Chap. IX.]
FALKLAND ISLANDS.
247
1842
resistance to the dogs. They herd, with the young bulls and heifers, in numbers of ten to thirty, roaming more or less, but particularly attaching themselves to tussock grounds. Those who know cattle in our parks only, or even on the hills of Scotland, can form no idea of their speed and strength; and we found that it took three powerful dogs to 'moor' (as our sailors termed it) one full-grown cow.
"The plan of attack is very simple: the object is to take as many animals out of one herd as possible. We had only dogs enough to hold one cow at a time, which is despatched by the hunter before the same dogs are free to follow the herd and detain another. Hence speed is the first requisite for this kind of chase. Shooting forms no part of the hunter's duty; as it is evident that he must be wholly disencumbered for running. Though stalking down and shooting the cattle (thus adding to the commissariat by powder and ball) is both exciting and advantageous, still the rifle-man is comparatively an idler, except in the case of an attack from the bulls; for he can only secure one or two, according to the number of his barrels, at the opening of the hunt; whilst the runner must keep on as long as there is a possibility of the dogs overtaking even a heifer. To resume the narrative: the sagacious dogs showed, by their eager looks and panting, that they understood the cause of and partook in our excitement, and were with great difficulty held down. We landed on the point, screened from the herd, and cautiously wound round a hill; till we were opened to the view of fifteen fine cows, young bulls and heifers, which threw their tails into the air, and, with an awkward bound and fling up of their heels, set off for the interior at a pace of which I hardly thought cattle capable. The dogs, already loose, sprang after and overtook them in a quarter of a mile. The runners of the party, in light shoes, long accustomed to the exercise, flew rather than ran in their wake; whilst my companion and self, each equipped
