426 General View of the Agriculture Odt. 



ceflarlljr, to expend it upon the purchafe of lime. Refrefh 

 the land with grafs, and the operation may be profitably re- 

 peated. 



The account in chap. 13. of the wild cattle belonging to 

 Lord Tankerville, is entertaining. 



" The ivild cattle — are only found in ChilHngham Park, belong- 

 ing to the Earl of Tankerville ; and as it is probable they are the 

 only remains of the true and genuine breed of that fpecies of cattle, 

 we (hall be more particular in our defcription. 



" Their colour is invariably white, muzzle black; the whole of 

 the infide of the ear, and about one third of the outfide from the 

 tip downwards, red ; horns white, with black tips, very fine, and 

 bent upwards. Some of the bulls have a thin upright mane, about 

 an inch and ,a half, or two inches long. The weight of the oxen 

 is from 35 to 45 flone, and the cows from 25 to 35 (lone the four 

 quarters, 141b. to the ftone. The beef is finely marbled, and of 

 excellent flavour. 



*' From the nature of their pafture, and the frequent agitation 

 they are put into, by the curioiity of ftrangers, it cannot be ex- 

 pefted they fhould get very fat : yet the fix-years old oxen are ge- 

 nerally very good beef ; from whence it may be fairly fuppofed, 

 that, in proper fituations, they would feed well. 



*• At the firft appearance of any perfon, they fet off at full fpeed, 

 and gallop to a confiderable diftance ; when they make a wheel round, 

 and come boldly up again, tolling their heads in a menacing man- 

 ner. On a fudden, they make a fall ftop, at the diftance of forty 

 or fifty yards, looking wildly at the objeft of their furprifc ; but, 

 upon the leaft motion being made, they again turn round, and gal- 

 lop off with equal fpeed : but, forining a fliorter circle, and return- 

 ing with a bolder and more threatening afped, they approach much 

 nearer ; when they make another ftand, and again gallop off. This 

 they do feveral times, fliortening their diftance, and advancing near- 

 er, till they come within a few yards, when moll people think it 

 prudent to leave them.- 



*' The mode of killing them was, perhaps, the only modern 

 remains of the grandeur of ancient hunting. On notice being 

 given, that a wild bull would be killed upon a certain day, the 

 inhabitants of the neighbourhood came, in great numbers, both 

 horfe and foot. The horfemen rode off the bull from the reft of 

 the herd, until he flood at bay, when a markfman difmounted 

 and ftiot. At fome of thefe huntings, twenty or thirty fliots 

 have been fired, before he was fubdued. On fuch occafions, the 

 bleeding viftim grew defperately furious, from the fmarting of 

 his wounds, and the fliouting of favage joy that were echoing 

 from every fide. From the number of accidents that happen- 

 ed 



