/.TV/A I TIO.\ 611 



Although tli.- proc.-ssof ruminatini; i- m..-ll\ -confined to the < K ami tin- other animals 

 whose name.- ha\e U-.-H ain-ady mi-lit ioii.-d. it lias, in mon- than one in-ian.-. . U-.-n di- ,,\. i.-d 

 in liiiniaii I H- ings. 



In many juirts of tin- world, .such as tin- 1'ampa- "f Am.-ricu ami the Australian colonies, 



herds of cattle rouen the c..unti\ a- fn--ly as if they were the original inhabitant*. 



Although they an- all -priini: from domesticated cattle which ha\e U--u iTinitt<tl to run wild 



.'i have escaped fnnn their owners. they have n-tunied to tin- hal-it- a- \\ell a.s the condition* 



of savage lif'-. and ran only be brought temporarily within the subjection of nmn by actual 



How. \. -r free and uin-m-ln-d they may be, they are all private property, and except 

 when of very tender age, are all hrand.-d with tin- name of their owner Inirnt deeply into the 

 skin. In detachim,' th<- unmarked cattle from tin- ivmaindt-r of the henl, and biindm: them 

 safe in tl ..... nclosun- when- tin-van- to receive tin- distinguishing lirand of tlu-ir pi..| .1 i. -i..i . 

 th- i-attlf dri\.'i>fxhil)it an xtnionliiuirj' mixtun- of x.'fllcnt hors'iiiaiishi]>, great di-xt-rily, 

 C.H.I patii in-.-, and f-arl-ss daring. Vi-t tht- man is sure to triumph OM-I -the beast at last, 

 howev.-r running <T |M>wfrful it may lie, and before the poor animal lias quite recovered from 

 his surprisi- at finding himself mastered for the first time in his lif.-. he has been captured, 

 ti.-d. brand.-d. and s.-t fn-.-air.iin. 



In Afri.-a. tin- catil.- an- not only mploy.-d for tin- yok.-. but are also educated for the 

 saddlr. and an- tanirht to obey the bit as \\.-ll as many horses. The bit is of very primitive 

 form. U-inir nothing more than a stick which is passed thnmgh tin- nostrils, and to which the 

 n-in- an- ti.-d. On- end of the stii-k is generally forked to prevent it fnnn falling out of its 

 plan-, and in L'uidin.ir the animal, the rider is obliged to draw In.th n-ins to the right or left 

 -id.-, l.-st In- should ]>ull out the wooden bit. 



Th- Saddle < >\- -n <>f Afri.-a are not very swift steeds, their pace being about four or five 



mil.-s an hour : and as their skin is so loosely placed on their bodies that the saddle sways at 



every st.-p. their rider has no very agreeable seat. In t ruining the Ox for the saddle, the 



avail themselves of the aid of two train.-d < ix.-n. U-t\\.-eii which the novice is tied, 



and which soon teach it the proj>er lesson of olM-di.-nc.- 



Tlie horns of this variety of the Ox areof marvellous l.-n-th. having IXN-II known to exceed 

 thirt.vn feet in total length, and nearly nine feet from tip to tip. The circumference of these 

 enormous horns was more than eighteen inches, measured at their bases. One such horn is 

 capable of containing upwards of twenty im]M-iial pints. These weapons are not only long, 

 but an- sharply pointed, and are of so formidable a natun- that a lion lias l>.-<-n kept at 

 bay during a whole night, not daring to leap upon an animal so well defended. As these 

 horns miirht prove dangerous to the rider in case of the animal suddenly jerking it- head, 

 or tliudnir him forward by a stumble, the natives are in the habit of training them in vari- 

 ous fashionable modes, by which the danger is avoided. Sometimes the horns are split 

 into numerou- ribUm-. and .nrled fantastically in various directions; sometimes they are 

 merely U-nt forwards and downwards; but the method most in vogue is to cause them to 

 swing loosely at each side of the head, their points towards the earth, and out of the way 

 of the rider. 



It is a remarkable fact that this Ox is in the habit of chewing dry bone whenever it finds 

 th.-m him: on the ground. The caribou, or American reindeer, i- known to gnaw the fallen 

 antlers of its companions, and probably with the same object. 



Should the Ox turn out to be of a peculiarly savage disposition, he is soon conquered by 

 having a heavy iron chain fastened round his neck. The continual weight which h<- i- i 

 to carry wlien.-v.-r he moves, together with the jinglinu >f the iron links, has such an 

 upon his ..pi i -its. that he is forced to yield after a few days' trial. It is said that if the Ox is 

 forced into the long grass which grows so luxuriantly in Southern Africa, it becomes alarmed, 

 i,. ,,,;,.. j. r, H .i s jtself iinabil '' M an a].]. i... i. !:!;;_ enemy, an 1 is v< !. rrUW ti & !'"'\ 

 imity of its own companions. 



It is worthy of remark in the present place, that the -kin of a white Ox is considered by 



