It happened in Jacksboro, boys,
in the year of seventy -three
When a man by the name of Crego
came stepping up to me
Says, how do you do, young fellow,
and how would you like to go?
And spend one summer pleasantly
on the range of the buffalo
It's me being out of employment,
boys, this to Crego I did say.
This going out on the Buffalo Range
depends upon the pay.
But if you will pay good wages,
pay transportation too.
I think sir I will go with you
to the range of the buffalo
yes I will pay good wages
boys this old Krigo he did say
provided you will go with me
and stay the summer through
but if you should grow homesick
come back to Jacksboro.
I will not pay your transportation
from the range of the Buffalo.
It's now we've
crossed Pease River boys,
our troubles have begun.
The first damn tail I went to rip,
Christ how I cut my thumb.
Pease River is salty as held fire,
the water I could never go.
And the engines watched to pick us off
on the range of the buffalo.
Our meat, it was buffalo hock
and iron wage bread.
And all we had to sleep on
was a buffalo robe for a bed.
The fleas and graybacks work on us.
Oh, boys, they are not slow.
I'll say there's no worse hell on earth
than the range of the buffalo.
The season being ended, boys,
this old Krigo he did say
that we had been extravagant.
We're in debt to him that day,
we coaxed him and we begged him,
but still it was no go.
We left his damned old bones to bleach
on the range of the buffalo.
An d now we've crossed these river
boys
and homeward we are bound.
No more in that hell -fired country
will ever we be found.
Go back to our wives and sweethearts,
tell others not to go.
For God's forsaken that Buffalo Range
and the damned old Buffalo.
you