# Unknown Narrator — Songs of the Cattle Trail and Cow Camp character guide > Unknown Narrator in Songs of the Cattle Trail and Cow Camp by John A. Lomax. **Role:** major **Also known as:** myself, mine, I. **First appearance:** 0003-songs-of-the-cattle-trail-and-cow-camp ## Snapshot A lonely sheep-herder on the sagebrush flats, dreaming of Kansas and his Minnie while wolves howl and the woollies bleat their endless tune. ## Who they are He is the voice of the range's quietest exile, a man whose days are measured by sheep and whose nights are haunted by distance. His tension is between the dream of a leased homestead and the maddening sameness of the herd, between a rifle kept for nothing and a mind that invents danger. He matters because his longing and near-locoed humor anchor the collection's early vision of solitude, labor, and the thin line between patience and breakdown. ## Relationships ### [Uncle Ed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/uncle_ed) _friendship_ Uncle Ed is a wise, storytelling elder figure who shares cowboy lore and life lessons with the narrator. ### [High Chin Bob](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/high_chin_bob) _friendship_ High Chin Bob is a boastful, adventurous cowboy companion who regales the narrator with tall tales. ### [Charles Badger Clark](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/charles_badger_clark) _professional_ Charles Badger Clark is a poet and author whose works are recited or referenced by the narrator. ### [Marta](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/marta) _romantic_ Marta is a love interest of the narrator, often associated with tender or longing memories. ### [Lasca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/lasca) _romantic_ Lasca is a passionate, tragic love from the narrator's past, evoking deep emotion and loss. ### [Susie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/susie) _romantic_ Susie is a sweetheart or admired woman, representing youthful romance and nostalgia. ### [Stranger](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/stranger) _social_ The Stranger is an enigmatic figure encountered on the trail, often prompting philosophical reflection. ### [Texas Tom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/texas_tom) _friendship_ Texas Tom is a rugged cowboy friend known for his bravado and loyalty on the range. ### [Broncho Bill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/broncho_bill) _friendship_ Broncho Bill is a rough-and-tumble cowboy companion, often involved in humorous or daring exploits. ### [James Barton Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/james_barton_adams) _professional_ James Barton Adams is a cowboy poet whose verses are shared or admired by the narrator. ### [Snagtooth Sal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/snagtooth_sal) _social_ Snagtooth Sal is a rough, memorable character from the cow camp, often comic or grotesque. ### [Belle McClure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/belle_mcclure) _social_ Belle McClure is a notable woman in the cow camp, observed and described by the narrator. ## In the story ### [Songs of the Cattle Trail and Cow Camp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/songs-of-the-cattle-trail-and-cow-camp) The narrator appears in several poems, reflecting on personal experiences and observations of cowboy life. ### [Part I: Cowboy Yarns](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/part-i-cowboy-yarns) The narrator in 'The Shallows of the Ford' who confronts an outlaw friend at the ford, and also the listener to Old Shorty's yarns. ### [Out Where the West Begins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/out-where-the-west-begins) The speaker who describes the virtues of the West. ### [The Shallows of the Ford](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-shallows-of-the-ford) The speaker, a man bound by duty to Law and Order, who hesitates and warns his former friend the outlaw, letting him escape. ### [The Legend of Boastful Bill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-legend-of-boastful-bill) One of the ten cowboys at the roundup who recounts the tale of Boastful Bill's legendary ride and disappearance. ### [Broncho Versus Bicycle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/broncho-versus-bicycle) The cowboy who tells the story of his race against the bicycle rider. ### [Lasca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/lasca) The cowboy narrator who loves Lasca, survives the stampede, and mourns her death. ### [High Chin Bob](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/high-chin-bob) The oral storyteller who recounts Bob's adventure in the Mokiones. ### [To Hear Him Tell It](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/to-hear-him-tell-it) The narrator who hails the old cowman for a drink and listens to his long story. ### [Marta of Milrone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/marta-of-milrone) The protagonist who loves Marta, avenges her death, and mourns alone. ### [The Cattle Round-Up](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-cattle-round-up) The speaker who calls the cowboys together for the ball and reflects on shared memories. ### [The Cowboy and the Maid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-cowboy-and-the-maid) The narrator is the speaker of the poem, a cowboy who walks with Texas Tom and encourages his romantic pursuit. ### [A Cowboy’s Love Song](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/a-cowboy-s-love-song) The cowboy narrator who has finished the roundup and is free to court Susie. ### [Snagtooth Sal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/snagtooth-sal) The grieving speaker who recalls walking with Sal and mourns her loss. ### [Love Lyrics of a Cowboy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/love-lyrics-of-a-cowboy) The cowboy narrator who is deeply in love and reflects on his feelings and changed perspective. ### [The Cowboy's Valentine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-cowboy-s-valentine) The cowboy speaker who uses cowboy lingo to propose to Moll. ### [A Cowboy’s Hopeless Love](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/a-cowboy-s-hopeless-love) The first-person cowboy narrator who tells of his hopeless love. ### [The Chase](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-chase) The pursuer who follows the moccasin tracks in the snow, interpreting the maid's flight as a romantic game. ### [Riding Song](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/riding-song) The speaker invites a comrade to ride together, reveling in the open trail. ### [Our Little Cowgirl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/our-little-cowgirl) The speaker who describes the little cowgirl's skills and expresses pride in her. ### [I Want My Time](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/i-want-my-time) The night guard speaking in first person, expressing loneliness and desire to leave the round-up. ### [Who's That Calling So Sweet?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/who-s-that-calling-so-sweet) The speaker who hears the mysterious calling and reflects on its source. ### [Song of the Cattle Trail](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/song-of-the-cattle-trail) The cowboy narrator who sings of the cattle drive and his longing for home and love. ### [A Cowboy’s Son](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/a-cowboy-s-son) The cowboy speaker addressing his infant son, reflecting on the boy's future and his mother's place in his heart. ### [A Nevada Cowpuncher to His Beloved](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/a-nevada-cowpuncher-to-his-beloved) The cowboy narrator, speaking in first person, conveys his profound loneliness and yearning for his beloved. ### [The Cowboy to His Friend in Need](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-cowboy-to-his-friend-in-need) The cowboy speaker who addresses his revolver as a friend and companion. ### [When Bob Got Throwed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/when-bob-got-throwed) The narrator who laughs at Bob's fall and later gets thrown himself. ### [When You're Throwed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/when-you-re-throwed) The speaker who recounts his own experience of being thrown from a horse. ### [The Bronc That Wouldn’t Bust](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-bronc-that-wouldn-t-bust) The speaker and protagonist, a seasoned bronco buster who meets his match. ### [The Ol’ Cow Hawse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-ol-cow-hawse) The speaker who extols the virtues of the old cow horse and imagines riding it in heaven. ### [The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-cowboys-christmas-ball) The first-person narrator who attends the Cowboys’ Christmas Ball and recounts the event with vivid detail. ### [A Dance at the Ranch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/a-dance-at-the-ranch) The anonymous observer who describes the dance and its aftermath. ### [The Cowboy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-cowboy) The anonymous speaker who extols the cowboy's qualities and urges kindness toward him. ### [Bar-Z on a Sunday Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/bar-z-on-a-sunday-night) The speaker, a cowboy on the Bar-Z ranch, describes the Sunday night hymn-singing tradition. ### [A Cowboy Race](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/a-cowboy-race) The observer describing the race with vivid imagery. ### [The Insult](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-insult) The speaker who recounts his wild adventures and expresses fury at being offered ginger ale. ### [The Road to Ruin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-road-to-ruin) The narrator who revisits the grog-shop and reflects on the past. ### [The Desert](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-desert) The stranded rider who digs for water, shoots the coyote, and experiences a hallucinatory rainstorm. ### [The Bandit's Grave](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-bandit-s-grave) The narrator describes the bandit's grave and the surrounding desert scene. ### [A Cowboy at the Carnival](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/a-cowboy-at-the-carnival) The cowboy narrator who feels out of place at the carnival and yearns for the range. ### [The Gila Monster Route](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-gila-monster-route) The hobo protagonist who is ditched by a train and later boards a stock train to continue his journey. ### [The Call of the Plains](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/the-call-of-the-plains) The speaker who longs for the prairies and feels the call of freedom. ### [Where the Grizzly Dwells](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/where-the-grizzly-dwells) The cowboy narrator who admires the West's natural beauty, rides through the Rockies, and reflects on life and the afterlife. ### [Ridin’ Up the Rocky Trail from Town](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/ridin-up-the-rocky-trail-from-town) First-person plural narrator speaking for the group of cowboys. ### [A Cowboy Alone with His Conscience](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/a-cowboy-alone-with-his-conscience) The cowboy narrator who rides into the mountains and experiences a profound sense of solitude and moral reflection. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters/unknown_narrator - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/characters