there was no result. Then they tried to suffocate 

 him, gripping the mouth and nostrils so that he could 

 not breathe ; but, when the limit of endurance was 

 reached and even the spectators tightened up with 

 a sense of suffocation, a savage shake of the head always 

 freed it the brute was too strong for them. Then 

 they raised the head with reims, and with the nose 

 held high poured water down the nostrils, at the same 

 time keeping the mouth firmly closed ; but he blew 

 the water all over them and shook himself free again. 



For the better part of an hour the struggle went on, 

 but there was not the least sign of yielding on Ban- 

 tom's part, and the string of waiting waggons grew 

 longer, and many others, white men and black, gathered 

 round watching, helping or suggesting. At last some one 

 brought a bucket of water, and into this Bantom's 

 muzzle was thrust as far as it would go, and reims 

 passed through the ears of the bucket were slipped 

 round his horns so that he could not shake himself 

 free at will. We stood back and watched the animal's 

 sides for signs of breathing. For an incredible time 

 he held out ; but at last with a sudden plunge he was 

 up ; a bubbling muffled bellow came from the bucket ; 

 the boys let go the reims ; and the terrified animal 

 ridding himself of the bucket after a frantic struggle, 

 stood with legs apart and eyeballs starting from the 

 sockets, shaking like a reed. 



But nothing that had happened revealed the vicious 

 ingrained obstinacy of the _^ animal's nature 



238 



