HUNTING OSTRICHES AND HORSES. 495 



herbage, our game flew from us, by the combined air of wings 

 and limbs, at the rate of sixteen miles SKI hour. The chase 

 lasted half that time ; when an Indian peon, starting ahead 

 of the close phalanx of his mounted competitors, whirled his 

 balos, with admirable grace and dexterity, around his head, 

 and with deadly aim flung them over the half-running. b;df- 

 flying, but now devoted ostrich. Irretrievably entangled, 

 down came the giant bird, rolling, fluttering, panting ; and 

 being in an instant dispatched, the company on the field 

 stripped him of his feathers, stuck them in their girdles, and 

 left the plucked and mangled carcass in the plain, a prey to 

 the vultures, which were already hovering around us. We 

 now came upon an immense herd of wild horses, and Candioti, 

 jun., said, " Now Senor Don Juan, I must show how we tame 

 a colt." So saying, the word was given for the pursuit of 

 the herd, and off, once more, like lightening started the Gau- 

 cho horsemen, Candioti and myself keeping up with them. 

 The herd consisted of about two thousand horses, neighing 

 and snorting, with ears erect and flowing tails, their manes 

 outspread to the wind, affrighted the moment they were con- 

 scious of pursuit. 



The Gauchos set up their usual cry ; the dogs were left in 

 the distance, and it was not till we had followed the flock at 

 full speed, and without a check, for five miles, that the two 

 headmost peons launched their balos at the horse which each 

 had respectively singled out of the herd. Down to the ground, 

 with frightful somersets, came two gallant colts. The herd 

 continued its headlong flight, leaving behind two prostrate 

 companions. Upon these the whole band of Gauchos now 

 ran in ; lazos were applied to tie their legs ; one man held 

 down the head of each horse, and another the hind quarters ; 

 while with singular rapidity and dexterity two other Gauchos 

 put the saddles and bridles on their fallen, trembling, and 

 nearly frantic victims. This done, the two men who had 

 brought down the colts bestrode them as they still lay on the 



