I’ve read that a cowboy worked “for forty (40) and found.”

 

I’ve read that a cowboy worked “for forty (40) and found.” I gather that a cowboy worked for $40 per month, but what is meant by the term found?

Stephen T. Frazier

Raleigh, North Carolina

“Found” on a cow ranch meant a place to sleep in the bunkhouse and grub. On the trail, it meant grub and a place to sleep under the stars. The usual pay for a regular cowhand was $30 a month. Top hands, trail bosses and the cook were paid more.