THE AVILD HORSE OF SOUTH AMER[CA. 3S> 



stall })reseutly need tliem again, or lie once more turns tlieni loose on the 

 plains. 



Ti'avellers give some amusing accounts of tlie manner in wliicli all tliis 

 is effected. Miers thus describes the lasso, simple in its construction, but 

 all-powerful in the hands of the Gaucho : — 



' The lasso is a missile weapon used b}^ every native of the United 

 Provinces and Chili. It is a very strong jjlaited thong of equal thickness, 

 half an inch in diamater and forty feet long, made of many strips of green 

 hide plaited like a whipthong, and rendered supple by grease. It has at 

 one end an iron ring, above an inch and a half in diameter, thi-ougli 

 which the thong is passed, and this forms a running-noose. The Gaucho, 

 or native Peon, is generally mounted on horseback when he uses the lasso. 

 One end of the thong is affixed to his saddle girth : the remainder he coils 

 carefully in his left hand, leaving about twelve feet belonging to the 

 noose-end in a coil, and a half of which he holds in his right hand. He 

 then swings this long noose horizontally round his head, the weight of 

 the iron ring at the end of the noose assisting in giving to it, by a con- 

 tinued circular motion, a sufficient force to project it the whole length of 

 the line.' 



When the Gau^chos wish to have a grand breaking-in, tliey drive a 

 whole herd of wild horses into the corral : — ' The corral Avas quite full 

 of horses, most of which were young ones about two or three years old. 

 The capitar (chief Gaucho), mounted on a strong steady horse, rode into 

 the corral, and threw his lasso over the neck of a young horse, and dragged 

 him to the gate. For some time lie was very unwilling to lose his com- 

 rades ; but the moment he was forced out of the corral, his first idea was 

 to gallop away : however, a timely jerk of the lasso checked him in the 

 most effectual way. The peons now ran after him on foot, and threw a 

 lasso over his fore-legs just above the fetlock, and twitching it, they pulled 

 his legs from under him so suddenly, that I i-eally thought the fall he got 

 had killed him. In an instant a Gaucho was seated on his head, and with 

 his long knife, in a few seconds, cut off the whole of the horse's mane, 

 while another cut the hair from the end of his tail : this, they told me, was 

 a mark that the horse had been once mounted. They then put a piece of 

 hide into his mouth to serve for a bit, and a strong hide halter on his 

 head. The Gaucho who was to mount arranged his si:)urs, which were 

 unusually long and sharp, and while two men held the horse by the ears, 

 he put on the saddle, wliich he girthed extremely tight. He then caught 

 hold of the horse's ear, and in an instant vaulted into the saddle ; upon 

 which the man who held the horse by the halter threw the end to the 

 rider, and from that moment no one seemed to take any further notice 

 of him. 



' The horse instantly began to jump in a manner which made it very 

 difficult for the rider to keep his seat, and quite different from the kick or 

 plunge of an English horse : however, the Gaucho's spurs soon set him 

 going, and off he galloped, doing everything in his power to throw his 

 rider. 



' Another horse was immediately brought from the corral ; and so quick 

 was the operation, that twelve Gauchos were mounted in a space which I 

 think hardly exceeded an hour. It was Avonderful to see the different 

 manner in which different horses behaved. Some would actually scream 

 while the Gauchos were girding the saddle upon their backs ; some would 

 instantly lie down and roll upon it ; while some would stand without 

 l)cing held, their legs stiff and in unnatural positions, their necks half 

 bent towards their tails, and looking vicious and obstinate : and I could 

 not help thinking that I would not have mounted one of those for any 



