8o THROUGH THE HEART OF PATAGONIA 



the animals to a clearing where it would be possible to use the 

 lassoo .... At the end of five minutes .... a yell from the 

 other side put us anxiously on the alert, and we had the gratifica- 

 tion to see one of the animals coming straight towards our cover. 

 Alas ! just as we were preparing to dash out, he turned on the 

 edge of the plain, and after charging furiously at his pursuer dashed 

 into a thicket, where he stood at bay. We immediately closed 

 round him, and dismounting, I advanced on foot to try and bring 

 him down with a revolver. Just as I got within half a dozen paces 

 of him, and behind a bush was quietly taking aim at his shoulder, 

 the Indians, eager for beef, and safe on their horses at a consider- 

 able distance off, shouted, 'Nearer, nearer ! ' I accordingly slipped 

 from my cover, but had hardly moved a pace forward when my 

 spur caught in a root, and at the same moment el Toro charged. 

 Entangled with the root, I could not jump on one side as he came 

 on ; so, when within a yard I fired a shot in his face, hoping to 

 turn him, and wheeled my body at the same instant to prevent his 

 horns from catching me, as the sailors say, ' broadside on.' The 

 shot did not stop him, so I was knocked down, and, galloping over 

 me, he passed on with my handkerchief, which fell from my head, 

 triumphantly borne on his horns, and stopped a few yards off under 

 another bush. Having picked myself up and found my legs and 

 arms all right, I gave him another shot, which, as my hand was 

 rather unsteady, only took effect in the flank. My cartridges 

 being exhausted, I returned to my horse and found that, besides 

 being considerably shaken, two of my ribs had been broken 

 by the encounter. 



" The Indians closed round me, and evinced great anxiety to 

 know whether I was much hurt. One, more courageous than the 

 rest, despite the warning of the cacique, swore he would try and 

 lasso the brute, and, accordingly, approached the infuriated animal, 

 who for a moment or two showed no signs of stirring ; just, how- 

 ever, as the Indian was about to throw his lasso, it caught in a 

 branch, and before he could extricate it the bull was upon him. 

 We saw the horse give two or three vicious kicks as the bull 

 gored him. At length he was lifted clean up, the fore-legs alone 

 remaining on the ground, and overthrown, the rider alighting on 



