TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



83 



fear, sometimes full of impetuous fury, endea- 

 vour by the strangest contortions, and the most 

 desperate leaps to defend themselves against the 

 riders. When the latter have at length succeeded 

 in holding an animal fast, by the ears and lips, with a 

 pair of tongs, in putting a halter over his head, and 

 a sheep-skin by way of saddle on his back, one of 

 the servants mounts him, and endeavours to over- 

 come the obstinacy of the horse by means of the 

 whip. After many violent motions and leaps, it is 

 at length so far subdued, that it runs furiously 

 away with its rider, and after a long course, it in 

 some degree yields to the bridle. After being thus 

 humbled, it stands still with its head hanging down, 

 on which all the others separate from it. The next 

 day the same exercise is repeated ; and in a few 

 days more the horse is broken and fit for riding. 

 The common Paulistas, and particularly the Piaos 

 (the herdsman's servants), make use of a very small 

 flat wooden saddle, which is often not even covered 

 with leather ; their stirrups are so small that they 

 will only admit the great toe. The spurs are fas- 

 tened to the naked heel. The dress of the Piao 

 consists of a short jacket, narrow trowsers, and a 

 flat round hat fastened with a strap, altogether of 

 brown leather, made of deer or capivara hides, and 

 is very well adapted to protect him against the 

 thorny hedges through which he must force his way 

 when pursuing wild animals. 



The horses are driven together from time to time, 



G 2 



