320 THE CAROLINA MOUNTAINS 
ened to the same chain. They, too, were leaning 
forward on the yoke. They, too, dropped foam from 
their mouths and their flanks heaved. As these 
passed the opening in the trees, a third yoke fol- 
lowed, straining like the others, their noses almost 
touching the ground, their flanks ridged with whip- 
lashes. The descent was steep and rough, men 
shouted frantic commands to the near cattle and 
far back in the woods. Following the third yoke 
came a fourth, leaning forward like the others, 
disfigured with welts like the others, foaming at the 
mouth and with bulging eyes. Behind them came a 
fifth pair of cattle, their weight on the yoke, their 
muscles standing out, toiling as though they were 
trying to move the mountain itself. 
Suddenly there was a cry along the line, men 
came running, whiplashes stung the faces of the 
oxen, and they halted in their steep descent. The 
chain slackened and rattled, then suddenly tightened 
again, jerking some of the cattle out of their tracks. 
Wilder shouts came from the woods above, mingled 
with a rumbling and then a crashing sound. An 
instant's ominous silence and the commotion was 
renewed with tenfold vehemence in the rear. The 
men who had come forward ran back. The cattle 
stood panting in the trail. 
Minutes passed while the sounds of a struggle of 
some sort came loudly through the forest. At last 
the command to advance was given, the long lashes 
of plaited hickory bark swung out and the ten huge 
forms bent strongly to the yoke. Behind them came 
