700 THE PAYAGUAS. 



No sooner did the horses introduced by the Spaniards, 

 escaping into the wilds, increase and multiply, than the 

 Indians learned to bestride them, and soon exhibited an un- 

 common aptitude in their management. Armed \Yith their 

 long lances, they would charge the Spanish troops, — each man 

 lying down at his horse's side, though going at full gallop, 

 and jumping up, turning roimd, or dropping down again, with 

 wonderful rapidity. Though even the Gauchos give their 

 horses some preliminary training, the Pampas Indian catches 

 the animal with the lasso, throws it down, forces a wooden 

 bit, covered with a piece of hide, into its mouth, from which 

 bit there is a leathern cord to bind round its lower lip, and 

 gallops off. 



They are divided into many tribes, who, even a few years 

 ago, made frequent incursions into the provinces of Buenos 

 Ayres, Cordova, and others, and carried off large flocks of 

 cattle — and many Argentines, as captives. They were pursued 

 to the River Colorado, however, when part of the stolen cattle 

 was recovered, and several captives liberated. They are under 

 the belief that when death does not occur, in consequence of 

 violence, it is owing to sorcery. 



THE PAYAGUAS. 



Another tribe or nation must be mentioned — the Payaguas, 

 who inhabited the territory of Paraguay, and from whom the 

 district has taken its name. They used canoes, and many of 

 their warlike expeditions were carried on down the river by 

 water. The women had to perform all the hard work, and 

 were never allowed to eat meat. The boys and girls wore no 

 clothes, but the young men painted their bodies in a variety 

 of patterns. 



