, Nate, say hello
to John Skimmerhorn.

Same name, different man.

How do you do,
Mr. Skimmerhorn?

Ma'am.

Howdy.

Nate.

How you doing,
Nate?

Not bad.

We got the children dressed.
I'm getting work here and there.

When you and Mrs. Poteet
gonna start bringing me your washing?

Oh, any day now, Rachel.

We're heading north.

When?

Now.

It'll be seven
or eight months up and back.

I guess you heard
I had to sell my horse.

Yeah.

Well, you can
throw your saddle on Baldy here.

He looks sound.
He is.

Rachel.
Mr. Poteet. Mr. Skimmerhorn.

JOHN: Mrs. Person.

Tell the boys
I said goodbye.

How big a herd?

Twenty-eight hundred.

Buy them already?

Shook hands.

Some from Lem Frater, Pardees,
Richardson boys,

old Cy Fitch.

We'll pick them up
in Jacksborough.

Where we heading them? Kansas?

Colorado.

Colorado?

Starting a ranch up there.

That means you'll
be trailing bulls.

That too tough a job for you?

You know I ain't one
for complaining.

What trail are you planning
on taking?

The way Mr. Goodnight went.

Llano Estacado?

POTEET: Same.

You any idea
of the Llano Estacado?

Mr. Poteet says that way
avoids the Comanches and the Kansas outlaws.

It does that.

It's got one stretch
of 70 miles.

POTEET: More like 80, 90.

An agonizing trail.

It's 200 miles out of the way,
south of New Mexico.

That 90-mile stretch
ain't got a single drop of water.

He's the boss.

Oh, he's loco.

Beats grubbing day work
from the likes of Clem Goodly, don't it?

All to hell.
Boss.

Canby!

Yo, Mule!

Must be out back.

Well, hello, Poteet.
I hear you're buying cattle like crazy.

We're leaving for Colorado.

Uh-huh, well,
I sort of figured you might need me.

When?
Now.

Sounds good. You wanna buy
my string of horses? They're right over there.

Well, if they're any good.

Why don't you look them over
while I get my guns, huh?

See you in a little bit,
be right back.

Do it.

He's got some beauties.
I'd recommend you buy them all.

Well, it'll cost you.

He loves his horses.

Well, you can't get animals
like this in Jacksborough.

And I'd like to use Canby
at point along with Nate.

Would make him feel real good
if we met his price at the beginning.

Point?

Yeah, when you get
your cattle strung out on the trail,

you want your two best men
riding up front

on the left and right
of the lead steer and a little bit ahead.

That way,
if something happens,

you don't have time
to explain nothing.

Your points gotta take
responsibility on their own.

Now Nate here is the best
I've ever seen.

And I trust Canby, too.

Well, let's buy his horses,
if his price isn't robbery.

It will be.

Well, how you like them? Huh?

They're good enough.
How much?

Well, ten dollars a horse.

Ten dollars?

Stock this good in
Colorado would go for...

You sure drive
a hard bargain there, Canby.

Well, R.J.,
them horses have hard feet.

I'll give you $45
for the lot.

You got yourself a deal.

You Skimmerhorn?
Yes, sir.

Real pleasure.
Nate, you and me riding point, are we?

Yeah, that's right.
Well, that's good. Good.

Listen here now,
Skimmerhorn...

Look, I appreciate you know
a good horse from a bad one,

but you mind some advice?
No.

Let R.J. here watch
your money, okay?

I'll do that, Canby.
Okay.

Man can't trust R.J. Poteet,

he can't trust nobody.

We riding
or lollygagging?

We're riding.

Hey.

Mike Laseter.

I know.

We're gonna need
another seven hands, R.J.

He stole horses.

Well, I know, but that
was a long time ago.

You won't find a better
cowboy in the whole county.

I'll get them in Jacksborough.

Canby.
Hello, Mike.

Mr. Poteet,
I'm Mike Laseter.

I know who you are.

I'd like to ride
with you.

Don't need you.

Well, you need a good dozen.
I count only four.

Five.

The pepper-gut?

He's no thief.

Now how is it a man like you,
goes off to war, loses all his money, he can earn it back?

A man like me,

he looses his good name,
he can't earn it back no matter how hard he tries?

I been looking on a lot
of trails, Mr. Poteet.

I been crossing rivers
from sundown to hell.

Mr. Poteet?

He can ride.

I'll even ride drag.
You need a good man back there in the dust.

All right.

All right, Laseter.
But let me spell out my rules real clear.

Now, a man needs work as bad
as you say you do, I'll see that he gets it.

He's hungry,
I'll see he gets fed.

He needs shelter,
I'll see he gets a warm bunk,

but, by God,
he steals from me,

I'll see he's hanged.

Thank you, sir!

You know where
he's taking us?

Llano Estacado.

Mr. Goodnight
when he come back

he called it the graveyard
of cowman's hopes.

All gotta get buried sometime,
might as well be with a man like R.J. Poteet.

Nacho, give Sanderson
a look at this. Tell him I want a special type wagon

with something like a desk
on the rear end there,

plenty of drawers to hold
things, table top pulls out when we stop.

NACHO: You drew this?

I'm no artist.

The drawers, how big?

Well, I'm no
cabinetmaker either.

Just give it to Sanderson.
He'll figure it out.

And barrels.
This should have two barrels.

One for flour,
one for beans.

Beans? You danged Mexicans
can't live without beans, can you?

The way he makes them, you'll
think you were part Mexican yourself, Canby.

All right, Nacho,
it's your wagon.

You want some barrels
on there, just build them on.

Yeah, but hooks,
we need hooks all around...

Tell it to Sanderson,
will you?

Okay, boss.
We're gonna build us some wagon!

Beans.

We got some
hands to hire.

Those are the trail hands
you said were waiting?

We all looked like that
at sixteen.

Yeah, but we weren't
trailing cattle.

I was.

Hey, that's our toughest job.
Taking them as calves

and turning them
into strong young bulls.

I'm Poteet.

Well, I guess
you heard that I... I need an outfit.

I'm glad to say,
I don't see a coward among you.

Coward would never come
looking for trail work.

But a weakling...

A weakling won't start this
drive, I don't care how much sand he shows.

Man's unfit, never make it
to where we're headed.

Now the kind of men
that I'm looking for,

will fight just because
I ask them to.

They'll lose
three nights' sleep hand-running,

spend 72 hours in the saddle
without a rest

just because there's
a job to be done.

And each one knows
that he's the only one that can do it.

Now the herd's being held
just south of town.

Anybody feels he measures up,
I'll see him there at 2:00.

POTEET: Come on. Come on.

It's a Crown V.
What do you think?

I like it.
Good!

But I thought it was just
gonna be a V.

Well, an outfit
down the line's already using that.

I tried Lazy V,
Bar V, Diamond V,

they were all taken.
Then I remembered that you said

this Venneford fella
was a king or something.

An earl.

Yeah. Well, anyway, I figured
he'd be wearing a crown.

And even if he don't,
his cattle can.

Boss?
Hmm?

It's about 2:00.

Thank you.

What's your name, son?

Ragland, sir.

Trailed before?

No, sir.

Well, you're an honest man,
Mr. Ragland.

Don't let this drive
change you none.

No, sir. Thank you, sir.

Name?

Calendar.

Anybody tell you
where we're headed?

Just so it's out of here.

You in trouble?

Well, not
with the law.

You'll do.

What's your name,
cowboy?

Savage, sir.
William Savage.

Ever do any soldiering?

My daddy did.
Before the war. Fighting Apaches.

(CHUCKLES)

Well, step over there,
Mr. Savage.

Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

I know you?

No, sir.

You sure?

Yes, sir.

It was my brother.
He served in your company, Captain Poteet.

Gompert?

Yes, sir.

Of course.
He's a brave man.

Yes, sir.

My mother read me
your letter.

She know you're here?

She died last year, sir.

Well, Mr. Gompert,
why don't you

uncinch your saddle there
and throw it on one of our horses.

That old nag that you're
riding doesn't look like she's up to where we're headed.

Yes, sir.

Is that it?

Well, I could use another one,
I don't know where I'll find him.

What about the loner,
sitting on the ground?

Call him Buck.
I hear he's a pretty good man with a remuda

if you can stand
the smell. Huh.

Yeah, he's
a wonderful-looking sort all right.

Well, he ain't got to
hang around too close.

Well, if he's good
with horses, hire him, smell or not.

Agreed.

Buck?
Sir?

Need a wrangler.
Can you handle it?

You bet.

Well, listen, why don't you
get acquainted with the stock?

They're in your hands now.

You bet.

Well, boys, that's it.
Thanks for turning out.

Who's the boss?

There's a hole
in that saddle.

Yeah, that's a McClellan.

Looks like a pincher to me.

Where's the horn?

POTEET:
That ain't a real saddle.

Not for a man, anyways.

(COWBOYS WHOOPING)

One of you be the boss?

You're looking at him.

My name is Coker.
Buford Coker, they call me Bufe.

Yeah, Mr. Coker.
Where'd you get the saddle?

Took it off
on a blue-coat officer.

That revolver.
That's a LeMat?

Where'd you get the LeMat?

Took it off
on a gray-coat officer.

Where you from?

South Calinky.

You sure
you want to go north?

Well, sir, I been moving
for some time now.

Well, we might find
a place for you.

Mexican over at the wagon shop
said there was one.

Well, I said we might find
a place for you. Depends on whether my top hand here

thinks you fit.

I'll fit.

Mr. Person, you think
you can work with this young gentleman?

This trail could be
as dangerous as that war you was in, soldier.

You ever run from
anything, Mr. Person?

Nothing worth remembering.

Well, neither have I.

I think he might be
a good one, Mr. Poteet.

You think you can work
with Mr. Person?

Well, I worked
with Colonel Biggerstaff,

I figure if you can work
with a son-of-a...

Well, a hard-tail
like that,

a man ought to be able
to work with a gentleman like Mr. Person here.

All right, Coker.
This gentleman'll cut you out a horse.

All right, boys.
Let's get them branded.

POTEET:
Pick it up!

LASETER: Believe this is
about the best branding I've ever been to.

With damn good whiskey, too.

I ain't had none this good
since I was in Abilene with old O.D. Cleaver.

O.D. Cleaver?
You know old O.D.?

Know him? Hell, me
and old O.D. was in a brawl one night so bad,

old O.D. woke up
in the morning with a broken leg,

one arm in a sling,
his head in a bandage,

one of his eyes
is all black shut.

That's O.D. all right.

Well, now, he come to me
the next morning, he says,

"What in the world
happened last night?"

And I told him, "Well,

"you know that old
drummer boy?

"Well, you bet him
that you could jump out the window,

"fly plum around the hotel

"and come back in
the very same window."

You mean to tell me
he was your friend and you let him do that?

Let him? I lost 10 dollars
on him myself.

(ALL LAUGHING)

(WHOOPING)

Jeez, Buck! I wish you'd
either stay with the horses or walk downwind.

Yeah, Buck.

Yeah, what's the matter,
don't you like water?

No, I ain't afraid of water.

Matter of fact,
I kind of appreciate it every once in a while.

For a chaser.

Now, Buck, that is
the one time I don't like it. Puts the fire out.

Now you think Canby here
likes his whiskey,

it ain't nothing like
the Injuns go crazy for it.

Few months back, I'm riding
with O.D. Cleaver myself

and both of us got us a quart
in our saddle pockets,

and we meet this Injun.

Well, sir, he sees what we got
and he offers us the horse he are riding,

and another one he's leading,
for that red-eye.

I'm telling you,
a man wants a saddle horse, those two were worth

$100 each and
we only paid $6 for that tonsil-varnish we're packing.

It was so bad,
it'd raise blister on a rawhide boot.

Well, did you
make the trade?

Trade? Hell, no.
It was all the booze we had.

Well, better drink up.

That's the last whiskey
anybody gets for months.

There'll be no drinking.

If I catch anybody
on the trail with a bottle, he gets paid off fast.

Less the cost of one horse,
which he can take with him along with his own.

Now, come on now, R.J.

There'll be no
gambling, either.

What?

None! Absolutely none.

It breeds discontent

and I aim to ride
a peaceable trail.

Now there's some trail bosses
who don't even allow swearing,

but I don't see how
in the hell

that we can handle 2,800
of these ornery bastards without it.

Well, that's the law.

It's easy to understand,
it's easy to keep.

Couple of other things.

You keep your gun
in your belts.

I don't want no gunfire,
not even in a stampede.

Waving your hat,
that's a lot better for heading off steers.

And if the time comes
that we need guns,

you'll know it.

Now the most important thing.

We got a bunch of younger
fellas with us this time,

so maybe I should remind
everybody what a cowboy is.

Sometimes he has
to fight Indians.

Sometimes he requires fancy
riding and tricky rope work,

which I'm sure
all of you can do.

And at other times,
especially in Kansas,

he has to protect his herd
against outlaws.

And when he comes to towns,
which we won't be doing on this trail,

he's supposed to drink
his weight in liquor and throw his money to the girls.

(ALL LAUGHING)

Well, all that to one side.

It's important,
but it ain't necessary.

Now, to me a cowboy is a man
that tends cows.

All day, every day.

And Mr. Skimmerhorn's cows
out yonder, that's the reason that we're here.

And getting them to Colorado
in one piece,

that's
your only responsibility.

I hope you understand that.

God help you if you don't.

(MEN GOADING CATTLE)

Shoo, cow.
Shoo, cow. Shoo.

Shoo cow.

(WHISTLING)

(WHISTLING)

Let's take them north!

Come on, Apple.

(WHOOPING)

(MEN GOADING CATTLE)

Can I help you, son?

Yes, sir, I'm looking
for Mr. R.J. Poteet.

You found him.

Mr. Poteet, my ma says to
please ride over and see her.

Who's your ma?

Emma Lloyd.

You Tom Lloyd's boy?

Yes, sir.

(CHUCKLES)

Well, how is old Tom?

(SIGHS)

He's dead. He didn't
get back from the war.

What's your name, son?

Jim.

Nacho, get word to Nate
that he's to take the herd till I get back.

Yes, sir.

Emma?

R.J., Bless me,
you look just fine.

Just fine!

Jim here told me
that Tom didn't make it back.

Him and too many others.

What can I do for you?

I need you to buy
my cattle, R.J.

Well, pretty much
got my string, Emma.

So Jim told me
when he got back from Jacksborough.

I sent him
to offer ours there.

Got there too late.

I rode all night,
but you's all gone when I got there.

Well, Emma, we just got about
every head that we need.

I'm sure of it, R.J.,

but, well, we haven't had
a cent of spending money in over a year.

I just gotta sell my cattle.

How many kids you got?

Three boys.
Jim's the oldest.

Could I see the others?

Boys, come on out here.

This is J. C.

and this is little Tom.

Yeah, he... He does
favor him some.

Boys, this is Mr. R.J. Poteet,

a good friend of your father's
for many years.

And of mine.

Howdy.

J.C.

Now, the reason
that I'm here is

because you brother
told me about your pa,

and I reckon that if it
was me that didn't make it back instead of him,

I'd like to think that he'd
look in on my family

if they ask.

And I'd like to think
he'd light into them a little, if they needed it

and I think that you boys
just might need it.

You ought to clean
this place up. Cattle out there.

Could be in lot better shape
than it is. A lot better.

Jim, do you do the chores?
Help your ma?

I mean, you're men now,
and you got to begin to act like it.

(SIGHING)

(SIGHING)

I'll take your cattle, Emma.
How many you got?

Hundred and fifty.

I'll take them
on consignment.

Two dollars a head now,
plus whatever I can get at Fort Sumner.

Thank God.
Oh, God bless you, R.J.

Oh, Jim?

There's one more thing.

What's that?

Would you consider
taking Jim with you?

Well, he's only a boy.

Just said I was a man.

How old are you, Jim?

Sixteen.

That's impossible.

Your mother here's
only sixteen.

Your pa and me,
we've been arguing all week

about who's gonna ask her
to the dance down at the church in Jacksborough.

(CHUCKLING)

As I remember,
your pa took her on account I couldn't find a clean shirt.

Sixteen.

Well, I guess
if Tom Lloyd's boy says so, it's gotta be a fact.

I've seen you ride,
can you throw a rope?

Yes, sir.

It's a deal.

But when the trail's over,
you don't get any wages.

Why not?

Because I'm giving them
to your mother now.

Well, I'm telling you,
it's unlucky.

Yep, I've heard.
Me, too.

Thirteen men.
That ain't no way to trail cattle.

Something wrong, boys?

GOMPERT: Well, we got
ourselves 13 now, Mr. Poteet.

Nothing against him,
but we got ourselves an unlucky number now.

Who says?

Come on, Mr. Poteet.

Everybody knows
13's bad luck.

Well, that's a fact.

That's right.

You wouldn't catch me
trailing with 13 men in an outfit neither, no!

But that's not what
we got here.

Begging your pardon,
sir, but...

I think what Mr. Poteet means,
boys, is that

I represent the owners

and, so, that means
this outfit really only has twelve.

Is that right,
Mr. Poteet?

That's exactly right,
Mr. Skimmerhorn.

I don't think anybody's ever
heard of twelve being unlucky, have they?

You know, I think they
tricked us.

How's that?

Now you watch.

If someone else wants to join
up, they'll count Skimmerhorn

and say it still isn't
thirteen, it's fourteen.

Well, that's why we're
just the punchers,

and they're the owners.

Don't take it
personal, Jim.

You know, the best of men

we'll never ride with
in anyplace on this earth,

but the worst of them
ain't all that bad either.

Trouble?

Old Man Taylor was born
thinking trouble.

Better hold the herd,
Mr. Skimmerhorn,

get Nate and Canby,
anybody else we can spare, make sure they're armed.

Yes, sir.
Come on!

Howdy, R.J.

Uncle Dick.

We heard you was moving north.

That's right.

I guess you don't
recollect this crossing's on my spread.

It's always been open.

Well, things ain't exactly
like they used to be, R.J.

You kind of have to
think different now.

Just how is it you're
thinking, Uncle Dick?

Well, I was thinking

you brought your herd
up to the crossing to water them down

for a long hard drive.

Now if you back them out of
here, the nearest crossing is gonna put you a fair piece

out of the way, not to mention
the time I don't suppose you'd want to be losing.

You got a price
on that inconvenience?

Well, let's say
ten cents a head.

Say that's too much.

Well, this is my crossing
and that's my price.

Well, I'm bringing through
2,950 head.

R.J., we'll do the counting.
You just do the paying.

You're being downright
unreasonable, Uncle Dick.

I'm being downright
practical, R.J.

I own this land
and you'll pay to cross it.

Or what?

Or I'll stampede that herd
from here to Mexico.

Well, I'll tell you,
Uncle Dick,

if you try and stampede
that herd,

I sure hope you got a shovel.

A shovel?

Yeah.

Cook broke the handle
out of ours.

You go to stampeding
my cattle and I aim to kill you.

Unless you got a shovel,
we can' t get you buried.

Well, you can't talk to
a Taylor like that!

When I'm talking
to the wrong end of a horse, I'll talk any way I see fit.

Hold it!

Anybody else honing
for a fight? Better get your praying done.

Those men behind him
are scared, Uncle Dick.

That's a fact.

But a steady man like R.J.
here is just trying to make a point.

Scared men kill.

Tell you what
I'm gonna do, R.J.

Five cents a head.

Four, and I do the counting.

(CHUCKLES)

Done.

All right, boys,
let's bring them through, we're burning daylight.

(COWBOYS EXCLAIMING)

Fine!

Hey, Buck,
you gonna wash up?

Not likely.

Buck, what's the Lord gonna
say when you get up in heaven smelling the way you do?

It's just my body
that smells.

And I plan on leaving
that down here.

(LAUGHING)

You picked some good ones.

Looks like.

You know, they were all ready
to stand behind you.

Well, I'll tell you,
that was the easy part.

The other side of this water
the ground gets so hard

that we'll cross it
without leaving track.

Then we'll run into
a stretch of alkali.

Get in your nose, your throat,
your boots and your privates.

If it gets in your water,
it'll rust your boilers.

Enough of it'll kill
the orneriest steer in the herd,

but even knowing that,
you'll drink it

'cause it could be
all that you'll find.

What I'm telling you,
Mr. Skimmerhorn, is,

I'm getting ready to lead
this outfit into hell for a while.

Now, I think that I can
lead us out again, but there's no guarantee.

I didn't ask for any.

That's right, you didn't.

Bring them up in here!

Yeah!

(MEN GOADING CATTLE)

Come on. Come on.

Here, cattle. Here, cattle.

Llano Estacado.
What's it mean?

Staked plains.

When Spanish explorers
first crossed it,

they drove stakes
in the ground so they could find their way back.

Stakes still there?

(CHUCKLES)

Kind of wish
that you hadn't asked that.

(HARMONICA PLAYING)

Strange not seeing
a single tree.

Indians call it the land of
the backshade people.

Backshade?

Not a single shrub,
or a tree.

Man's got to sit
in the shade of his own back.

What are you doing?

The North Star.

See, when it's gone
in the morning,

tongue of the wagon
will point the way.

The star tells the time too,
when you're riding nighthawk.

How?

Every 24 hours
the Big Dipper swings completely around it.

It won't take you long to know
when two hours have passed

that's how long
it takes you to ride.

My people call it
El reloj de los Yaquis.

The clock of the Yaquis.

(LASETER SINGING)

Mr. Poteet.

Laseter.

Everything quiet?

Like a church.

Well, that worries me some.

Why's that?

Well, I gotta figure
that what you know about a church

wouldn't fit into
a spent cartridge.

(CANBY SINGING)

That Canby?

Should be.

POTEET: Well...

What happened,
them beans get to you?

Don't go riding my cook.
He's a good one.

I'd never thought
I'd see the day, R.J.

You seeing anything out there
or you riding around with your eyes closed as usual?

Saw O.D. Cleaver.

Something on your mind?

Mescalero Apache country.

We raise a lot of dust.

Yeah.
I thought about that, too.

They see it,
they might get curious.

Tomorrow I'm gonna send Nate
on up ahead to scout.

He can keep his eye open
for trouble

and water.

Good idea.
You want me to take left point?

Yeah.

Mike,

with the boy riding drag,
I want you to take over up front on the right.

I'll take care of it,
real good, Mr. Poteet.

I know.
Just keep your ears forward.

Them Apaches can slip
the boots right off your feet.

(SIGHING)

(SINGING)

(WHISTLING)

(HORSE NEIGHING)

My horse.

That was my bay out there!
Somebody got her!

Mine, too.

They got mine.
Who was it?

Apaches.
Let's get them!

JOHN: Wait! Wait!
Nobody's going anywhere!

They got my horse!

No, wait! Now,
a few horses are not worth losing the whole herd!

Ah, Mr. Poteet,

Indians took some horses.

They got my bay out there,
and I'm going after it!

Gompert!

You ride out,
you keep going right on back to Jacksborough.

Now, those Indians
just stole a few horses.

They've been doing that
for centuries.

I want everybody mounted up
and on guard for a stampede,

not an Indian attack.

And the first man
that fires a gun, and I don't care for what,

better be ready
to use it again

when he sees me
coming for him.

All right, you heard the man.
Move out!

And move out quiet.

Mr. Canby!
Hmm?

Mr. Poteet said I should
ask you to lend me a gun.

But I wanna buy it.

With what?

With money. When I get paid.

You ain't getting paid.
Everybody knows R.J. gave your wages to your ma.

Well, I'll get the money
somehow.

Well, I got me
an Army Colt, so I guess I...

I could borrow it to you.

I don't want to borrow it.
I want to buy it.

All right.
Ten dollars.

And I'll throw in the bullets.

I'll pay you someday.
That's a promise.

Fair enough.

Don't put no cartridge
beneath the hammer.

Why not?
One good bump and you'll be shy a foot.

Man who packs six cartridges
don't know dung from wild honey.

That's true enough.

Man can't do the job
in five shots,

it's time he got the hell out
of whatever it was he is in.

Might as well saddle up.

Never carried a gun before.

Well, you're a man now.
It's time.

See, God made some men big
and some men small...

But Colonel Colt,
he made them all equal.

Did you ever
fight with one?

Only way I know how.

Good Lord wanted me
to fight like a dog,

he'd have given me
long teeth and claws.

You ever kill anybody?

Once.

Why?

'Cause he was a thief.

Outlaw.

And just a little slow.

CANBY:
That, too.

Jim, boss wants us
to gather up them strays, he's ready to move.

Right.

Thank you again, Mr. Canby.

Jim?

There's just one rule

I want you to promise
you'll keep.

If you ever have to face
a man with that gun...

Yes, sir?

You always look that man
square in the eye.

Let him know
what you aim to do.

Don't never smile and shoot.

I'll promise you that, too,
Mr. Canby.

(MEN WHISTLING)

(MEN GOADING CATTLE)

Mr. Poteet? I can handle them.

It's not you, Bufe,
it's them.

They know that
there's water behind them, not much up ahead.

A normal run,
it's the point that needs special attention.

A Hell's Reach like this,
it's the drag

so they don't
turn back on us.

Mr. Skimmerhorn?

What's Colorado like?

Clean.

I like it already.

It's bound to be one of
the great states someday.

Better than Texas?

Better scenery.

Better chance
for a young man.

You lived there long?

A year.

You have a family?

Wife, daughter.

And a son on the way!

(LAUGHING)

Hey cow!

Gap's dead ahead.
Fourteen miles past it's the Pecos.

How's the water?

Sweet in one spot.

North and south it's all
stagnant, pure alkali. Kill every cow that drinks it.

Is it marked?

There's a sign that says
Horsehead Crossing.

Line of skulls
tell you why.

Well, tell Nacho to let you
sleep in the wagon for a spell. You look peaked.

(GOADING CATTLE)

Here, haul up there!
Let her go!

She's one of ma's,
Mr. Poteet. She's hurting bad.

Needs water.
Some of them don't make it.

It's all right, son.

Jim! Jim!

Get up, Bessie.
Please get up!

Is that Jim?

One we bought
from his ma.

Get up! Get up!

(SOBBING)

(GUN SHOT)

I raised her.

She dropped good calves.

You did right.

I won't ever see
my mother again.

There's no way
of knowing that, Jim.

I know.

I won't ever see her again.

My brothers, either.

I won't ever go back.

Jim.

You ready now?

Yes, sir.

POTEET: Don't let them
go through the water! Stop them!

Hold those cattle!

(YELLS)

Come on, Canby,
get over there! Watch where you're going!

Open them cattle!

Break them up!

(GOADING CATTLE)

Dust, hell.

That alkali weren't nothing

to what me
and old O.D. Cleaver come through

when we was finishing up
an Indian scout one time.

Nothing could've been worse
than that alkali.

I don't see how.

I'll tell you how.

Wind never stopped blowing,
that's how.

Three days and three nights.

Sand covered up
every blade of grass, even the mesquite bushes.

We's riding down through
the sand hills between El Paso and Alamogordo,

now you know
what that's like.

I'll take it to that alkali.

Well, that's 'cause
you wasn't there when we found the hat.

The hat?
Yes, sir.

A man's hat lying there
on top a sand dome

when the wind died down.

Was a real nice hat, too.
Like someone cared for it real good.

So old O.D.,
he climbs down to pick it up, don't you know,

smack underneath it

there's a head.

A head?

What did you do?

Well, I climbed down
beside old O.D.

and we start scratching
the sand out of the eyes,

and the ears, and the mouth
with our fingers

and then danged if that old
head didn't look right smack up at both of us

and start talking...

It talked?
That's right.

What did it say?

It says,
"Get a shovel, boys,

"I'm on horseback."

Jim, I think there's
some strays over there

I'm gonna go check up
in this draw here.

Oh, there you are, huh?

Okay, now.
Come on, cow, let's go. Back to the herd.

POTEET: Comanches!

What are they doing
so far west?

Looking for more
than horses.

Ragland!

Keep the herd over there!
I don't want a stampede!

(GUNS FIRING)

(WHOOPING)

Canby!
My arm. I think it's coming off.

Stay down, you hear?
You just stay right there.

Shoot! You!

POTEET: All right, boys!

Hold your fire!

You held them, boys!
You held them!

They won't be coming back.

You all right,
Mr. Skimmerhorn? Yes, sir. Good work, Nate!

Thank you.
You all ought to seen old Jim.

He dropped that chief when
he was right on top of me.

I killed him?
I sure as hell didn't.

(STUTTERING) Someone else's
bullet, maybe.

No, sir.

The chief was yours, Jim.

RAGLAND: Mr. Poteet!

He took a hatchet, Mr. Poteet.

Mule?

It's my shooting arm, R.J.

It's near clean off.

Calendar,

tell Nacho I'll need the wagon
for a couple of days,

tell him to take everything
off it that he needs in the way of supplies.

Yes, sir.

We'll be going for
Fort Chadbourne...

No, no!

No, they'll cut it off.
I can't lose my gun arm.

I might as well die
as lose my gun arm.

You're not gonna die.

I ain't letting nobody
cut off my gun arm.

All right. All right.

I mean nobody.

Nobody.

R.J.?

Mr. Skimmerhorn?

(SIGHS)

He's gonna be losing his arm.
We gotta see he doesn't lose his life.

What do you need?

A wagon, a couple of rifles,
some ammunition.

I'll head for the fort.
I'll go with you.

No.

You keep the herd moving.

If I was you, I'd see that
Mr. Person there wears the money belt.

We're still south,
Mr. Skimmerhorn.

Ain't nobody gonna be
looking for money on me.

All right.

Whoa!

He can do one of two things.

Get well or die quick.

That ain't no way to talk.

That's how I'd want it
if it was my gun arm.

Will he die?

Just knowing he might
is reason enough not to ride too close to any man.

No matter how much sand
a man's got, he can always die when you need him most.

Now Mr. Skimmerhorn
and Mr. Person will be running this outfit till I get back.

Well, stop burning daylight
and let's get the herd moving.

(GOADS HORSES)

Problem?

Tired, overworked,

like everyone else.

I'm gonna bring in
the new team.

No, don't do that.
What?

What he just done.

Mr. Person, we been in them
saddles 40 hours straight.

Don't throw yourself
on the ground like that.

When a cowboy sits down,
there's nine things can happen to him,

and eight of them are bad.

What are you talking about?

He can sit on a cactus,
or embers from a fire,

somebody's plate,
a Gila monster, a scorpion,

cow flop, someplace
a steer's made his mud,

worst of all,
a rattlesnake.

If he's lucky,
one time in nine,

he'll get a little rest,
so look out, both of you.

Especially you, Jim,

you already had
your good luck just now.

You know something, Bufe,

I don't care if there was
a rattlesnake here.

I couldn't take another step.

I know what you mean.

LASETER: Snakes?

I mean there's more snakes
than I'd ever seen before.

Little rattlers,
big rattlers.

There must've been 50 or 60
of them danged crawlers in there.

Jim?

You all right, boy?

What?
I said you all right?

Yep.

Where's my horse?

I put him on the picket line.

Your bed roll's over there.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to
go to sleep like that.

You worked hard.

You want some food?

I'll get it for you, Jim-boy,

it's a real treat tonight.
Bet you never had anything this good.

I thought you say
you didn't like my cooking?

Well, you ain't never
cooked snake before.

Snake?

Yeah, it's about
the best I ever had.

Laseter?
You want couple of helpings?

No!

I'll just get some more rest
before night duty.

Well, suit yourself.
You mind if I have your share?

No, go right ahead.

All right.

You know how they make
rattlesnake meat so tender?

Milk. Did you know that, Jim?

What?
They just love milk.

That's what makes it
so juicy and sweet.

Milk?

I mind old O.D. Cleaver,

he's coming home from buying
a little milk cow

if there's one animal on this
earth hates the rattler, it's the milk cow,

'cause the rattler,
he loves milk more than anything.

He'll just creep up on a cow,
he'll just suck her dry.

I don't believe no cow's
gonna allow that.

Well, I'm telling you,
I mean old O.D. Cleaver,

he was leading this milk cow
home when all of a sudden,

she just keels over,

and he looks over
and there's this six foot rattler

(MAKING SUCKING NOISE)

sucking away.

I don't think rattlers
can suck like that.

Even if they could,
it wouldn't drain her like you said.

You saying it didn't happen?

Well, I wasn't there,
but I doubt it.

You calling O.D. Cleaver
a liar?

He seen it, goldangit.
You calling O.D. Cleaver a liar?

No, I'm not.
If he seen it, I...

That's better.

You ought to try some of that
snake, Jim. It's good.

No, thanks.

Well, now you sleep tight,
hear?

(SCREAMING)

Good Lord, boy,
what's wrong?

There's a snake in my bed,
a rattlesnake! No!

When I pulled my boots off,
and put my feet in it...

Did it bite you?
No.

Check!
I don't think so.

Well, you better check!

Did it get you?

Sure had a good chance
at me though.

Yeah.

He must have been
sleeping or dead.

Yeah, can't be too careful.

He was dead, I...

I don't think Buck'd be brave
enough to pick up a live one and put him in my bed.

(GRUNTING)

Hey!

You're all right.

(CALENDAR SINGING)

Calendar?

Yep.

That rabbit
Nacho cooked up tonight,

Savage told me
you dropped one of them on a run at 100 yards.

Yep.

That's some kind of rifle
you got.

That rifle was made
by Christian Sharp out of Harper's Ferry.

Some kind of shooting, too.
How you do that?

I looked.

(SINGING)

(SINGING)

Mind company?

I'd like it.

You did well back there.

Barely.

I've seen some
couldn't take it.

Still wondering,
why'd they do it?

Oh.

Well, a couple reasons,
I guess.

Out here a man's got to know
who he can depend on and who he can't to keep his head.

You get in a tight spot,
that's no time to find out who's steady.

Another,
tends to get lonesome out here, don't it?

Mighty.

Well,
laughing kills lonesome.

I guess it does at that.

(SINGING)

Good evening, gents.

Any more of
that rabbit left?

I suspect so.
Jim didn't eat much.

Jim, you don't know what
you're missing. That Nacho is some kind of cook.

(SINGING)

They all sing. How come?

The confidence a steer's got
in the night is a might frail.

Somehow just hearing
a man singing

keeps them settled.

Like a mammy and her baby,

they need to hear something
steady and calm,

not sounding scared.

That property Coker
sings about. What was it exactly?

Slaves.

Were you a slave, Mr. Person?

Was born one.

What I like most about
trailing cattle is

that you work hard
for a man like Mr. Poteet,

but you're free to leave
any time you don't like it.

No cowboy is any man's slave.

PERSON:
That's the Arkansas.

LASETER: We wait
for Poteet here?

No, he said
to keep on moving, he'll catch up.

We could get half across
today, the rest in the morning.

I don't wanna
split them up.

Tell the boys to hold them
this side once they're watered down.

Mike, I want Nacho's camp

and the remuda moved
to the left flank tonight.

Extra guard on the right,
Calendar, I think.

Kind of edgy, ain't you?
Well, I'd rather be edgy than...

(GUN SHOT)

They got Laseter!

Who?
Rustlers.

They're trying
to split the herd.

(GUNS FIRING)

(SHOUTING)

You all right, Jim?

I think so.

Let me see it now.

Yeah, it's just a crease.

You got him.

Yeah.

(YELLS)

Let them go.

Who were they?

The Pettis boys.
Couple of brothers from Kansas.

JOHN:
How could you tell?

POTEET:
Them hard-boiled hats.

Let's round up the herd!

They's outlaws,
Bufe. Killers.

Confederates.

They killed Laseter.

And I killed
my own brother.

You understand that, Jim?
I killed one of my own.

Nacho?

Like to have a board
off your wagon.

A board?

I gotta at least
put up a marker.

Give us two.
We'll need one for Laseter.

Well, here I thought
I was so all-fired smart pushing us across the desert,

to keep away from
the Comanches and the Kansas outlaws,

and we get hit by both
of them. We might as well have gone straight north.

That way we'd have been
hit by both of them on their own ground.

They'd have had more men.
Your way was right.

Not for Laseter.
Or Canby.

Tell you, I'd as soon they'd
cut off my arm as to watch him scream the way he did.

At least he's alive.

You ever see
a one-armed cowboy?

He'll manage somehow.

He's a rare breed.
You all are.

As tough as those cows
you sold me.

This ever strike you funny,
Skimmerhorn?

What's that?

Well, the two of us
breaking trail together.

You mean
a Rebel and a Yank?

Yeah.

You know, yesterday we were
trying to kill each other.

Today, because of all this,
we can't live without each other.

You figure it out,
let me know.

Things just got unraveled
for a while, I guess.

Beliefs, values.

Hey, you know, I got a hunch
that this trail-driving business is just gonna

point a lot of people in
the same direction.

I hope so, Mr. Poteet.
I sure hope so.

There's a rider.

It's Mr. Seccombe.

Mr. Skimmerhorn.

You're a sight for sore eyes.

Glad to see you, too,
Mr. Seccombe.

This is R.J. Poteet,
the man who got us here.

Mr. Poteet.
Forever in your debt, sir.

Well, the price is
80 cents a head, Mr. Seccombe.

That'll clear you.

All right.

Well, Jim,
pasture's dead up ahead.

It's a land made for cattle,
all right. Air's clean even riding drag.

We'll hit the end
of the trail soon.

I sure wish Laseter
was here to see it.

And Canby.

Still owe
Mr. Canby ten dollars.

Maybe we'll run into
old O.D. Cleaver up here.

You can give it to him.

I'm sure he'll see that
Canby gets it.

Mr. Person, I don't really
believe there ever was an O.D. Cleaver.

There's got to be
an O.D. Cleaver, Jim.

As long as cowboys
is trailing steers.

I guess you're right.

What about you, Jim?

Y'all gonna go back home
to your family?

No.
I'm just one more mouth that they can't feed.

What about your family, Bufe?

Was that man you shot
really your brother?

Yeah, he was my brother
just like you're my brother.

I figure two fellas
eat drag dust together for four months,

that sort of
makes them brothers, don't it?

I guess so.

If you ever need
anything, Jim.

You, too, Bufe.

You did
a splendid job, John.

They did the work.

Their work.
You did yours.

I want you to keep on
doing it.

I'm no cowman.

Well, you're the best one
I know.

I want you to run Venneford.

Well, Mr. Seccombe...

(CLEARS THROAT)

Well, to tell the truth,
I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't asked me.

Good. That's
settled, then. Okay.

You'll move your family
onto the ranch. I'll build you quarters

fitting your position.

I'll need help.

I leave that to you.

Men I can trust.

There's a boy
who came north with us.

A boy?

Well, like Mr. Poteet said,

once you've trailed cattle
from Jacksborough through the Llano, you grow up fast.

He helped fight off
the Kansas outlaws. He killed a Comanche chief.

Part of the reason
your cattle are here is because of that boy.

Well, as I said,
it's your choice.

What's his name?

Jim Lloyd.

Coker! They're straying
over there!

Yes, boss.

Jim. Well,
this is the trail's end.

I heard.

I'd like...
I'd like for you to hear something from me.

Sir?

You know, if...

If I was your own pa,
I couldn't be prouder

of the way
that you've come through.

I'd like
to shake your hand.

Thank you, Mr. Poteet.
You betcha.

I'd like to give you
something, too.

Oh, no, sir.
That wasn't our deal.

All right, son.

Well, you think
you'll be sticking with this kind of work?

Yeah, if I can find it.

Now, the trick is finding
men like you that'll do it.

It's a big,
wind-blistered world we're riding through, Jim.

I just hope it'll last
a little while longer.

Why wouldn't it?

Well, because when men
like you and me

point the way to where
a town can be built,

then other men come along
and they build it.

Settlers that want a home
or a title, a piece of ground.

And they'll kill to keep it.

But if you're as much like me
as I think you are, you won't fight for that.

You'll only care about
what you're responsible for. Your horse

and your herd.

I don't know, Jim, maybe...

Maybe we're just too restless
to inherit the earth.

(GOADING CATTLE)

(WHISTLING)

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