34 INGLAND THE OX.

people, when they unharnessed him, gave them-
selves no concern to prevent him from escaping ;
he wandered at will in the pasture, and was com-
mitted, if I may so express myself, to the guidance .
of his own understanding; there was no fear that
he would wander from the place. When it was
time to travel another stage it was unnecessary to
fetch him from the pasture and bring him to the
waggon, as was requisite for the rest ; three smacks
of the whip was our signal for march, and as goon
as he heard them he came to his post. He was
always the first to present himself to the traces, as
if he had been afraid to lose his priority in a place
which he had constantly been employed to occupy.

“Tf I went out for exercise, or to hunt, at my
return Ingland, as far as he could see me, quitted
his pasture, and ran towards me with a particular
sort of bellowing, expressive of his joy. He rubbed
his head against my body in different directions,
and caressed me after his manner. Frequently he
licked my hands, and I was constrained to stop long
.enough to receive his civilities, which sometimes
lasted for a quarter of an hour. At length, when
I had replied by my endearments and by a kiss, he
led the way to my tent, and walked quietly before me.

‘The evening before he died, Ingland lay down
near the shaft of his waggon, and it was in this

place he expired. I saw his last agonies, but was
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