When cowboys rode the Chisholm Trail in the late 1800's, they braved many dangers while driving herds of longhorn beef cattle over the 600-mile trail from Texas to Abilene, Kansas. Here is the story of the exciting though lonely lives these men led.

The hardy sights and sounds of a real cattle drive, including shrill cowboy yells, the bawling of cattle, and pounding of hooves on the trail are given life and action in this fascinating account. Also included are dangerous river crossings and attacks from Indians and Jayhawkers, or outlaws and cattle thieves. Here, too, is the true story of the one thing a cowboy feared most of all—a stampede.

In this book, readers follow the exciting lives of the men who drove the Backward Seven herd over the Chisholm Trail in 1870, traveling at the rate of about 15 miles per day. In good weather and bad, the drive continued over the rough route through wild, open country. At the end of the long drive the cattle were loaded onto the railroad freight cars which would carry them to prosperous northern markets.

This book is part of the How They Lived series, designed to give young people a wider and more comprehensive view of American history, and thus a deeper understanding and more lasting appreciation of their heritage.

From the book