My life, hitherto, had led me away from horned cattle, and I had no knowledge of the art of managing them.

What was meant by the "in ox," as against the "off ox," when both were equally fastened to one cart, and under one yoke, I could not very easily divine; and the difference, implied by the names, and the peculiar duties of each, were alike _Greek_ to me.

Why was not the "off ox" called the "in ox ?" Where and what is the reason for this distinction in names, when there is none in the things themselves?
After initiating me into the _"woa," "back" "gee," "hither"_--the entire spoken language between oxen and driver--Mr.Covey took a rope, about ten feet long and one inch thick, and placed one end of it around the horns of the "in hand ox," and gave the other end to me, telling me that if the oxen started to run away, as the scamp knew they would, I must hold on to the rope and stop them.

I need not tell any one who is acquainted with either the strength of the disposition of an untamed ox, that this order{163} was about as unreasonable as a command to shoulder a mad bull! I had never driven oxen before, and I was as awkward, as a driver, as it is possible to conceive.

It did not answer for me to plead ignorance, to Mr.Covey; there was something in his manner that quite forbade that.