244 FALKLAND ISLANDS. 



olent push. But when on level ground it does not 

 appear an easy job for one man to kill a beast mad 

 with terror. Nor would it be so, if the horse, when 

 left to itself without its rider, did not soon learn, 

 for its own safety, to keep the lazo tight ; so that, 

 if the cow or ox moves forward, the horse moves 

 just as quickly forward; otherwise it stands mo- 

 tionless, leaning on one side. This horse, howev- 

 er, was a young one, and would not stand still, but 

 gave in to the cow as she struggled. It was admi- 

 rable to see with what dexterity St. Jago dodged 

 behind the beast, till at last he contrived to give 

 the fatal touch to the main tendon of the hind leg ; 

 after which, without much difficulty, he drove his 

 knife into the head of the spinal marrow, and the 

 cow dropped as if struck by lightning. He cut off 

 pieces of flesh with the skin to it, but without any 

 bones, sufficient for our expedition. We then rode 

 on to our sleeping-place, and had for supper " carne 

 con cuero," or meat roasted with the skin on it. 

 This is as superior to common beef as venison is to 

 mutton. A large circular piece taken from the 

 back is roasted on the embers, with the hide down- 

 wards, and in the form of a saucer, so that none of 

 the gravy is lost. If any worthy alderman had 

 supped with us that evening, " came con cuero," 

 without doubt, would soon have been celebrated in 

 London. 



During the night it rained, and the next day 

 (17th) was very stormy, with much hail and snow. 

 We rode across the island to the neck of land which 

 joins the Rincon del Tore (the great peninsula 

 at the S.W. extremity) to the rest of the island. 

 From the great number of cows which have been 

 killed, there is a largo proportion of bulls. These 

 wander about single, or two and three together, 

 and are very savage. I never saw such magnifi- 



