nd a small circle; the man had a "radius" of about
thirty feet, and either he must let the cow get the hitch unwound, or
else he must take up his two feet to about the height of his eyes, and
race round a big circle. This was racing and chasing.

The cow walked quietly round and round the tree to unwind herself; and
first Lloyd, and then Palema, and then Lloyd again, scampered round the
big circle, and fell, and got up again, and bounded like a deer, to keep
her hitched.

It was funny to see, but we couldn't laugh with a good heart; for every
now and then (when the man who was running tumbled down) the cow would
get a bit ahead; and I promise you there was then no sound of any
laughter, but we rather edged away toward the gate, looking to see the
crazy beast loose, and charging us. To add to her attractions, the board
had fallen partly off, and only covered one eye, giving her the look of
a crazy old woman in a Sydney slum. Meanwhile, the calf stood looking
on, a little perplexed, and seemed to be saying: "Well, now, is this
life? It doesn't seem as if it was all it was cracked up to be. And this
is my mamma? What a very impulsive lady!"

All the time, from the lower paddock, we could hear Bazett roaring like
the deep seas, and if we cast our eye that way, we could see him
switching his tail, as a very angry gentleman may sometimes switch his
cane. And the Jersey would every now and then put up her head, and low
like the pu[19] for dinner. And take it for all in all, it was a very
striking scene. Poor Uncle Lloyd had plenty of time to regret having
been in such a hurry; so had poor Palema, who was let into the business,
and ran until he was nearly dead. Afterward Palema went and sat on a
gate, where your mother sketched him, and she is going to send you the
sketch. And the end of it? Well, we got her tied again, I really don't
know how; and came stringing back to the house with our tails between
our legs. That night at dinner, the Tamaitai[20] bid us tell the boys to
be very careful "not to frighten the cow." It was too much; the cow had
frightened us in such fine style that we all broke down and laughed like
mad.

General Hoskyns, there is no further news, your Excellency, that I am
aware of. But it may interest you to know that Mr. Christian held his
twenty-fifth birthday yesterday--a quarter of a living century old;
think of it, drink of it, innocent youth!--and asked down Lloyd and
Daplyn to a feast at one o'clo