THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 211 



thumb, taken at full gallop across a court-yard, and 

 then made to wheel round the post of a verandah 

 with great speed, but at so equal a distance, that the 

 rider, with outstretched artn all the while, kept one 

 finger rubbing the post ; then making a demivolte in 

 the air, with the other arm outstretched in a like 

 manner, he wheeled round with astonishing force in 

 an opposite direction. 



" Such a horse is well broken, and though this at 

 first may appear useless, it is far otherwise : it is only 

 carrying that which is daily necessary into perfection. 

 When a bullock is checked and caught by the lasso, 

 it will sometimes gallop round and round in a circle, 

 and the horse being alarmed at the great strain, if not 

 well broken, will not readily turn like the pivot of a 

 wheel. In consequence, many men have been killed ; 

 for if the lasso once makes a twist round a man's 

 body, it will instantly, from the power of the two 

 opposed animals, almost cut him in twain. 



" In Chili I was told an anecdote which I believe 

 was true, and it offers a good illustration of the use 

 of a well broken animal. A respectable man, riding 

 one day, met two others, one of whom was mounted 

 on a horse which he knew to have been stolen from 

 himself. He challenged them ; they answered by 

 drawing their sabres and giving chase. The man on 



