I'm a lonely bull-whacker On the Red Cloud line, I can lick any son of a gun That will yoke an ox of mine. And if I can catch him, You bet I will or try, I'd lick him with an ox-bow,-- Root hog or die.
It's out on the road With a very heavy load, With a very awkward team And a very muddy road, You may whip and you may holler, But if you cuss it's on the sly; Then whack the cattle on, boys,-- Root hog or die.
It's out on the road These sights are to be seen, The antelope and buffalo, The prairie all so green,-- The antelope and buffalo, The rabbit jumps so high; It's whack the cattle on, boys,-- Root hog or die.
It's every day at twelve There's something for to do; And if there's nothing else, There's a pony for to shoe; I'll throw him down, And still I'll make him lie; Little pig, big pig, Root hog or die.
Now perhaps you'd like to know What we have to eat, A little piece of bread And a little dirty meat, A little black coffee, And whiskey on the sly; It's whack the cattle on, boys,-- Root hog or die.
There's hard old times on Bitter Creek That never can be beat, It was root hog or die Under every wagon sheet; We cleaned up all the Indians, Drank all the alkali, And it's whack the cattle on, boys,-- Root hog or die.
There was good old times in Salt Lake That never can pass by, It was there I first spied My China girl called Wi. She could smile, she could chuckle, She could roll her hog eye; Then it's whack the cattle on, boys,-- Root hog or die.
Oh, I'm going home Bull-whacking for to spurn, I ain't got a nickel, And I don't give a dern. 'Tis when I meet a pretty girl, You bet I will or try, I'll make her my little wife,-- Root hog or die.
THE "METIS" SONG OF THE BUFFALO HUNTERS