38 BREAKING IN PACK-OXEN. [chap. ii. 



the horses, giving a mount now and then to the men. 

 The chestnut mule and four oxen were to be packed 

 with my belongings, one other ox with Stewartson's. 



The ceremony of breaking in the black ox had next 

 to be performed, and in this way ; the whole herd was 

 driven close up together, and then, Stewartson, with a 

 long thong of leather (a reim), noosed like a lasso, 

 crept in amongst the creatures, and pushed the noose 

 with a stick round the leg of the victim, holding on at 

 the other end of the thong like grim death. The ox 

 bellowed and kicked and galloped on three legs ; the 

 herd dispersed, everybody ran to help, and soon the 

 animal, looking highly wroth and disgusted at the 

 treatment, was brought to a stand-still, and another 

 noose thrown over liis horns ; then, by lugging at the 

 thongs, the beast was tumbled over, his nose pierced 

 with a stick : some old wortliless bags were filled with 

 sand, and tied firmly on his back, and he was let go, to 

 plunge and bellow, and to vent his sulkiness on, and 

 tell his story to, his fellow oxen. 



Next morning, the packing operation was again gone 

 through, as the pack had become loose ; and this was 

 repeated for two or three more days. Now that the ox 

 had a nose-stick, it was much easier to secure him ; for 

 when once lassoed by the leg, an active individual 

 could soon snatch the stick. In this way the beast was 

 secured fore and aft, and unless from sulkiness he lay 

 do-wm, could be packed standing. The little red ox 

 was a far more awkward customer than the other. I 

 never witnessed greater vice than the creature showed ; 

 and his horns were sadly annoying. 



