496 THRILLING ADVENTURES, v; 



ground. In a moment the lazos which bound their legs were 

 loosened, and at th^ same time a shout from the field so 

 frightened the colts, that up they started on all fours, but 

 to their astonishment, each with a rider on his back, rivetted, 

 at it were, to the saddle, and controlling them by means of a 

 never-to-be-dreamed-of bit in his mouth. The animals made a 

 simultaneous and most surprising vault ; they reared, plunged, 

 and kicked ; now they started off at full gallop, and anon 

 stopped short in their career, with their heads between their 

 legs, endeavoring to throw their riders. " Que esperanza," 

 " vain hope, indeed !" Immovable sat the two Tape In- 

 dians ; they smiled at the unavailing attempts of the turbu- 

 lent and outrageous animals to unseat them ; and in less than 

 an hour from the time of their mounting, it was very evident 

 who were to be the masters. < 



The horses did their very worst, the Indians never lost 

 either the security or the grace of their seats ; till after two 

 hours of the most violent efforts to rid themselves of their 

 burden, the horses were so exhausted, that, drenched with 

 sweat, with gored and palpitating sides, and hanging down 

 their heads, they stood for five minutes together, panting 

 and confounded, but they made not a single effort to move. 

 Then came the Gaucho's turn to exercise his more positive 

 authority. Hitherto he had been entirely upon the defensive. 

 His object was simply to keep his seat and tire out the horse. 

 He now wanted to move it in a given direction, wayward, 

 zigzag ; often interrupted was his course at first, still the 

 Gaucho made for a given point ; and they advanced towards 

 it, till at the end of about three hours the now mastered 

 animals moved in nearly a direct, line, and in company with 

 the other horses, to the questo, or small subordinate esta- 

 blishment, on the estate to which we were repairing. When 

 we got there, the two horses, which so shortly before had been 

 as free as the wind, they tied to a stake of the corral, the 

 slaves of lordly man. 



