2^0 THS LIFE OF 



which'- they were covered. The Lieutenant 

 fhewcd me feveral fkins offuch as he had killed, 

 many of which were fully as large and coarfe.as 

 a bull's hide. 



This is the northernnioft frontiers of the pro- 

 vince oi Rio Grande ydiud though but thinly inha- 

 bited, the Lieutenant affured me he could, when- 

 ever it might be required, colled five hundred 

 men in twenty-four hours, all of them trained to 

 arms. I muft here remark that this gentleman 

 was more than commonly intelligent, and very 

 capable of fhining in a much higher fphere than 

 that in which he then moved. 



The only commodities of this fertile and beau- 

 tiful country are corn and hides j with the for- 

 mer, they fupply the reft oi Brazil, and the lat- 

 ter are "exported to RiaJaneirOy and thence to 

 Europe. The Brazilian cavalry might be made 

 the beft in the world, efpecially for that coun- 

 try ; the horfes are excellent, and will live 

 where an European horfe could not exift. The 

 men are robuft and hardy, and being accuftomed 

 from their infancy to the faddle, fupport fatigues 

 on horfeback in an aftonifhing manner. Every 

 dragoon, befides the horfe on which he rides, 

 has from two to five fpare ones, which accom- 

 pany the regiment ; he carries, befides the ufual 

 arms of a horfeman, his lace and balls^ and when 

 he finds his horfe tired, he turns him loofe, and 



catches 



