Sentence:  Then followed a confusion of kicks, cuffs, tramplings and <WSD>plungings</WSD>, accompanied by a thunderous intermingling of volleyed curses, and finally a bitter apostrophe to the mule, which must have broken its spirit, for hostilities seemed to cease from that moment. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A headlong violent motion like that of a horse trying to throw its rider.