152 BANDA ORIENTAL. [cnap. var. 
moment that he throws his leg over the animal’s back, he pulls 
the slip-knot binding the front legs, and the beast is free. Some 
“‘ domidors” pull the knot while the animal is lying on the 
ground, and, standing over the saddle, allow him to rise beneath 
them. The horse, wild with dread, gives a few most violent 
bounds, and then starts off at full gallop: when quite exhausted, 
the man, by patience, brings him back to the corral, where, 
reeking hot and scarcely alive, the poor beast is let free. Those 
animals which will not gallop away, but obstinately throw them- 
selves on the ground, are by far the most troublesome. ‘This 
process is tremendously severe, but in two or three trials the 
horse is tamed. It is not, however, for some weeks that the 
animal is ridden with the iron bit and solid ring, for it must 
learn to associate the will of its rider with the feel of the rein, 
before the most powerful bridle can be of any service. 
Animals are so abundant in these countries, that humanity and 
self-interest are not closely united ; therefore I fear it is that the 
former is here scarcely known. One day, riding in the Pampas 
with a very respectable “ Estanciero,” my horse, being tired, 
lagged behind. The man often shouted to me to spur him. 
When I remonstrated that it was a pity, for the horse was quite 
exhausted, he cried out, ‘“‘ Why not?—never mind—spur him 
—it is my horse.” I had then some difficulty in making him 
comprehend that it was for the horse’s sake, and not on his ac- 
count, that I did not choose to use my spurs. He exclaimed, 
with a look of great surprise, ‘‘ Ah, Don Carlos, que cosa!” It 
was clear that such an idea had never before entered his head. 
The Gauchos are well known to be perfect riders... The idea 
of being thrown, let the horse do what it likes, never enters their 
head. Their criterion of a good rider is, a man who can manage 
an untamed colt, or who, if his horse falls, alights on his own 
feet, or can perform other such exploits. Ihave heard of aman 
betting that he would throw his horse down twenty times, and 
that nineteen times he would not fallhimself. I recollect seeing 
a Gaucho riding a very stubborn horse, which three times suc- 
cessively reared so high as to fall backwards with great violence. _ 
The man judged with uncommon coolness the proper moment 
for slipping off, not an instant before or after the right time; 
and as soon as the horse got up, the man jumped on his back, and 
