AFRICAN CATTLE.] CATTLE, AND TIIEIE VAEIETIES. Tameiiican cattle. 



and a sheep-skin, with the wool on, placed 

 across the back, together with another, folded 

 up, and bound on with a rein long enough to 

 pass several times round the body, constitutes 

 the saddle. To this is sometimes added a 

 pair of stirrups, consisting only of a thong, 

 with a loop at each end, slung across the saddle. 

 Prequently the loops are distended by a piece 

 of wood, to form an easier rest for the foot. 

 While the animal's nose is still sore, it is 

 mounted and put in training, and, in a week or 

 two, is generally rendered sufficiently obedient 

 to its rider. The facility and adroitness with 

 which the Hottentots manage the ox, have 

 often excited admiration. It is made to walk, 

 trot, or gallop at the will of its master ; and, 

 being longer-legged, and rather more lightly 

 made than the ox in England, travels with 

 greater ease and expedition, walking three or 

 four miles in an hour, trotting five, and gallop- 

 ing, on an emergency, seven or eight. 



In some parts of Central Africa the ox is 

 employed in like manner. Major Denham 

 gives an account of its use in the central 

 countries which he visited: — "The beasts of 

 burden," he observes, " are the bullock and the 

 ass. A very fine breed of the latter are found 

 in the Maudara valleys. Strangers, and chiefs 

 in the service of the sheikh, or sultan, alone 

 possess camels. The bullock is the bearer of 

 all the grain and other articles to and from 

 the markets. A small saddle, of plaited rushes, 

 is laid on him, when sacks, made of goat-skins, 

 and filled with corn, are lashed on bis broad 

 and able back. A leathern thong is passed 

 through the cartilage of his nose, and serves as 

 a bridle; while, on the top of the load, is 

 mounted the owner, his wife, or his slave. 

 Sometimes the daugliter or wife of a rich 

 Shouaa will be mounted on her particular bul- 

 lock, and precede the loaded animals, ex- 

 travagantly adorned with amber, silver rings, 

 coral, and all sorts of finery ; her hair stream- 

 ing with fat ; a black rim of kohal, at least an 

 inch wide, round each of her eyes ; and, I may 

 say, arrayed for conquest at the crowded 

 market. Carpet and robes are then spread on 

 her clumsy palfrey ; she siUjamhe de ca,jamle 

 de la, and guides her animal by the nose. Not- 

 >7rithstanding the peaceableness of his nature, 

 her vanity still enables her to torture him into 

 something like caperiugs and curvetings." 

 634 



CATTLE OF SOUTH AMERICA. 

 The ox was one of the first of the domestic 

 animals carried over to America by the early 

 Spanish settlers; and there it has multiplied 

 and spread, and indeed, in some degree, recov- 

 ered its original independence. Herds of wild 

 oxen roam the Pampas, where they are hunted 

 and slain for their hides, which form an impor- 

 tant article of commerce. These wild herds 

 are, in some districts, exceedingly numerous, 

 difiering in no respect from their domestic 

 relatives, and rendered tame without much 

 difficulty. According to Azara, " Captain John 

 de Salazar, born in the city of Pomar in Aragon, 

 transported, from Andalusia, seven cows and a 

 bull to the coast of Brazil ; thence he conducted 

 them overland to the river Parana, at the place 

 opposite to where it receives the river Mondai. 

 He there constructed a raft; placed the cattle 

 on it, and gave them in charge to a certain 

 Gaete, whilst he, himself, went by land to 

 Paraguay. Gaete descended the Parana, to its 

 union with the river of Paraguay, and, steering 

 up this, he safely arrived at the city of As- 

 sumption in 154!G. He spent many months in 

 this voyage; and as he had only one cow given 

 him for payment, the saying has hence arisen, 

 in allusion to the great value of anything — ' It 

 is dearer than Gaete's cow.' The second 

 founders of Buenos Ayres took, in 1580, some 

 cows from Paraguay, which multiplied in the 

 neighbourhood ; and, from want of due care, 

 many of them became wild, and bent their 

 course towards K.io Negro. The Indians of 

 the Cordillera of Chili became acquainted with 

 these animals, which had already attained 

 their boundaries ; and they commenced to carry 

 from them herds of tamed cattle to Chili, where 

 the presidents of this settlement purchased 

 them from these Indians. Those Indians, who 

 could not live in their country without some 

 resource, established themselves in the plains 

 wliich were occupied by these cattle, and some 

 even mixed with the Pampas' Indians. In the 

 meantime, the Indians, who were unsubdued, 

 destroyed the cattle to the south of Buenos 

 Ayres' The Spaniards of those parts, however, 

 did not neglect to take a portion, which they 

 conducted to Cordova and Mendoza ; whilst the 

 Spaniards of Buenos Ayres made up entire 

 cargoes of the hides of bulls and cows ; for, at 



