SOUTH AMERICA. 71 



hock, in order to avoid wounding a vital part, and 

 the third was shot tr aversely into the extremity 

 of the nostril. 



The poison seemed to take effect in four mi- 

 nutes. Conscious as though he would fall, the 

 ox set himself firmly on his legs, and remained 

 quite still in the same place, till about the four- 

 teenth minute, when he smelled the ground, and 

 appeared as if inclined to walk. He advanced a 

 pace or two, staggered, and fell, and remained 

 extended on his side, with his head on the ground. 

 His eye, a few minutes ago so bright and lively, 

 now became fixed and dim, and though you put 

 your hand close to it, as if to give him a blow 

 there, he never closed his eye-lid. 



His legs were convulsed, and his head from 

 time to time started involuntarily ; but he never 

 showed the least desire to raise it from the 

 ground ; he breathed hard, and emitted foam 

 from his mouth. The startings, or subsultus 

 tendinum, now became gradually weaker and 

 weaker ; his hinder parts were fixed in death ; 

 and in a minute or two more his head and fore- 

 legs ceased to stir. 



Nothing now remained to show that life was 

 still within him, except that his heart faintly beat 

 and fluttered at intervals. In five and twenty 

 minutes from the time of his being wounded, he 

 was quite dead. His flesh was very sweet and 

 savoury at dinner. 



FIRST 

 JOURNEY. 



