Wild Horfes in Spanifh America. 331 
chiefly frequent the fouthern part of the river de la Plata, 
as far as Rio Negro, the country of the Patagonians, &c. 
The wild horfes of all thefe countries live in numerous herds, 
fome of which, it is faid, confift of ten thoufand. As foon 
as they perceive domeftic horfes in the fields, they run to- 
wards them on a full gallop, pafs through the middle of 
them, or near them, carefs them, and invite them with a 
kind of grave and prolonged neighing, The domseltic horfes 
are foon feduced, unite themfelves to the independent herd, 
and depart along with them. It happens not unfrequently 
that travellers are ftopped on the road by the effect of this 
defertion. ‘To prevent it, they halt as foon as they perceive 
thefe wanderers, watch their own horfes, and endeavour to 
frighten away the others. In fuch cafés the wild horfes fol- 
low a certain kind of tactics; fome are detached before, and 
the reft advance in a clofe column, which nothing can in- 
terrupt. If they are fo alarmed as to be obliged to retire, 
they change their direction, but without fuffering themfelves 
to be difperfed: fometimes they make a great number of 
turns around thofe which they with to feduce, in order to 
frighten them; at other times they retire after making one 
turn. Thefe manceuvres are not employed during the night, 
for the wild horfes then make no attempts. The author is 
ignorant whether any thing of the fame kind takes place 
between one herd of wild horfes and another for the purpofe 
of recruiting their number. He afferts. that Buffor is mif- 
taken in faying that thefe wild horfes have more ftrength 
and fleetnefs than the domeftic horfes of the country, and 
that they do not differ from the latter either in height or 
fhape: but he indeed obferves, that no comparifon cam be 
made between the independent and domeftic ftate of thefe 
animals, as in that country both ftates are almoft fimilar. 
Thofe who poflefs effanczas, or paftures for keeping do- 
meftic horfes, place in them a certain number of mares, 
which are never broke or mounted. They remain during 
their whole lives in a ftate of perfect liberty; and for every 
thirty or forty mares there is a ftallioh, which enjoys the 
fame independence. They are counted once or twice a week, 
in order that they may not ftray from the habitation. But 
Uuz- too 
