1833.] THROWING THE BOLAS. 11] 
food who have an unconquerable desire for salt. The Indians 
gave us good-humoured nods as they passed at full gallop, driv- 
ing before them a troop of horses, and followed by a train of 
lanky dogs. 
September 12th and 18th.—I staid at this posta two days, 
waiting for a troop of soldiers, which General Rosas had the 
kindness to send to inform me, would shortly travel to Buenos 
Ayres ; and he advised me to take the opportunity of the escort. 
In the morning we rode to some neighbouring hills to view the 
country, and to examine the geology. After dinner the soldiers 
divided themselves into two parties for a trial of skill with the 
bolas. Two spears were stuck in the ground thirty-five yards 
apart, but they were struck and entangled only once in four or 
five times. The balls can be thrown fifty or sixty yards, but 
with little certainty. This, however, does not apply to a man 
on horseback; for when the speed of the horse is added to the 
force of the arm, it is said, that they can be whirled with effect 
to the distance of eighty yards. As a proof of their force, 1 
may mention, that at the Falkland Islands, when the Spaniards 
murdered some of their own countrymen and all the Englishmen, 
a young friendly Spaniard was running away, when a great tall 
man, by name Luciano, came at full gallop after him, shouting 
to him to stop, and saying that he only wanted to speak to him. 
Just as the Spaniard was on the point of reaching the boat, Lu- 
ciano threw the balls: they struck him on the legs with such a 
jerk,:as to throw him down and to render him for some time 
insensible. The man, after Luciano had had his talk, was 
allowed to escape. He told us that his legs were marked by 
great weals, where the thong had wound round, as ifhe had been 
flogged with a whip. In the middle of the day two men arrived, 
who brought a parcel from the next posta to be forwarded to 
the general: so that besides these two, our party consisted this 
evening of my guide and self, the lieutenant, and his four soldiers. 
The latter were strange beings ; the first a fine young negro ; the 
second half Indian and negro; and the two others nondescripts ; 
namely, an old Chilian miner, the colour of mahogany, and an- 
other partly a mulatto; but two such mongrels, with such de- 
testable expressions, I never saw before. At night, when they 
were sitting round the fire, and playing at cards, I retired to 
6 
