IX WILD BULLS 201 



worthy alderman had supped with us that evening, "carne con 

 cuero," without doubt, would soon have been celebrated in 

 London. 



During the night it rained, and the next day (17th) was 

 very stormy, with much hail and snow. We rode across the 

 island to the neck of land which joins the Rincon del Toro 

 (the great peninsula at the S.W. extremity) to the rest of the 

 island. From the great number of cows which have been killed, 

 there is a large proportion of bulls. These wander about single, 

 or two and three together, and are very savage. I never saw 

 such magnificent beasts ; they equalled in the size of their huge 

 heads and necks the Grecian marble sculptures. Capt. Sulivan 

 informs me that the hide of an average-sized bull weighs forty- 

 seven pounds, whereas a hide of this weight, less thoroughly dried, 

 is considered as a very heavy one at Monte Video. The young 

 bulls generally run away for a short distance ; but the old ones 

 do not stir a step, except to rush at man and horse ; and many 

 horses have been thus killed. An old bull crossed a boggy 

 stream, and took his stand on the opposite side to us ; we in 

 vain tried to drive him away, and failing, were obliged to make 

 a large circuit The Gauchos in revenge determined to emascu- 

 late him and render him for the future harmless. It was very 

 interesting to see how art completely mastered force. One lazo 

 was thrown over his horns as he rushed at the horse, and 

 another round his hind legs : in a minute the monster was 

 stretched powerless on the ground. After the lazo has once 

 been drawn tightly round the horns of a furious animal, it does 

 not at first appear an easy thing to disengage it again without 

 killing the beast ; nor, I apprehend, would it be so if the man 

 was by himself. By the aid, however, of a second person throw- 

 ing his lazo so as to catch both hind legs, it is quickly managed : 

 for the animal, as long as its hind legs are kept outstretched, is 

 quite helpless, and the first man can with his hands loosen his 

 lazo from the horns, and then quietly mount his horse ; but the 

 moment the second man, by backing ever so little, relaxes the 

 strain, the lazo slips off the legs of the struggling beast, which 

 then rises free, shakes himself, and vainly rushes at his 

 antagonist. 



During our whole ride we saw only one troop of wild horses. 

 These animals, as well as the cattle, were introduced by the 



