美国西部牧区的“赶拢大会”

Roundup in the Ranges of the American West

在美国西部史论著中，有两个专门术语：“赶拢”(Roundup)和“长途驱赶”(Long Drive)。两者的产生，都与美国内战后在其西部兴起的“牧牛王国”有关。它们都是“敞开”放牧区(Open Range)的产物。美国史学家对“赶拢”和“长途驱赶”在西部开拓中的作用都极为重视。丹尼尔．J．布尔斯廷称其为“开放性牧区”的“盛大仪式”，沃尔特·P．韦布誉之为“牧牛区孪生……

The Roundup was an outcome of the Open Ranges in the American West. Large-scale roundup of substantial influence first began in Texas, and then it expanded onto all ranges of the Great Plain. The Roundup went through several different developmental stages, namely, cow hunt, spontaneous round up and the Roundup. The Roundup was carried on in accordance with the laws made by the Live Stock Growers' Association, which gradually became a system. The Roundup was a key link in the transformation of the cattle industry into the market economy in the American West. The Roundup brought about a great advance in the cattle industry in the ranges of the American West. It ensured orderly management in the ranges and regulated the market of the cattle trade.