378 The Laso ; its Origin and Use. ^Oct. 



Oriental, they were ftiirly besieged by the gauchos. Many of their 

 mounted officers, at the head and on the flanks of the columns, wei'e 

 lasoed ; and but for the timely co-operation of a body of Rio Grande 

 cavalry accustomed to the gaucho warfare, the division must have 

 made a retrograde movement. The Portuguese, masters of Monte 

 Video, held no more of the country than what was within range of their 

 guns ; the gauchos pushed their inroads to the very gates of the fortress, 

 and obliged them to draw all their supplies by sea. At Colonia del 

 Sacramento, which they likewise held, a post on the land-side, consist- 

 ing of a mud embankment, with embrasures for guns, was, on relieving 

 the guards for several mornings in succession, found to be deserted. 

 The commandant was utterly unable to account for this circumstance, 

 as no spirit of desertion had manifested itself among his troops. He 

 accordingly selected a Ca^ador of tried gallantry, and proved fidelity, 

 to mount guard at this post, and gave him strict orders to fire at what- 

 ever might approach it. As the grey tints of morning broke in the east, 

 the sentinel discovered a solitary horse grazing near the spot: he 

 remarked, also, that the horse gi-adually approached nearer to his post. 

 Faithful to his orders, he fired, and brought him down. The soldier 

 reloaded his piece, and, on looking towards the dead animal, he thought 

 he perceived something moving on the ground, and on straining his 

 eyes to ascertain the fact, he distinctly observed a man in the act of 

 crawling away. He again fired, and a groan told him that his fire had 

 taken effect. The mystery was now cleared up. This gaucho, as the 

 morning bi'oke, had been in the habit of approaching the posts, crouched 

 down beneath the belly of his steed. When near enough, he would 

 spring suddenly on the back of the animal, and, watching the centinel 

 as he passed the embrasure, throw his laso, drag him through, and lead 

 him away a prisoner. 



IIEI'LECTIOMS ON A llAMBLE IN GEKMAjgY. 



Armoruni sonituin toto Gerniania coelo 

 Audiit. ViuGiL. 



Modern civilization has pared down the surface of English society 

 to one undeviating straight line of monotonous uniformity. This is, 

 pei'haps, as it should be ; but while the lip of the philosopher curls with 

 a smile of pity at the wild ravings and fanciful delusions of the enthu- 

 siast, the lover of the picturesque in character and manners will still 

 seek, beyond the shores of our own island, some appropiate field for the 

 indulgence and gratification of his favourite taste. If he direct his 

 steps to Germany, his labours will be amply rewarded. There is a mar- 

 tial aspect on the brow of Germany which strikes you on the frontier. 

 The brazen trumpet's maddening note — the iron clatter of the mustering 

 squadron — the deep, lumbering roll of the heavy guns — the slow, mea- 

 sured tread of infantry, with their spirit-stirring bands ; — these are the 

 sounds which break on the ear of the traveller on the very threshold of 

 the land. In the features of the country there is something chivalric. 



