IS 



D03kIESTIC ANHiliVLS. 



[Chap. I. 



dropped oft" into tlie water, and with it eight or ten men and steers, among 

 whicli was tlic one that caused all the mischief. I must say the fun was not 

 so great as the fright, for a minute, as it did not take much longer to finisli 

 oil" the greatest feat of " sliding down hill" which I have witnessed sinco 

 the lialcyon days of hand-sleds and boyliood upon the snow-clad, wintry hills 

 of my native land. That all were got out safe was owing to the instant 

 thought and action of the male, who sprang ashore with a pole which he 

 placed in the wheel, so as to prevent the cattle from floating down past the 

 stern, whore it would have been impossible for them to get up the soft, 

 6li]>i>cry bank. As it was, some of them were in the water over an hour ; 

 the catamount, as the colonel called him, being purposely left until the last, 

 and severely tlireatened with being towed to New Orleans. But when ho 

 was at lemrth taken out, there was not a more docile animal in the herd ; he 

 had been completely subdued. The whole ati'air, though fraught with danger 

 at first, afibrdcd all hands a scene of most uproarious mirth. Even at the 

 time when it looked as though half a score of men might be killed in the 

 grand tumble, it was almost impossible to avoid laughing, the Avhole thing 

 was so extremely ludicrous. 



One big negro fellow, finding himself hard pressed by the bullock he was 

 leading and lialf a dozen more behind him, either for sport or to save his 

 shins, jumped upon the animal's back and came down with a surge into the 

 water; but he never let go 1^11 he had him safe ashore again, where he met 

 some of the most hearty, though rude congratulations of his companions, for 

 his skillful fe^t of horsemanship on an ox. 



Finally, in spite of mud and peril, the grand entertainment of shipping 

 cattle on the Mississippi was concluded, and the boat was ofl' before daylight 

 for the next landing, where the operation was to be repeated. Owing to 

 better ground and a dift'erent plan adoi)ted, this was not quite so entertaining. 

 The cattle Averc yarded in a long, narrow pen, which came near the shore. 

 A rope being passed over the horns of the forward steer, with the other end 

 through a snatch-block on the boat, a dozen or fifteen men would lay hold 

 of it, while two men by the tail to steer, and one on each side to keep him 

 on the gangway, would have the fellow out of the pen and sliding up the 

 planks before he knew what he was bellowing for. 



As in all cases where science and skill direct human efibrts, the labor 

 was lessened and business expedited. 



And so in all cases where science and skill are exercised in regard to all 

 kinds of domestic animals, success may be looked for. 



And now, after this little incidental digression from the main intent of 

 this chapter, in the exhibition of a life-like scene on the Mississippi, we will 

 begin to arrange our facts in order and shape for useful reference, always 

 aiming more at the practical than ornamental. 



As we shall arrange each subject under its separate and proper head, we 

 will begin the chapter upon domestic animals with that kind in most universal 

 use. 



