WILD CATTLE. 



61 



seldom before a long, desperate ride through 

 an entangled thorny covert. 



The great aim of the hunter is to drive the 

 cattle into any open savannah or plain near 

 at hand ; but many of these savannahs are 

 useless for lassoing, being so studded with 

 larofe thorn trees that there is no room to 

 swing the lasso round the head ; the object 

 is therefore to drive the cattle into a clear 

 savannah ; then to separate them and attack 

 them singly. 



The narrative of a day's hunting in this 

 manner will describe the sport better than 

 any general observations, and I will take, for 

 example, the first one I enjoyed in Central 

 America, though I had attended many very 

 large " Rodeos " in Chili. 



Having lately arrived from the latter 

 country, where I had resided nearly four 

 years in the wildest part, I had brought with 

 me, as before mentioned, Chilian accoutre- 

 ments, such as saddle, &c. ; excellent lassos, 

 with strong girths and massive iron rings 

 to attach the lasso to ; and, in short, at- 

 tended the meet, to which I had been invited, 

 with everything in good order. My horse 

 was an excellent one for the country, and, 

 during the few weeks I had possessed him, 



