irst start from the village where we had been entertained so
hospitably and so long was productive of much amusement to ourselves and
to the natives.

We had determined to accept of three oxen from the chief, and to ride
these when we felt fatigued; but we thought it best to let our native
porters carry our baggage on their shoulders, as they had hitherto done.

When the animals were led up to our hut, we could not refrain from
laughing. They were three sturdy-looking dark-skinned oxen, with
wicked-looking black eyes and very long horns.

"Now, Jack, do you get up first," said Peterkin, "and show us what we
are to expect."

"Nay, lad; I am still entitled to be considered an invalid: so you must
get up first, and not only so, but you must try them all, in order that
I may be enabled to select the quietest."

"Upon my word, you are becoming despotic in your sickness, and you
forget that it is but a short time since I came down from a journey to
the sky, and that my poor bones are still tender. But here goes. I was
born to be victimised, so I submit to the decrees of Fate."

Peterkin went up to one of the oxen and attempted to mount it; but the
animal made a demonstration of an intention to gore him, and obstinately
objected to this.

"Hold him tight, Mak," he cried, after several futile attempts to mount.
"I was always good at leap-frog when a schoolboy; see if I don't bring
my powers into play now."

So saying, he went behind the ox, took a short race and sprang with the
agility of a monkey over its tail on to its back! The ox began to kick
and sidle and plunge heavily on receiving this unexpected load; but its
rider held on well, until it took it into its head to dart under a
neighbouring tree, the lower branches of which swept him off and caused
him to fall with a heavy plump to the ground.

"I told you so," he cried, rising with a rueful face, and rubbing
himself as he limped forward. However, his pain was more than half
affected, for the next minute he was on the back of another ox. This
one also proved restive, but not so much so as the first. The third was
a very quiet animal, so Jack appropriated it as his charger.

Having bade adieu to the chief and rubbed noses with him and with
several of our friends in the village, we all three got upon our novel
steeds and set forth. But we had not got away from the village more
than a mile when the two restive oxen began to display a firm
determination to