WILD OXEN. 253 



shore. The cattle sided up alongside the rail 

 next the beach, and a couple of sailors intro- 

 duced hand spikes under the animal's body, the 

 end engaging the top of the rail. At the word 

 "Go" the beasts were hurled sideways into the 

 water. Eising to the surface, after the plunge, 

 they naturally struck out for the shore, where 

 we had men with short ropes ready to secure 

 them and lead them away to the stable. 



On the occasion upon which I write we had 

 a consignment of five three-year-old steers, the 

 meat of which, augmented by the usual game of 

 the country, was considered sufficient for the 

 post's use during the following winter. 



Two of the bunch reached footing in such a 

 lively state that they baffled the combined efforts 

 of our men to capture them, and with a few de- 

 fiant snorts and bounds, they reached the primi- 

 tive forest and were lost to view. 



As soon as I realized that there was a possi- 

 bility of the animals being lost to us, I turned 

 out all the 'hangers on" about the post, with 

 our own men in hot pursuit. Night coining on 

 shortly after, the hunt was given up, only to be 

 resumed with greater energy the following day; 

 but the nature of the ground being hard, hoof 

 marks were indistinguishable, and to use dogs 

 would only make the cattle wilder. Once more 

 the men had to reluctantly abandon the search 



