It relieves the monotony, keeps the cattle quiet and seems to give them confidence, for they certainly appear to rest quieter while they know that men are guarding them, and are not so liable to stampede.
Stampeding is indeed a very remarkable bovine characteristic.

Suppose a herd of cattle, say 2000 steers, to be quietly and peacefully lying down under night-guard.

The air is calm and clear.

It may be bright moonlight, or it may be quite dark; nothing else is moving.

Apparently there is nothing whatever to frighten them or even disturb them; most of them are probably sound asleep, when suddenly like a shot they, the whole herd, are on their feet and gone--gone off at a more or less furious gallop.