1829.] Recent Journey in South America. 275 
after this, it remains for the rest of the night loose upon the grass. It 
may readily be supposed, that this mode of treatment in some measure 
answers the purpose of more refined and civilized expedients for thinning 
and keeping under the surplus population. I was informed that the 
value of the slaves, obtained from the Indians in the manner alluded to 
above, is, at the age of eight years, about 100 dollars. 
On the 30th, we fell in with a herd of about four hundred wild pigs. 
We gave chase to them, and at first they ran very swiftly ; but they 
soon became tired by rushing through the tall pasture, when several 
- ferocious boars suddenly stopped and faced us—gnashing their tusks 
and putting on a somewhat formidable appearance. Owing also to the 
suddenness of their halt, our guns were not available at the moment, 
and we were compelled to wheel our horses round, in order to avoid the 
danger of their being gored by these savage animals. As they kept 
their ground resolutely, we now immediately unslung our rifles and 
commenced the attack—which, after no little danger from the monstrous 
white tusks of our opponents, and several severe wounds from the same 
about the legs of our horses, ended in laying ten of the herd dead at our 
feet. Though we were four in number, and armed with rifles, pistols, 
and sabres, it cost us a full hour to achieve the above victory. We now 
dragged four of the finest carcasses to the carts, which had stopped at a 
little distance, and it was not long before portions of them were roasting. 
The drivers seemed to partake of this feast with great gusto ; but, on 
tasting the flesh myself, I found its flavour not unlike that of rancid 
whale oil. This was probably occasioned by the animals feeding so 
much on carrion, which they greatly prefer to grass. These herds of 
pigs, though running wild, I afterwards found to be, in fact, the pro- 
perty of the estancieros, or holders of the cattle farms, who, when the 
pasture fails or becomes scarce, cause a number of wild mares to be 
' slaughtered for the purpose of supplying their herds of pigs with food. - 
These herds form a great article of commerce with the shipping agents 
of Buenos Ayres, who come hither and purchase the herds’ at the rate of 
about areal a head. They are then driven to Buenos Ayres, where 
they are fed for some time on grain, &c. and then killed and salted for 
ship provisions. 
In the afternoon of the day on which we had performed the above 
exploit, our Cordovese scout encountered a very strong wild boar, which 
he immediately caught with infinite dexterity, by casting his lazo over 
it. He then drove it on before him for some time; but, on the animal 
shewing his distaste to this mode of travelling, and turning to attack 
Ais conductor, the latter immediately put his horse to speed and dragged 
the boar for half a mile at full gallop till he reached the carts ; by which 
time the boar was strangled, and the side on which he had been dragged 
was completely bare. We now began to enter a district well peopled 
with estancios, or cattle farms; to each of which is attached a large 
mere of peach-trees—this being the only tree used for firewood in these 
stricts. On the night of this day, a little incident occurred singularly 
eharacteristic of the state of manners and feeling of the people forming 
our troop. Every body having for some days past been tired of the beef 
belonging the troop itself—which had assumed that condition called 
* carne cansado” (tired flesh), and which is abhorred by the Gauchos 
on account of its having lost all its flavour—some of the drivers sallied 
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