THE LASSO 95 



interesting to watch their manoeuvres. The mares and 

 foals are placed in the centre of a circle, and the 

 stallions attack with their heels any enemy which may 

 approach, the leading stallion being the first to face 

 the danger. If it is deemed prudent to retire, he 

 leads the way, followed by the remainder. It is 

 unsafe for anyone to approach the herd if not mounted 

 on horseback, and even then the leader will place him- 

 self between the herd and anyone who may ride up to 

 look at them. 



When a horse is wanted it has to be lassoed. 

 Every native of the United Provinces and Chili 

 carries a lasso. This latter is made of several strips 

 of raw hide, plaited together like the thong of a whip, 

 and kept supple with grease ; it is about half an inch 

 in diameter throughout, and from forty to sixty feet 

 long. The length most generally used is forty feet. 

 The running noose is formed by the lasso being 

 passed through an iron ring of about an inch and a 

 half in diameter. The Gaucho is always mounted 

 when he uses the lasso, one end of which is fixed to 

 the saddle-girth ; the rest is carefully coiledin his left 

 hand, leaving about twelve feet, which forms the 

 noose end, to form the coil, which latter he holds in 

 his right hand. When galloping up alongside, or 

 within reach of the horse he wishes to catch, he casts 

 the lasso by swinging the thong horizontally round the 

 wild horse's head, the weight of the iron ring, by the 

 continued circular motion, giving sufficient force to 

 project the noose the whole length of the line. 



When a grand breaking-in is determined upon, an 

 entire herd is driven into a corral. The capitar, or 

 chief Gaucho, mounted on a strong horse, quietly enters 



