144 BANDA ORIENTAL. [CHAP. vni. 



ground, the Gauclio, holding the lazo tight, makes a circle, so as to 

 catch one of the hind legs, just beneath the fetlock, and draws it 

 close to the two front legs : he then hitches the lazo, so that the 

 three are bound together. Then sitting on the horse's neck, he 

 fixes a strong bridle, without a bit, to the lower jaw : this he does 

 by passing a narrow thong through the eye-holes at the end of the 

 reins, and several times round both jaw and tongue. The two 

 front legs are now tied closely together with a strong leathern 

 thong, fastened by a slip-knot. The lazo, which bound the three 

 together, being then loosed, the horse rises with difficulty. The 

 Gaucho now holding fast the bridle fixed to the lower jaw, leads 

 the horse outside the corral. If a second man is present (other- 

 wise the trouble is much greater) he holds the animal's head, whilst 

 the first puts on the horsecloths and saddle, and girths the whole 

 together. During this operation, the horse, from dread and asto- 

 nishment at thus being bound round the waist, throws himself 

 over and over again on the ground, and, till beaten, is unwilling to 

 rise. At last, when the saddling is finished, the poor animal can 

 hardly breathe from fear, and is white with foam and sweat. The 

 man now prepares to mount by pressing heavily on the stirrup, so 

 that the horse may not lose its balance ; and at the moment that 

 he throws his leg over the animal's back, he pulls the slip-knot 

 binding the front legs, and the beast is free. Some " domidors " 

 pull the knot while the animal is lying on the ground, and, stand- 

 ing over the saddle, allow him to rise beneath them. The horse, 

 wild with dread, gives a few most violent bounds, and then starts 

 off at full gallop : when quite exhausted, the man, by patience, 

 brings him back to the corral, where, reeking hot and scarcely alive, 

 the poor beast is let free. Those animals which will not gallop 

 away, but obstinately throw themselves on the ground, are by far 

 the most troublesome. This process is tremendously severe, but 

 in two or three trials the horse is tamed. It is not, however, for 

 some weeks that the animal is ridden with the iron bit and 

 solid ring, for it must learn to associate the will of its rider with 

 the feel of the rein, before the most powerful bridle can be of any 

 service. 



Animals are so abundant in these countries, that humanity and 

 self-interest are not closely united ; therefore I fear it is that the 

 former is here scarcely known. One day, riding in the Pampas 

 with a very respectable " estanciero," my horse, being tired, lagged 



