578 UNGULATA. 



and every other obstacle. Should the ox give up the chase suddenly, 

 the rider must immediately check the speed of his horse, otherwise the 

 jerk would break the lasso, or what is worse, it would draw the saddle 

 back to the flanks of the horse, or break the girths ; in which case the 

 man would be brought to the ground, and be at the mercy of the furious 

 animal, still with the lasso on his horns, but no longer fast to the horse. 



The troops of oxen when formed, are driven at the rate of nine to 

 twelve miles a day to the Saladero or Salting establishment. 



The hide is the most valuable part of the animal, and the preparation 

 of it is carefully attended to. The workmen lay each hide on the flat of 

 their left hands, scrape off all the beef and fat which may be adhering to 

 the inner coating with a knife in the right hand, trim the edges, and then 

 stretch out the hides by means of stakes driven into the ground, if the 

 skins are to be dried. If they are to be salted, a pile is made of them 

 with layers of salt. Dried hides require much more time and skill than 

 when they are only salted. In the latter case they are packed in casks 

 for exportation ; in the former, when shipped, they are tied up in 

 bundles. Hides form the chief export from the River Platte. 



AFRICAN CATTLE. 



In Africa, the cattle are not only employed for the yoke, but are also 

 educated for the saddle, and are taught to obey the bit as well as many 

 horses. The bit is of very primitive form, being nothing more than a 

 stick which is passed through the nostrils, and to which the reins are 

 tied. One end of the stick is generally forked to prevent it from falling 

 out of its place, and in guiding the animal, the rider is obliged to draw 

 both reins to the right or left side, lest he should pull out the wooden 

 bit. The saddle oxen are not very swift steeds, their pace being about 

 four or five miles an hour ; and as their skin is so loosely placed on their 

 bodies that the saddle sways at every step, their rider has no very agree- 

 able seat. In breaking the Ox for the saddle, the teachers avail them- 

 selves of the aid of two trained oxen, between whom the novice is tied, 

 and who soon teach it the proper lesson of obedience. 



The horns of this variety of the Ox are of marvellous length, having 

 been known to exceed thirteen feet in total length, and nearly nine feet, 

 from tip to tip. The circumference of these enormous horns was more 

 than eighteen inches, measured at their bases. One such horn is capable 



