Nat Love

http://www.blackcowboys.com/natlove.htm

Nate Love, also know as Deadwood Dick, was born a slave in Tennessee.  He he had a love of the free and wild life on the range. Soon he was known as a good all around cowboy.

Nate found a Texas outfit that had delivered its herd and was preparing to go back down to Texas.  There were several good black cowboys in the outfit.  After sharing breakfast with the crew, Nate asked the trail boss for a job. The boss agreed if Nate could break a horse named Good Eye, the wildest horse in the outfit.  Bronco Jim, another black cowboy gave Nate some pointers and Nate rode that horse. He said later that it was the toughest ride he had ever had.

The work was very hard.  Nate rode through hailstorms so violent that only strong men could withstand them. The first time he met hostile Indians, he admitted he was too scared to run. After going through a number of such trials he adjusted to the ways of the cattle country and could handle any problem,