46 THE EISON. 



the hair-rope, lasso, cahresto, or cabros, would become 

 injured or unravelled by constantly dragging on the 

 ground, while the well-greased larriat slides along 

 with little danger of injury from damp or friction. Of 

 course it can on occasion be used as a lasso to throw 

 over a buffalo's head; but its chief use a.nd object is, 

 that by grasping it the rider can check his horse, and 

 so recover his steed, should he have the misfortune to 

 be thro^^'n. 



The trained horses are so well broken that the 

 slightest pressure of the rider's leg is sufficient to 

 make them change their course. Others, less accus- 

 tomed to the chase, are bridled in a peculiar, though 

 most effective manner. A thin cord of plaited hair, 

 not much thicker than whipcord, is fastened round 

 the lower jaw, and this is amply sufficient to stop 

 the horse. An eagle's or flamingo's feather stuck 

 jauntily in the scalp-lock, with a cloth or skin round 

 the loins, constitutes the rider's dress. 



By the time the sun rises over the horizon, the 

 whole band of Indians is ready for the hunt. Around 

 them, on every side, stretches a vast prairie where, 

 while the hoofs of their horses crush do^^^l thousands 

 of sweet-scented flowers, the warriors can have a fore- 

 taste of those ' happy hunting grounds ' which they 

 believe will be theirs after death. Surely, in their 

 wildest dreams, they could scarcely imagine a more 

 beautiful land or a greater profusion of game. The 



