202 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



and another beast is driven out of the corral, and 

 caught in the same manner. 



" While the more serious business was going on, a 

 parcel of mischievous boys had perched themselves on 

 a pile of fire wood close to the corral ; and being each 

 armed in his way, with a lasso made of a small strip 

 of hide, or of whipcord, got the first chance to noose 

 the animals as they rushed out. They seldom failed 

 to throw successfully, but their slender cords broke 

 like cobwebs. One wicked urchin indeed, more bold 

 than the rest, mounted himself on a donkey that hap- 

 pened to be on the spot ; and taking the lasso which 

 belonged to it for no description of animal that is 

 ever mounted is without this essential equipment 

 and placing himself so as not to be detected by the 

 men, he threw it gallantly over the first bullock's neck. 

 As soon as it became tight, away flew the astonished 

 donkey and his rider : the terrified boy soon tumbled 

 off ; but poor Neddy was dragged along the ground, 

 till a more efficient force was made to co-operate with 

 his unavailing resistance." 



The immense abundance of horses in South Ame- 

 rica cannot be more strongly exemplified than by the 

 following statement. 



" I have still in my possession," says Mr. Robert- 

 son, " a contract which I made in Goya, with an 

 estonciero, for twenty thousand wild horses, to be 

 taken on his estate at the price of a media each ; that 



