GAUCHOS OF THE PAMPAS. 721 



ridges in a similar way. Yet he is but little fitted for the 

 ordinary hard work of life. In consequence of his over- 

 exertion and irregular life, his long abstinence from food, and 

 neglect of a due proportion of vegetable aliment, his body ap- 

 pears to be dried up, his vital energies fail, and his term of 

 existence is shortened. 



Impatient of rebuke, he will not brook a hasty word, and 

 will conclude a connection with a master at a moment's 

 notice, by demanding to hare his account made up. Horse- 

 racing and gambling are his weaknesses. His knife is ready 

 at hand, and though fatal results seldom follow being en- 

 gaged in a quarrel, he attempts to inflict a cut on the face of 

 his antagonist, and there to leave his mark. His food he 

 cooks on a stick — the asadero — fixed in the ground before 

 the fire ; and eats it without bread or any kind of vegetable, 

 washing it down with copious draughts of yerba. 



He will gamble on all occasions, either with cards, domi- 

 noes, or coin — a pitch-and-toss style of game. His horse- 

 racin<T is more for the sake of obtaining the bets staked on the 

 match. He also delights to bet on the strength of his horse. 

 This is tried by fastening a pair of horses tail to tail, but at 

 some distance, so that each end of a short lasso is tied to the 

 saddle or girth of either animal. They are then mounted, 

 and urged by whip and spur in opposite directions, until the 

 stronger draws the weaker over the goal — a line marked on 

 the ground. In spite of his gambling propensities, he is often 

 intrusted with hundreds of doubloons for the purchase of cattle 

 by his master. 



His mode of catching partridges is curious. Armed with a 

 loop attached to the end of a thin stick, he will ride on till 

 he sees a covey of birds on the ground ; and then commences 



(378) +6 



