83 
grounds are generally demolished,) the masters will 
set all hands to work, not excepting his own, in order 
to get ready a piece of ground for a fresh planting 
or sowing. 
The favourite amusements amongst the men, are 
hunting and fishing. In practising the former, 
they pursue the wild oxen and buffaloes, boars, 
foxes, and other wild animals that inhabit the 
woods. Their method of hunting the buffaloes is 
as follows :—They choose a dark night for the occa¬ 
sion, and after taking the precaution of washing to 
cleanse themselves from the smell of smoak or per¬ 
spiration, they sally forth in as quiet a manner as 
possible, those crafty animals being always upon 
their guard, and listening for an enemy. As soon as 
the hunters have discovered the herd, to which they 
are directed by their roaring, they take a circuitous 
route till they get them to the windward, when they 
walk towards them as softly as possible, some of the 
company pulling the tops of the grass in imitation of 
the cropping of a cow. When, by means of this 
stratagem, they have got near them, they creep cau¬ 
tiously in amongst the herd under cover of the 
bushes, till getting within reach of one they think 
fat, they strike a lance into its belly. The wounded 
animal gives a spring, and bellows as if another of 
the herd had run its horns against it, which so com¬ 
monly happens, that the rest are not alarmed by it. 
In this manner they strike as many of them as they 
want, and retire in the same cautious way as they came. 
g £ 
