WILD CATTLE HUNTING. 71 



to walk on slowly, but disabling her from 

 injuring- man or horse. It was about three 

 o'clock when we started to tug these wild 

 beasts four or five miles, and as the sun sets 

 at six o'clock, we had time to arrive before 

 dark, but the many fights we had with the 

 black cow detained her an hour later than 

 the bull. They were both secured to sepa- 

 rate trees, as it was necessary to keep them 

 two or three days in a state of tranquillity 

 before killing them, as the fevered state of 

 their blood would otherwise have rendered 

 them unfit for food in a very few hours. After 

 twenty-four hours had elapsed the bull took 

 the wetted grass that was thrown to him very 

 kindly, but nothing could induce the cow to 

 accept any thing : tied as she was securely 

 to the tree, she rushed at any man or dog 

 that approached, and those that brought her 

 wetted grass to assuage the thirst she must 

 have felt, were equally treated. One of her 

 horns was broken, and as her face and neck 

 were striped with parallel wounds, I con- 

 cluded she must have lately done battle with 

 a tiger or panther, and I have no doubt with 

 complete success, for such a savage beast I 

 never met with in all my wanderings. 



The hides of cattle in Central America 



