. . . nothin' like havin' water closer and not having to draw water and being it all the way from a river . . .
I mostly, I get the impression they were just bored . . .
Maybe you can answer my board question!
. . . I recently watched Lonesome Dove - after thinking about your question again - I had to go back and remembered - that bridge in Lonesome Dove did not go over a river but It crossed a 'branch', or a 'wash' as they're called in Arizona - basically a glorified ditch - just a creek bed that is dry most of the time except when there's a lot of rain . . .
They were right next to the Rio Grande river. Also if you look at one of the last shots of the movie it's pretty wide. I'm not sure if it drys up certain times of the year.
shareI remember the scene where Gus, Call, and Spoon are watching the hands work the horses stolen the night before down in the river. The town was behind them. Now, looking at the scene where Deets is drunk on that little bridge the town is in the background and the ranch house is behind them. Looks like from the ranch house you have to cross that little gully (which would more than likely be dry later in the year) and go thru town to get to the river. Maybe there is a shorter distance to it going another direction but still a well would be convenient if it were close to the house. If you cut the distance then getting water is easier. You have to think like someone who has to walk to a water source and fill a bucket or jug for water. River is 100 yards away but if you dug a well 20 yards away then that is a lot less work over time. Good news is a well 80 feet from the river does not have to go too deep before you hit water.
shareWell water is cleaner and fresher than river water; and it would be closer to the house.
Plus, Call could not stand to see idleness; and as the boys didn't have much else to do at that point, it was well-digging time!!
Were they actually digging all that well?
"It ain't dying I'm talking about, it's LIVING!"
Captain Augustus McCrae
The way I see it, it was a matter of convenience and not having a ton to do at the time.
Better to have a well right near your house then having to constantly haul water up from the river to get water, not only for you but also to water all the farm animals, etc.
If you’ve ever been in south Texas you wouldn’t have to ask…
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