172 
MADAGASCAR. 
to the shore, where they are conveyed on board in 
a very primitive fashion. A rope is fastened to 
the horns of the captive, and several scores of 
Malagasy tug and strain at the rope, with a view 
to induce the stubborn and often enraged animal 
to take to the water. A frightful din is kept up 
on all sides by the drivers to frighten off the 
sharks; and when at length the bullock begins to 
swim, a canoe full of men take charge of the 
rope, and steadily steer the helpless animal to¬ 
wards the vessel, into which he is duly hoisted, 
and takes his place alongside some hundreds of 
companions, duly staked and foddered for the 
often difficult and perilous voyage to the Mauri¬ 
tius. Often, however, the cattle are by no means 
tractable. They resist, by all means in their 
power, this enforced expatriation, and rush upon 
the men who have charge of them with ungovern¬ 
able fury; or occasionally the rope breaks by 
which the bullock is held, and then for the time 
the released and bellowing brute has it all to 
himself. A general stampede takes place ; and 
half the morning is sometimes wasted in that, to 
the Malagasy, most exhilarating of all pastimes, 
an “ ox hunt.” Boys, men, and even girls and 
women, join in the pursuit, over field and stream, 
and up the hillsides, now chasing and now 
being chased, roaring with delight, and utterly 
indifferent to the passage of precious moments, 
