Bose Ikard and Charles Goodnight Ride the Trail
The Texas Quote of the Day is in regards to the legendary Charles Goodnight and the equally legendary Bose Ikard:
“The trip up the trail in 1867 was fraught with more difficulties than the first journey in 1866 had been, and it was about this trip that Goodnight later made his first mention of Bose Ikard. After an encounter with Indians that resulted in an arrow in the neck of one of the cowboys, a terrific storm blew up on the Texas Plains above the Clear Fork of the Brazos River. Some of the herd stampeded, running around the slowly-moving main herd. Strong winds blew, and by one o’clock in the morning all that could be seen through the blackness was electricity glowing on the horses’ ears.
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Bose Ikard, considered one of the best nightriders who ever worked for Goodnight, drifted with the herd through the stormy night. Toward morning, the herd began to settle, and Goodnight headed to camp to wake the cook. At first light the herd again stampeded, heading straight for the camp. Goodnight told the following story to J. Evetts Haley: ‘By this time it was light enough to see. I kept going up the side of the cattle as fast as possible, wondering why Bose had not turned the front. When I had almost caught up with him, he looked back and saw me, and immediately his horse shot out like lightning and he threw the leaders around. After we got them circled, I asked him why he had not turned them sooner. “I tell you, sah,” answered the cautious Bose, “I wasn’t certain who had dis herd ’til I saw you. I thought maybe the Indians had ‘em.’”
— — — Bruce M. Shackelford, “Black Cowboys of Texas,” edited by Sara R. Massey, Texas A&M Press, 2000
Shown here: Bose Ikard, likely taken in the 1920s
