62 



CENTRAL AMERICA. 



had become pretty well up to the sharp 

 bitting required for Chilian lassoing ; adding 

 to this, that he had been born and bred in 

 the forest; and, on my part, with all hu- 

 mility, a pretty fair practical acquaintance 

 with the lasso, I anticipated a good day's 

 sport. 



We mustered about ten or twelve, besides 

 myself, at the appointed time, and I certainly 

 envied them the excellent defences they had 

 provided against the thorns of the under- 

 wood ; they had deer-skin sleeves and deer- 

 skin breast and back pieces, like a herald's 

 tabard, only coming high up on the throat, 

 and having the edges laced together on eacjii 

 side ; guards of cow-hide curled over from 

 the ankles to above the pummel of the sad- 

 dle, and attached to the forepart of it, effec- 

 tually protected the legs and thighs ; and a 

 wooden box to trust their feet into, as stir- 

 rups, completed their equipment ; and what 

 perfectly amazed me was to see the lasso 

 made fast, not, as in some countries, to the 

 overall girth, and in others to the pummel of 

 the saddle, but actually to the horse's tail. 

 I had heard of the practice before, and 

 having seen it used for leading horses and 

 mules, concluded it was used for no other 



