Songs of the Cowboys (1908)/Buffalo Range

Come all you Buffalo hunters and listen to my song
You needn't get uneasy, for it isn't very long
it's concerning some Buffalo hunters who all agreed to go
And spend a summer working, among the buffalo.

'Twas in the spring of seventy three, that I came to Jacksborough
There I met Bailey Griego, who asked how I'd like to go
And spend the summer west of Pease River hunting
On the range of the Buffalo.

Now being out of employment to Griego I named the day
When I could join his outfit if suited with the pay
I agreed if he'd pay good wages and transportation to,
To go and spend the summer among the buffalo.

Of course I'll pay good wages and transportation to
But if you should grow homesick and return to Jacksborough
Before the huntings over I want you now to know
That I'll not pay you back wages from the range of the Buffalo.

​Through promises and flattery he enlisted quite a train
Some ten or twelve in number all able bodied men
Our journey it was pleanant on the road we had to go
Until we crossed Pease River among the buffalo.

'Twas here our pleasure ended, our troubles had begun
The very first beast I tried to skin Oh how I cut my thumb
When skinning off those buffalo hides for our lives we'd little show
As the Indians tried to pick us off on the range of the buffalo.

Salt meat and Buffalo hump to eat and hard old sour dough bread
Strong coffee and alkali water to drink add a raw-hide for a bed
The way the mosquitos chewed on us you bet it wasn't slow
Lord grant there's no place on earth like the range of the buffalo.

When the summer at last ended old Griego began to say
My boys you've been extravagant, so I'm in debt to day
But among the buffalo hunters bankrupt law didn't go
So we left old Griegos bones to bleach among the buffalo.

Now we're back across Peace River and homeward we are bound
In that forsaken country may I never more be found
​If you see anyone bound out there pray warn them not to go
To that forsaken country, the land of the buffalo.