{"id":"01KG8AKTS30QT8QFJCE7CJT4MX","cid":"bafkreigkgvcdkp7bn2r426h5wrlhjylcdsy46rlac74mzm5q6n7urgq4ay","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":7946,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.153Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","start_line":7869,"text":"CHAPTER LVII.\r\nTHE SECOND HUNT IN THE MOUNTAINS\r\n\r\n\r\nFair dawned, over the hills of Martair, the jocund morning of our hunt.\r\n\r\nEverything had been prepared for it overnight; and, when we arrived at\r\nthe house, a good breakfast was spread by Shorty: and old Tonoi was\r\nbustling about like an innkeeper. Several of his men, also, were in\r\nattendance to accompany us with calabashes of food; and, in case we met\r\nwith any success, to officiate as bearers of burdens on our return.\r\n\r\nApprised, the evening previous, of the meditated sport, the doctor had\r\nannounced his willingness to take part therein.\r\n\r\nNow, subsequent events made us regard this expedition as a shrewd\r\ndevice of the Yankee’s. Once get us off on a pleasure trip, and with\r\nwhat face could we afterward refuse to work? Beside, he enjoyed all the\r\ncredit of giving us a holiday. Nor did he omit assuring us that, work\r\nor play, our wages were all the while running on.\r\n\r\nA dilapidated old musket of Tonoi’s was borrowed for the doctor. It was\r\nexceedingly short and heavy, with a clumsy lock, which required a\r\nstrong finger to pull the trigger. On trying the piece by firing at a\r\nmark, Long Ghost was satisfied that it could not fail of doing\r\nexecution: the charge went one way, and he the other.\r\n\r\nUpon this, he endeavoured to negotiate an exchange of muskets with\r\nShorty; but the Cockney was proof against his blandishments; at last,\r\nhe intrusted his weapon to one of the natives to carry for him.\r\n\r\nMarshalling our forces, we started for the head of the valley; near\r\nwhich a path ascended to a range of high land, said to be a favourite\r\nresort of the cattle.\r\n\r\nShortly after gaining the heights, a small herd, some way off, was\r\nperceived entering a wood. We hurried on; and, dividing our party, went\r\nin after them at four different points; each white man followed by\r\nseveral natives.\r\n\r\nI soon found myself in a dense covert; and, after looking round, was\r\njust emerging into a clear space, when I heard a report, and a bullet\r\nknocked the bark from a tree near by. The same instant there was a\r\ntrampling and crashing; and five bullocks, nearly abreast, broke into\r\nView across the opening, and plunged right toward the spot where myself\r\nand three of the islanders were standing.\r\n\r\nThey were small, black, vicious-looking creatures; with short, sharp\r\nhorns, red nostrils, and eyes like coals of fire. On they came—their\r\ndark woolly heads hanging down.\r\n\r\nBy this time my island backers were roosting among the trees. Glancing\r\nround, for an instant, to discover a retreat in case of emergency, I\r\nraised my piece, when a voice cried out, from the wood, “Right between\r\nthe ’orns, Paul! right between the ’orns!” Down went my barrel in range\r\nwith a small white tuft on the forehead of the headmost one; and,\r\nletting him have it, I darted to one side. As I turned again, the five\r\nbullocks shot by like a blast, making the air eddy in their wake.\r\n\r\nThe Yankee now burst into view, and saluted them in flank. Whereupon,\r\nthe fierce little bull with the tufted forehead flirted his long tail\r\nover his buttocks; kicked out with his hind feet, and shot forward a\r\nfull length. It was nothing but a graze; and, in an instant, they were\r\nout of sight, the thicket into which they broke rocking overhead, and\r\nmarking their progress.\r\n\r\nThe action over, the heavy artillery came up, in the person of the Long\r\nDoctor with the blunderbuss.\r\n\r\n“Where are they?” he cried, out of breath.\r\n\r\n“A mile or two h’off, by this time,” replied the Cockney. “Lord, Paul I\r\nyou ought to’ve sent an ’ailstone into that little black ’un.”\r\n\r\nWhile excusing my want of skill, as well as I could, Zeke, rushing\r\nforward, suddenly exclaimed, “Creation! what are you ’bout there,\r\nPeter?”\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJM0K36F6WVVK47R75E50","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKTS00CYBVGZPY3N7YNEY","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:17.187Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:30.515Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}