FAMILY ROBINSON. 155

blood came. In a moment he reared himself
almost erect on his hind-feet, remained for a while
stiff and motionless, then came down on his fore-
feet slowly, I still holding on his ear. At last
I ventured to release him ; he made some leaps,
but soon subsided into a sort of trot, I having
previously placed loose cords on his fore-legs.
From that time we were his masters; my sons
mounted him one after another; they gave him
the name of Lightfoot, and never animal deserved
his name better. As a precaution, we kept the
cords on his legs for some time; and as he never
would submit to the bit, we used a snaffle, by
which we obtained power over his head, guiding
him by a stick, with which we struck the right or
left ear, as we wished him to go.

During this time, our poultry-yard was in-
creased by three broods of chickens. We had at
least forty of these little creatures chirping and
pecking about, the pride of their good mistress’s
heart. Part of these were kept at home, to supply
the table, and part she allowed to colonize in the
woods, where we could find them when we wanted -
them. “These,” she said, “are of more use than
_ monkeys, jackals, and eagles, who do nothing

ut eat, and would not be worth eating themselves,
if we were in need.” However, she allowed there
was some use in the buffalo, who carried burdens,
and Lightfoot, who carried her sons so well. The
fowls, which cost us little for food, would be always
ready, she said, either to supply us with eggs or
chickens, when the rainy season came on —the
winter of this climate.

This reminded me that the approach of that
dreary season permitted me no longer to defer avery