Songs of the Cattle Trail and Cow Camp · Chapter
High Chin Bob explained
High Chin Bob, a boastful cowboy, ropes a mountain lion in the Mokiones and is dragged on a wild, multi-day chase across the rugged terrain.
What happens
High Chin Bob, a boastful cowboy, ropes a mountain lion in the Mokiones and is dragged on a wild, multi-day chase across the rugged terrain. Despite exhaustion and the lion's refusal to die, Bob's pride and quest for glory keep him from letting go, resulting in a legendary, unresolved ride.
Themes in this chapter
Masculinity and Bravado
Bob's pride and refusal to yield, even when the lion cannot be subdued, epitomize the cowboy's bravado and stubborn sense of honor.
Nature and the Landscape
The harsh, majestic Mokiones terrain is both a backdrop and an active participant in the chase, shaping the ordeal.
Characters to notice
- High Chin Bob
The protagonist who ropes a mountain lion and endures a grueling chase, driven by pride and a desire for glory.
- Unknown Narrator
The oral storyteller who recounts Bob's adventure in the Mokiones.
Key passages
“Oh, glory be to me! says he, an' fame's unfadin' flowers; I ride my good top hoss today and I'm top hand of Lazy-J, So, kitty-cat, you're ours!”
Bob exclaims that he is the best cowboy on the Lazy-J ranch and confidently declares the mountain lion is his prize.
Highlights Bob's arrogance and the beginning of his reckless adventure.
“Three suns had rode their circle home, beyond the desert rim, And turned their star herds loose to roam the ranges high and dim; And whenever Bob turned and hoped the limp remains to find, A red-eyed lion, belly roped, but healthy, loped behind!”
After three days of dragging the lion, Bob hopes to find it dead, but the lion is still alive and following him.
Emphasizes the futility and endurance of the chase.
“Oh, glory be to me, says Bob, he caint be drug to death! These heroes that I've read about were only fools that stuck it out To the end of mortal breath.”
Bob realizes the lion cannot be killed by dragging and compares himself to legendary heroes who persisted until death.
Reveals Bob's self-awareness and ironic commentary on heroism.