| Share page |
|
RIDING ON AN OSTRICH 227 |
||
|
the legs—your balls captured them ; and we will give you, Francis, a feather from the tail, as it was there, I believe, you kicked the bird to make it stand up.'
At this they all laughed, and the question was left undecided.
I fastened the ostrich securely between two trees, where I left him for the night.
The next day we set off early. The ostrich took his place between the bull and the buffalo, as before. He was at first inclined to be refractory, and threw himself from right to left, but all in vain ; his two conductors were like immovable masses, against which all resistance was unavailing.
Fritz mounted the young colt Rapid, and I the ass, while Ernest drove the cart, in which sat my wife.
We halted at the entrance of the defile where my sons had suspended the cord with the feathers attached, to keep back the antelopes and gazelles. In the place of the cord we erected a solid palisade of bamboo, high enough to keep out all animals that do not climb.
Our labours detained us a long time, and it was night when we arrived at the cabin of the farm. We Ugh ted a fire, and after supper extended |
||