190 CHILI. 



was constructed of large adobes, or rather blocks of clay, and finished 

 in the inside neatly with the same material. It consisted of but one 

 apartment, the floor of which was clay. It had a thatched roof, w T hich 

 was open in several places. There was no window. The door and 

 the holes in the roof supplied all the light. The furniture, if such 

 it could be called, consisted of a rude bedstead and an apology 

 for a table, at one end ; the other was divided into three bins, one to 

 contain corn, another beans, and the third potatoes, with saddles and 

 various kinds of horse-gear, and a bag or two of wheat. On one 

 side was a clay seat, three feet broad by six long, and the height of 

 an ordinary seat, whilst from the rafters hung in nets a good supply of 

 bread, cheese, and numerous strings of onions, garlic, and red Chili 

 peppers. There were besides two chairs and a bench. All the cook- 

 ing is done in a small detached building; and a small clay oven in the 

 yard is an accompaniment of every rancho. Bread and an abundance 

 of grapes, of which they could not eat more than a third, were supplied 

 them for a " medio." The second cuesta was shortly afterwards 

 mounted, of about five hundred feet elevation, and on the top they 

 were gratified by witnessing the mode in which the Chilians capture 

 the wild horses. A party of four or five horsemen, with about twenty 

 dogs, were seen formed in an extended crescent, driving the wild 

 horses towards the river with shouts. All were armed with the lasso, 

 which was swinging over their heads, to be in readiness to entrap the 

 first that attempted to break through the gradually contracting seg- 

 ment ; the dogs serving with the riders to head the horses in. They 

 continued to advance, when suddenly a horse with furious speed broke 

 the line, passing near one of the horsemen, and for a moment it was 

 thought he had escaped ; the next, he was jerked round with a force 

 that seemed sufficient to have broken his neck, the horseman having, 

 the moment the lasso was thrown, turned round and braced himself for 

 the shock. The captured horse now began to rear and plunge furiously 

 to effect his escape. After becoming somewhat worn out, he was 

 suffered to run, and again suddenly checked. This was repeated 

 several times, when another plan was adopted. The dogs were set on 

 him, and off he went at full run, in the direction of another horseman, 

 who threw his lasso to entangle his legs and precipitate him to the 

 ground. The dogs again roused him, when he again started, and was 

 in like manner brought to a stand; after several trials, he became 

 completely exhausted and subdued, when he stood perfectly still, and 

 allowed his captors to lay hands upon him. The shouts of the men, 

 the barking of the dogs, and the scampering of the horses, made the 

 whole scene quite exciting. 



