24 STATES OF THE RIVER PLATE. 



' corral ; ' in fine weather they are left on the ' rodeo,' a 

 bare piece of ground near the house, to which they are 

 driven to pass the night, where they have more space, are 

 kept cleaner, and can rest perfectly quiet ; in wet and dirty 

 weather it becomes impossible, without serious prejudice, 

 to put them into ' corral,' on account of the accumulation 

 of excrements and mud. Under these circumstances, on 

 stormy nights, the shepherd is required to be up with his 

 flock, riding or walking round them (' rodeando ' them), 

 to prevent their driving before the wind and rain ; in heavy 

 gales there have been instances of large numbers being 

 swept away, running before the blast, and, encountering a 

 swollen brook, plunging head foremost into it, under the 

 influence of the hindermost, and perishing to the last. 



In the daytime, in a storm, they are very apt to drive, 

 and especially in a dust storm, by which, occasionally, 

 great losses and considerable inconvenience through the 

 mixing of the flocks is incurred. 



The ordinary routine of the shepherd's duties is to take 

 out his flock of a morning, as early as possible in the 

 summer time, while the dew is on the thirsty grasses, and 

 return with them at sundown, taking them to the natural 

 drinking places, when there are any ; and in droughts, 

 on those estabhshments where wells are sunk for the pur- 

 pose, to drinking troughs supplied by drawing water with 

 what is called a ' manga ' (or sleeve), a long canvas bag, 

 with a hoop at the upper end, and a rope at each ex- 

 tremity, so arranged that the ' manga ' fills (in part) and 

 comes up doubled until out of the well, when the upper 

 end or mouth is elevated, and the lower drawn out, shoot- 

 ing the water into the trough or drinking pool. The 

 drawing of the water is done by a horse. 



In the winter time, and especially while hoarfrosts and 

 cold dews are on the tender grasses, the sheep are not 



