USE OF THE LASSO AND BOLAS. 105 



the kelp g-oose^ which has a very rank taste^ derived 

 fi'om its feeding' chiefly upon the film}" sea-weeds 

 covering- the tidal rocks^ the upland g-oose is ex- 

 cellent eating', and formed a welcome addition to 

 our fare on board. Log-oferheads and other ducks, 

 cormorants^ and grebes, were swimming* about 

 among' the beds of kelp, and oyster-catchers of 

 two kinds, g'ulls, kelp g'eese, and many other birds 

 frequented the shores. 



Meanwhile one of the g'auchos rode over from 

 Capt. Sulivan's establishment on the main by a ford 

 passable at low water, and was sent back for a com- 

 panion to assist him in catching* the cattle. He 

 Avas an old weather-beaten half-bred Pampas Indian 

 of the name of Escalante, whose capability of 

 enduring* fatigue and privations of ever}' kind were 

 described as beino- remarkable even in a ^'fiucho. 

 At leng'th the cattle were collected and driven up, 

 and although eight hundred out of those composing 

 the herd had been reclaimed only thi'ee months, 3'^et 

 the whole were easily managed by the two men on 

 horseback, who rounded them in without difficulty 

 upon the summit of a low hill close to the slaughter- 

 ing place. A fine dun heifer four years old was 

 the first selected \ it was detached from the herd 

 after some trouble, and pursued by both g'auchos 

 Avho, throwing off their ponchos, untwisted the bolas 

 from round the waist, and, after swinging them 

 round the head several times, threw them in succes- 

 sion at the beast's hind legs but without taking 



