106 MANNER OF LASSOING. 



effect^ as each time the animal stumbled for an 

 instant and the bolas slipped oiF the leg's without 

 becoming" entangled. 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 

 hillj 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 forelegs, which 

 was instantly doubled up under the throat b}^ the 

 drawing- of the noose, when the beast stag'gered and 

 fell, but rose again immediately on three legs, and 

 attempted to charge 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 wager 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 bringing* 

 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 length tlu*ew 

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

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



