Early Days of a Cowboy on the Pecos.

Hinkle, James F. Early Days of a Cowboy on the Pecos. Roswell: Privately Printed. 1937. White printed wraps. Illustrated. 35 pp. About fine.

Reese, Six Score 58. Campbell 101 #47. Adams, Herd 1041: "Rare." Howes H507. Graff 1898. Dykes, Billy the Kid 245. "The experiences of a New Mexico cowboy, written by a man who later became Governor of the state. A very rare book. Said to have been issued in an edition of only thirty-five copies." -- Adams. "One of the rarest of all pamphlets on ranching. Only 35 copies were printed, ... However, Dudley Dobie stated in a 1981 book catalogue that Gov. Hinkle had told him that 300 copies were printed, although none were sold. The rarity of the item in the marketplace would support the smaller number. It is possible, of course, that the bulk of a larger edition was destroyed. Hinkle was for a time Governor of New Mexico (1923-25), and was long a prominent rancher in southwest New Mexico. Although brief, this little pamphlet conveys the flavor of the range with a great flair." -- Reese. Graff notes that the information on the limitation was "received from the author's widow though Herbert Brayer." Dobie, Life and Literature, p. 125: "Hinkle ... says: 'One noticeable characteristic of the cowpunchers was that they did not talk much.' Some people don't have to talk to say plenty. Hinkle was one of them." Provenance: This copy was purchased at the Dorothy Sloan Auction in 1998.