LASSOING A BULLOCK 205 



Two sheep and a bullock were required for the 

 ship, and we watched the natives catching them. 

 The sheep were easily ridden down by a couple of 

 men on horseback, and were at once slaughtered. 



A bullock was then singled out and separated 

 from the herd by the two mounted natives. Each 

 man was armed with a strong lasso made of raw 

 hide, the end of which was fastened to the saddle 

 of his horse. As soon as the bullock was cut off 

 from its companions it was headed for the shore. 

 Driven frantic by the cries of its pursuers it 

 charged straight for us, and we had barely time to 

 scramble out of the way before it was galloping 

 over the spot where we had been sitting. Then 

 brought to a standstill by a low cliff, it was most 

 skilfully lassoed by one of the horsemen, who, 

 from a distance of some twenty yards, threw his 

 thong in such a way that the running noose fell 

 over the horns of the bullock and at once drew 

 tight. The second native then cast his lasso 

 over the beast's hindquarters, the lower end of the 

 loop lying on the grass just behind its hind feet. 

 The other native then rode to the front making 

 the bullock step backwards and thus stand within 

 the circle of the lasso which was at once pulled 

 tight, so that the poor beast fell heavily to the 

 ground. It was then dispatched by a knife thrust 

 in the throat. 



I was indeed sorry when we sailed away from 

 Easter Island after so short a stay. I had been 



