1833.] THKOWING THE BOLAS. 105 



we rode to some neighbouring hills to view the country, and to 

 examine the geology. After dinner the soldiers divided themselves 

 into two parties for a trial of skill with the bolas. Two spears 

 were stuck in the ground thirty-five yards apart, but they were 

 struck and entangled only once in four or five times. The balls 

 can be thrown fifty or sixty yards, but with little certainty. This, 

 however, does not apply to a man on horseback; for when the 

 speed of the horse is added to the force of the arm, it is said, that 

 they can be whirled with effect to the distance of eighty yards. As 

 a proof of their force, I may mention, that at the Falkland Islands, 

 when the Spaniards murdered some of their own countrymen and 

 all the Englishmen, a young friendly Spaniard was running away, 

 when a great tall man, by name Luciano, came at full gallop after 

 him, shouting to him to stop, and saying that he only wanted to 

 speak to him. Just as the Spaniard was on the point of reaching 

 the boat, Luciano threw the balls : they struck him on the legs 

 with such a jerk, as to throw him down and to render him for 

 some time insensible. The man, after Luciano had had his talk, 

 was allowed to escape. He told us that his legs were marked by 

 great weals, where the thong had wound round, as if he had been 

 flogged with a whip. In the middle of the day two men arrived, 

 who brought a parcel from the next posta to be forwarded to the 

 general: so that besides these two, our party consisted this evening 

 of my guide and self, the lieutenant, and his four soldiers. The 

 latter were strange beings ; the first a fine young negro ; the second 

 half Indian and negro ; and the two others nondescripts ; namely, 

 an old Chilian miner, the colour of mahogany, and another partly 

 a mulatto ; but two such mongrels, with such detestable expres- 

 sions, I never saw before. At night, when they were sitting round 

 the fire, and playing at cards, I retired to view such a Salvator 

 Ilosa scene. They were seated under a low cliff, so that I could 

 look down upon them ; around the party were lying dogs, arms, 

 remnants of deer and ostriches ; and their long spears were stuck 

 in the turf. Further in the dark background, their horses were 

 tied up, ready for any sudden danger. If the stillness of the 

 desolate plain was broken by one of the dogs barking, a soldier, 

 leaving the fire, would place his head close to the ground, and thus 

 slowly scan the horizon. Even if the noisy teru-tero uttered its 

 scream, there would be a pause in the conversation, and every 

 head, for a moment, a little inclined. 



