ver
bed flat, on which were grazing some two hundred head of cattle, amongst
which were five young bullocks of Hudson's he wished to cut out and
drive to Moorhouse's station on the Rangitata, about twenty miles
further south. The cutting out is more difficult than driving the whole
herd, which will be apparent.

Having entered among them and found the animals we were in search of, we
proceeded quietly to move them to a common place near the edge, from
which we meant to drive them, and Hudson, who had considerable
experience, succeeded after a while in collecting his five beasts in a
favourable spot for our enterprise. We then took up positions on either
side, and with a sudden spurt endeavoured to drive them on to the plain.
We were partially successful, leaving only one of the five behind, and
we got the other four clear away some miles before they seemed to be
aware of the absence of their comrades, but with some smart galloping we
were keeping them well together in the direction we wanted to go. We
were not, however, destined to continue fortunate for long. After a
while we unexpectedly came across a herd of fresh cattle, into which our
charges at once bolted, and it took two hours hard galloping before we
succeeded in extricating only two of them. With these we were obliged to
be satisfied; our horses were showing signs of fatigue, and without
fresh mounts and other assistance it would be impossible to cut out the
others that day.

[Illustration: THE BAKED STEERS.]

Fortunately those we had went away quietly, and we hoped that no further
impediment would occur. We were sadly mistaken. For six miles all went
well, but it was then clear that the animals were getting baked (jaded);
they were in too good condition for the hard cutting out twice repeated.

On reaching an isolated cabbage tree one deliberately lay down, while
the other backed against the tree and stood sulkily at bay. Being
nearest, I ignorantly made at them with the whip, when I was saluted
with a bellow and a sudden charge, which, had not my horse been more on
guard than I was, might have maimed one or both of us. The beast, having
charged, backed again to the tree, and stood with nozzle touching the
ground, breathing heavily, with sunken flanks and half-glazed eyes, a
picture of imbecility, recklessness, and fatigue.

Hudson, on coming up, saw it was useless to attempt driving him further,
and so we left him and the cabbage tree, and resumed our c