34 



PREPARATION OF JERKED BEEF IN CHILI. 



being then about two feet from the ground, in 

 advance of the horse, while the staff is kept steady 

 by passing it under the arm. Having allowed the 

 animal to rush past, he puts spurs to his horse, 

 and gallops after it ; on coming close up, he places 

 his weapon in such a situation, that when its right 

 hind-leg is thrown backwards, it shall enter the 

 fork or crescent of the luna, and by striking against 

 the edge, which is kept as sharp as a razor, divide 

 the tendon. The weapon is then quickly trans- 

 ferred to the left leg, where in like manner the 

 least touch properly applied divides the other 

 tendon. We saw this cruel feat performed by the 

 principal guasso on our host's estate, who was 

 described as being the best rider and the most 

 expert man in that part of the country. The 

 ground was very dry and dusty, so that by the 

 time he overtook the bullock he was in chase of, 

 there was such a cloud raised by the animal's feet, 

 that we could scarcely see what was doing. The 

 guasso contrived, however, to cut both hamstrings, 

 but his horse becoming confused fell over the 

 bullock, and we were in considerable alarm lest 

 the man should be cut in two by his own weapon, 

 or be transfixed by the beast's horns : but he 

 never lost his self-possession, and having first 

 flung the instrument high into the air, raised both 

 himself and horse from the ground, and rode out 

 of the cloud unhurt, and without having ever lost 

 his seat. 



While this more serious business was going on, 

 a parcel of mischievous boys had perched them- 

 selves on a pile of firewood close to the corral ; and 

 being each armed in his way with a lasso made of 

 a small strip of hide, or of whipcord, got the first 

 chance to noose the animals as they rushed out. 

 They seldom failed to throw successfully, but their 

 slender cords broke like cobwebs. One wicked 

 urchin, indeed, more bold than the rest, mounted 

 himself on a donkey that happened to be on the 

 spot ; and taking the lasso which belonged to it — 

 for no description of animal that is ever mounted 

 is without this essential equipment — and placing 

 himself so as not to be detected by the men, he 

 threw it gallantly over the first bullock's neck. As 

 soon as it became tight, away flew the astonished 

 donkey and his rider : the terrified boy soon 

 tumbled off ; but poor Neddy was dragged along 

 the ground, till a more efficient force was made to 

 co-operate with his unavailing resistance. 



When a sufficient number of bullocks had been 

 killed, they were dragged away by means of a 

 small car, to which the heads were tied, with the 

 bodies trailing behind on the ground. The corral, 

 or place to which they were removed, was an en- 

 closure from fifty to sixty yards square ; the inner 

 half, or that farthest from the entrance, being left 

 open to the sky, while the other part was shaded 

 with a rude sort of roof, consisting of branches of 

 trees, and long broad leaves, placed on trellis-work, 

 forming a texture sufficiently close to exclude the 

 sun, but not intended to afford any defence from 

 rain ; for in these countries, it must be recollected, 

 that wet and dry seasons recur at such stated 

 intervals, that the inhabitants can regulate the 

 periods of their different occupations with a much 

 greater degree of certainty than can be done in 

 Europe. 



On entering this court, we looked along a wide 

 passage leading into the uncovered part. On the 



right hand stood a double line of posts, joined by 

 cross-bars ; and on the left were five separate cells, 

 formed of posts and cross-bars six or eight feet 

 wide, and twelve or fourteen long. The rest of the 

 ground under cover was slightly divided, by cross- 

 bars, into compartments of different sizes, with 

 passages leading amongst them. Beyond the 

 railings on the right hand ran a stream of clear 

 water, shaded by some large walnut-ti*ees, the 

 branches of which reached to the ground, and 

 mingled their leaves with a crowd of wild flowers, 

 the commonest weeds, we were told, of the climate ; 

 but some of which we recognised as the cherished 

 plants of our greenhouses. 



The heat in the outer space, where we had 

 witnessed the lassoing, had become so great, that 

 we were glad to seek shelter in this cool and quiet 

 spot. We had not been there long before five of 

 the bullocks which had been killed were dragged 

 in, and placed in order, one before each of the cells 

 described above. 



Immediately three men betook themselves to each 

 carcase ; and with much dexterity, and in an 

 incredibly short time, stripped off the hides, which 

 were carried to the open part of the enclosure, 

 preparatory to their being staked out and dried | 

 in the sun. I observed that the principal guasso I 

 allowed none of these hides to pass him without 

 first cutting off a thong and trying its strength ; if 

 it broke easily he took no further notice ; but if it 

 proved tough, he ordered the hide to be put by for 

 making lassos, always the uppermost thought in a 

 guasso's mind. After removing the skin, the fat 

 and tallow were cut carefully off, and the muscles 

 detached from their several seats, with the exact 

 situation of which the men seemed perfectly ac- 

 quainted. But although their knives flashed about 

 with great celerity, no fibres were cut across, each 

 of the muscles being slipped out of its natural 

 place, with a sleight of hand, which nothing but 

 long and constant practice can teach. As fast as 

 a portion was detached, it was carried into the 

 adjoining cell, where it was hung on a part of the 

 railing expressly appropriated to it, every separate 

 portion of the animal being arranged in a certain 

 order. The head, feet, and refuse, were carried 

 to the other side of the passage, and placed on a 

 thick layer of green boughs, along the margin of 

 the stream, by this time all discoloured and blood- 

 stained. So quickly was the carcase separated 

 into different parts, and with so little noise or 

 violence or apparent effort, that an active fancy 

 might have supposed it had melted away. There 

 was nothing in the whole course of this process at 

 all calculated to disgust ; nor any hacking, — nor 

 hewing, — nor sawing, — each joint being dislocated 

 as if by magic, at the first touch of the knife. The 

 bones also had distinct places allotted them, as well 

 as the fat, not the slightest vestige of which was any- 

 where allowed to remain attached to the meat. 

 When everything was completed, and the ground 

 clear, the leading man of each set went carefully 

 round his cell to see that the whole was in order, 

 and that each piece of meat was hung up correctly : 

 the exact number of pieces I omitted to record, 

 but it is always the same, and if any one be 

 missing, or misplaced, it is immediately remarked 

 by the man who inspects the cell. The head, the 

 back-bone, and the legs, were next chopped into 

 small pieces, and thrown into the boilers, that not 



