We walked across the scanty dump of a sheepherder’s camp: rusty tin cans, bits of glass, a watering trough tinkered out of something like an old water heater. The herder had brought his family, for in the scatter was a plastic Indian from a “cowboys and Indians” set. Quick research says the first plastic soldiers were made in 1938, but I could find no info on a Western set to which this guy might belong.
Here he lies in a handsome concretion to show him off. The sun has eaten him and given him a cracked patina, but you can still tell he is getting an arrow from his quiver.
WORLD-BUILDING and WILDERNESS: 
Thanks. I treasure these. Kathy
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Wonderful tribute to the herder family who occupied the site
Hi Betsy,
We are in Pahrump headed for Death Valley. We planned this trip after the rains hoping for flowers, but apparently the rains came too late for another super bloom.
I always enjoy your posts. Strange as it may seem, I had that plastic cowboy and Indian set in the 50s. The cowboys had bow legs and six shooters. One of the Indians had a war bonnet. They were different colors with no attempt to look realistic. I thought at least the Indians should be red! The plastic was somewhat soft and my teething baby brother chewed on them. Nobody worried that he would aspirate small parts, or cared that I was unhappy about my gnawed possessions. My mother hated them because they were small multiple objects to pick up. In our ’50s sensibilities, the Indians always hid and ambushed the cowboys. Apparently this guy hid so well that he was the last surviving member of his tribe.
Dale
On Sat, Mar 18, 2017 at 8:33 PM Listening at the Gate wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ewyliejames posted: ” > > > > We walked across the scanty dump of a sheepherder’s camp: rusty tin cans, > bits of glass, a watering trough tinkered out of something like an old > water heater. The herder had brought his family, for in the scatter was a > plastic Indian from a “cowboys” > > > > > > > > > >
Definitely the last! And of course all cowboys have bowlegs.