152 



CHlLr. 



full speed. In some eases^ this check is so abrupt 

 and violent^ that the animal is not only dashed 

 to the ground, but rolls along at the full stretch 

 of the lasso ; while the horse is drawn sideways, 

 and ploughs up the earth with his feet for seve- 

 ral yards. This, which takes so long to describe, 

 is the work of a few seconds ; during which, the 

 other horseman gallops past ; and before the bull 

 has time to recover from the shock, places the 

 noose over his horns, and continues advancing 

 till this lasso also is at full stretch. The bull 

 stupified by the fall, sometimes lies motionless 

 on the ground ; but the men soon rouse him up, 

 by tugging him to and fro. When on his legs, 

 with a horseman on each side, he is like a ship 

 moored with two cables ; and however unwilling 

 he may be to accompany the guassos, or how- 

 ever great his struggles, he is irresistibly drag- 

 ged along by them in whatever direction they 

 please. 



If the intention be to kill the animal for the 

 sake of the hide and tallow alone, as is often the 

 case, one of the guassos dismounts, and running 

 in, cuts the bull's hamstrings with a long knife. 



