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Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902

"By Sheer Pluck, a Tale of the Ashanti War"

They were only captured at
last by hoops being thrown over their horns, and even when thrown
down required the efforts of five or six men to tie them. They were
finally got to the wharf by two men each: one went ahead with the
rope attached to the animal's horn, the other kept behind, holding
a rope fastened to one of the hind legs. Every bull made the most
determined efforts to get at the man in front, who kept on at a run,
the animal being checked when it got too close by the man behind
pulling at its hind leg. When it turned to attack him the man in
front again pulled at his rope. So most of them were brought down
to the landing place, and there with great difficulty again thrown
down, tied, and carried bodily on board. Some of them were so
unmanageable that they had to be carried all the way down to the
landing place. If English cattle possessed the strength and obstinate
fury of these little animals, Copenhagen Fields would have to be
removed farther from London, or the entrance swept by machine guns,
for a charge of the cattle would clear the streets of London.
After spending an amusing day on shore, the party returned on board
ship. Captain Glover's expedition, although composed of only seven
or eight English officers and costing the country comparatively
nothing, accomplished great things, but its doings were almost
ignored by England.


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