60 MEMOIR OP 



relays of fresh horses, which are always driven be- 

 fore them, being enticed away, and carried oflF by 

 the wild herds. The Indians of the Pampas eat 

 them as food. The Spaniards kill the most corpu- 

 lent, to make fires of their bones and fat, in the 

 districts where there is a scarcity of wood. Buffon, 

 after stating they are gregarious, adds, ' That each 

 troop, by common consent, submits itself to a chief, 

 who guides, commands, and directs their move- 

 ments ; making them form in line of battle, by files, 

 companies, battaUons, and brigades.' The fact, how- 

 ever, is, that each horse appropriates to himself as 

 many mares as he can, and takes care of them, 

 keeping them always united, and fighting with any 

 of his brethren who dispute his possession of them. 

 Each herd of wild horses, therefore, is composed of 

 a multitude of small troops, a little separated, yet 

 almost united, Avhich draw near together in action, 

 that troop advancing first which happens to be 

 nearest to the point of attack. The price of the 

 common domestic horses in the plains of Buenos 

 Ayres is about a hundred pence (tico pesos) ; the 

 mares are sold at fourpence-halfpenny each {two 

 rials). I have heard for a fact, that a short time 

 ago there was a horse at Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz, 

 which had two horns hke a bull, four inches long, 

 sharp, erect, and growing close to the ears ; and 

 that another from Chili was brought to Vedela, a 

 native of Buenos Ayres, with strong horns, three 

 inches high. This horse, they tell me, was re- 

 markably gentle, but, when offended, attacked like 



