TOWN OF BUENOS AIHES. 



35 



many were roaring, some were hamstrung, and 

 running about on their stumps ; some were killed 

 and skinned, while occasionally one would break 

 the lasso. The horse would often fall upon his 

 rider, and the bullock endeavour to regain his 

 liberty, until the horsemen at full speed caught 

 him with the lasso, tripping him off the ground in a 

 manner that might apparently break every bone in 

 his body. I was more than once in the middle of 

 this odd scene, and was really sometimes obliged 

 to gallop for my life, without exactly knowing 

 where to go, for it was often Scylla and Charybdis. 



I was one day going home from this scene w^hen 

 I saw a man on foot select a very large pig from a 

 herd, and throw a lasso over his neck ; he pulled it 

 with all his strength, but the pig had no idea of 

 obeying the summons : in an instant a little child 

 rode up, and very quietly taking the end of the 

 lasso from the man, he lifted up the sheep-skin 

 which covered the saddle, fixed the lasso to the 

 ring which is there made for it, and then instantly 

 set off at a gallop : never did any one see an ob- 

 stinate animal so completely conquered ! With his 

 tail pointing to the ground, hanging back, and with 



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