ABNOEMAL EUTCHEEING. 107 



for the remainder of our voyage to the Orinoco. An ox 

 was slaughtered, and the meat rolled in salt and thrown 

 upon the hide which covered the cargo of the boat, there 

 to bake in the hot sun. The manner of killing a beef on 

 the Llanos is not one of the least novel sights beheld by 

 the traveller in that country. If the herd be in a corral, 

 the animal is easily captured, but, if upon the savanna, the 

 lassoing and bringing of a victim to the place of execution 

 generally afford an exciting time. The bullock being 

 secured, the matador cautiously approaches with a knife, 

 and, by a dexterous thrust just back of the horns, brings 

 the animal to the ground. The flesh is stripped from the 

 carcass, without any special regard to anatomy, or the 

 " cuts " of the butcher, leaving the skeleton whole as if 

 picked by vultures. Sitting in a circle around the slaugh- 

 tered beast are a dozen or more half-starved, wolfish dogs, 

 while the trees about are dark with zamuros, or black 

 vultures,* waiting for their portion of the sjsoils. Almost 

 before the way is clear, there is a general rushing, tearing, 

 and pulling, and not always does the best harmony prevail 

 among the hairy and feathered scavengers. The gristly 

 sheets of meat are salted and hung over poles out of the 

 reach of birds and dogs, to cure and toughen. The more 

 flies, dirt, and smoke that can get to it, the better ; for 

 thereby is secured that odor so peculiar to South American 

 jerked beef 



By noon we were ready to embark. One of the large 

 bongoSj freighted with maize and papelon for Urbana 

 market, together with supplies for our voyage thither, 

 received us aboard. Our crew consisted of two rowers, 

 and a patron, Celestino Gomez, who bore the title of cap- 

 tain, from having served in that capacity in one of the 

 political wars of the republic. Our craft was uncovered, 

 thus exposing us to the excessive heat of the sun. Upon 



* Cathartes atratus. 



