A happy idea struck Jack: he
always carried his lasso in his pocket; he drew it out, retired a
little, and flung it so dexterously that he completely wound it round
the hind legs of the calf, and threw it down. I now approached; I
replaced the lasso by a stronger cord, and used another to bind his fore
legs loosely. Jack cried victory, and already thought how his mother and
brothers would be delighted, when we presented it; but that was no easy
matter. At last I thought of the method used in Italy to tame the wild
bulls, and I resolved to try it, though it was a little cruel.
I began by tying to the foot of a tree the cords that held the legs;
then making the dogs seize him again by the ears, I caught hold of his
mouth, and with a sharp knife perforated the nostril, and quickly passed
a cord through the opening. This cord was to serve as my rein, to guide
the animal. The operation was successful; and, as soon as the blood
ceased to flow, I took the cord, uniting the two ends, and the poor
suffering creature, completely subdued, followed me without resistance.
I was unwilling to abandon the whole of the buffalo I had killed, as it
is excellent meat; I therefore cut out the tongue, and some of the best
parts from the loin, and covered them well with salt, of which we had
taken a provision with us.
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