GENERAL. 33 



destination. The ' tropas ' (droves) are accompanied by a 

 chief drover and peones, corresponding to the number of 

 head of cattle, usually one man to every hundred head. 

 They travel with their change horses (* tropilla '), headed 

 by a mare with a bell, which go in front of the cattle. Be- 

 hind these, driving them, and keeping the cattle from rush- 

 ing forward, rides one or more peones ; others are on the 

 flanks of and behind the ' tropa.' At night time the cattle 

 are stopped, and the peones ride round them until they 

 settle and lie down. Horses are changed, fires lit of 

 thistles, bones, or what can be picked up, and the ' asado' 

 puts down to roast, an animal having been killed to 

 furnish it. 



The cattle are long-horned, generally of from small 

 to medium size, and of varied quality, according to the 

 locality and nature of pasturage on which they are reared 

 and bred. In some ' partidos ' (districts), consequent on 

 the nature of the pasture, the cattle vary, yielding larger 

 carcase and heavier hide, lighter hide and more grease, 

 and of smaller or larger size. On some of the Banda 

 Oriental campos, and in parts of Entre-Bios, they are 

 fully as large as those of Buenos Ayres, and the hides 

 exported are heavier, partly, it is true, owing to the bul- 

 locks, or neats, being as a rule killed when somewhat 

 older, but likewise owing to the stronger nature of the 

 pasture, greater shelter of trees, &c. The oxen, when 

 fully matured (five or six years of age), are powerful and 

 weighty, carrying enormous horns, and make very good 

 draught animals. Except on the lines of railways, nearly 

 all the transport of goods and produce from and to the 

 country is effected in large, ungainly carts, with huge, hard 

 wood, and untired wheels, to which six oxen are yoked 

 by the horns. The cows are but scanty milkers as a 

 rule ; there are, however, some marked exceptions. 



D 



