's steed for his
diversion.
The country altered but little, only the variety of trees gave place
to the ohia alone, with its sombre foliage. There were neither
birds nor insects, and the only travellers we encountered in the
solitude compelled us to give them a wide berth, for they were a
drove of half wild random cattle, led by a lean bull of hideous
aspect, with crumpled horns. Two picturesque native vaccheros on
mules accompanied them, and my flagging spirits were raised by their
news that the volcano was quite active. The owner of these cattle
knows that he has 10,000 head, and may have a great many more. They
are shot for their hides by men who make shooting and skinning them
a profession, and, near settlements, the owners are thankful to get
two cents a pound for sirloin and rump-steaks. These, and great
herds which are actually wild and ownerless upon the mountains, are
a degenerate breed, with some of the worst peculiarities of the
Texas cattle, and are the descendants of those which Vancouver
placed on the islands and which were under Tabu for ten years. They
destroy the old trees by gnawing the bark, and render the growth of
young ones impossible.
As it was getting dark we passed through a forest strip, where tree-
ferns from twelve to eighteen feet in height, and with fronds from
five to seven feet long, were the most attractive novelties.
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