214 SADDLE EQUIPAGE. 



is appended a massive bit, sometimes of pure 

 silver, but more commonly of iron, most sin- 

 gularly wrought. The spurs are generally of 

 iron, though silver spurs are very frequent. 

 The shanks of the vaquero spurs are three to 

 five inches long, with rowels sometimes six 

 inches in diameter. I have in my possession 

 a pair of these measuring over ten inches 

 from one extremity to another, with rowels 

 five and three-fourths mches in diameter, 

 weighing two pounds and eleven ounces. 

 Last, not least, there are the amxis de pelo, be- 

 ing a pair of shaggy goat skins (richly trimmed 

 across the top with embroidered leather), dan- 

 gling from the pommel of the saddle lor the 

 purpose of being drawn over the legs in case 

 of rain, or as a protection against brush ana 

 brambles. The corazas of travelUng saddles 

 are also provided with several pockets called 

 coginillos — a most excellent contrivance for 

 carrying a lunch or bottle, or anything ^o 

 which convenient access may be desired. 



In former times there was a kind of harness 

 of leather attached to the saddle behind, cov- 

 ering the hinder parts of the horse as low as 

 mid-thighs, whh its lower border complete}' 

 fringed with jingUng iron tags, but these 'as^ 

 now seldom met with in the North. Ej'^" 

 without this noisy appendage, however, a Mex- 

 ican caballero of the present day, with tii^i 

 equestrian rigging, his cUnk and his rattle, 

 makes ahogethcr a very remarkable appe^^' 



ance. 



Though the foregoing description refers pa^ 



