WILD BREEDS. 



lono- and sharp*, and while two men held the horse by his ears, he put on 

 the'saddle, which 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 diffi- 

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

 pluno-e of an English horse: however, the Gaucho's spurs soon set him 

 o-oiiiS 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 wonderful 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 being: 

 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 

 thinkino- that I would not have mounted one of those for any reward that 

 could be offered me, for they were invariably the most difficult to subdue. 

 "It was now curious to look around and see the Gauchos on the horizon 

 in different directions, trying to bring their horses back to the corral, 

 which is the most difficult part of their work; for the poor creatures had 

 been so scared there that they were unwilling to return to the place. It 

 was amusing to see the antics of the horses-they were jumping and 

 dancing in different ways, while the right arm of the Gauchos was seen 

 flogging them. At last they brought the horses back, apparently subdued, 

 and broken in. The saddles and bridles were taken off, and the young 

 horses trotted oflf towards the corral, neighing to one anotherf. 



When the Gaucho wishes to take a wild horse, he mounts one that has been 

 used to the sport, and gallops over the plain. As soon as he comes suffi- 

 ciently near his prey, " the lasso is thrown round the two hind legs, and as 

 the Gaucho rides a little on one side, the jerk pulls the entangled horses 

 feet laterally, so as to throw him on his side, without endangering his knees 

 or his face. Before the horse can recover the shock, the rider dismounts, 

 and snatching his poncho or cloak from his shoulders, wraps it round the 

 prostrate animal's head. He then forces into his mouth one of the power- 

 ful bridles of the country, straps a saddle on his back, and bestriding him, 

 removes the poncho ; upon which the astonished horse sprmgs on his legs 

 and endeavours by a thousand vain efforts to disencumber himsef of his 

 new master, who sits quite composedly on his back, and, by a discipline 

 which never fails, reduces the horse to such complete obedience that he s 

 soon trained to lend his whole speed and strength to the captm-e of his 

 companions. J" 



* The manufacture of the Gaucho's boots is somewhat singular.-" The boots of the 

 Gauchos anormed of the ham and part of the leg-skin of a colt taken reekmg from the 



Whole making a neat and elegant half-boot, with an aperture sufficient for the great toe ta 

 project through."— Andrews's Journey in South America, vol. i. p. ib. 



t SHalirj:Ln^^^^^^^^^^ i. p. 151. The Jesuit Dobrl^hoffer, 



intifSi'tfrf of tTbUe^ a nation of Pa aguay, and speaking of t, tamed h^^^^^^^ 

 (vol. ii. p. 113,) says, that " stirrups are not m general use. The men leap on mexr 



