t834.] "CARNE con CUERO." 193 



to feed. Besides these two birds there were few others. 

 There is one main range of hills, nearly two thousand feet in 

 height, and composed of quartz rock, the rugged and barren 

 crests of which gave us some trouble to cross. On the south 

 side we came to the best country for wild cattle ; we met, 

 however, no great number, for they had been lately much 

 harassed. 



In the evening we came across a small herd. One of 

 my companions, St. Jago by name, soon separated a fat 

 cow ; he threw the bolas, and it struck her legs, but failed 

 in becoming entangled. Then dropping his hat to mark the 

 spot where the balls were left, while at a full gallop, he 

 uncoiled his lazo, and after a most severe chase, again came 

 up to the cow, and caught her round the horns. The other 

 Gaucho had gone on ahead with the spare horses, so that St. 

 Jago had some difficulty in killing the furious beast. He 

 managed to get her on a level piece of ground, by taking 

 advantage of her as often as she rushed at him ; and when 

 she would not move, my horse, from having been trained, 

 would canter up, and with his chest give her a violent 

 pu^h. 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 motionless leaning 

 on one side. This horse, however, was a young one, and 

 would not stand still, but gave in to the cow as she struggled. 

 It was admirable 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 knive into the head of the spinal 

 marrow, and the cow dropped as if struck by lightning. He 

 cut ofT 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 downwards and in the form ofa saucer, so that none ot 

 the gravy is lost. If any worthy alderman had supped with 

 us tliat evening, '* carne con cuero," without doubt, would 

 <;oon have been celebrated in London. 



During the night it rained, and the next day (17th) was 



