100 MANNER OF LASSOING. 



effect^ as each time the animal stumbled for an 

 instant and the bolas slipped off the leg-s without 

 becoming- entang-led. Stooping* as he passed to 

 pick up the bolas from the ground, Escalante 

 uncoiled his lasso, and g'etting* upon the cow's left 

 flank, drove her at full speed towards the foot of the 

 hill; when distant about twelve yards from the 

 chase, he threw the lasso which he had kept 

 swinging" horizontally and slowly round his head for 

 a few minutes back, — the noose fell over the animal's 

 head and neck, catching- one of the foreleg's, which 

 was instantly doubled up under the throat by the 

 drawing- of the noose, when the beast stag"g-ered and 

 fell, but rose ag-ain immediately on three leg's, and 

 attempted to charg-e the horse and rider. Catching* 

 one of the foreleo-s and neck in this manner is con- 

 sidered the master-stroke in lassoing-, being- the most 

 difficult of execution : Capt. Sulivan told me that a 

 one-armed man at Monte Video, famous for his 

 skill in lassoing*, on one occasion for a wag-er caug'ht 

 nine out of ten bullocks in succession after this 

 fashion. It was admirable to observe the manner 

 in which the horse eased off the shock of bring-ing* 

 up an animal much heavier than itself, and by keep- 

 ing* a strain upon the lasso urg*ed the furious beast 

 onwards to a triang*le which had been put up. The 

 other g'aucho, Andrez Pelaluya by name, mean- 

 while was riding* up behind, and at leng*th threw 

 his lasso over the heifer's flanks, the slack of the 

 noose tailing* down upon the ground, — in throwing* 



