222 



A VOYAGE TO 



tracted, by the report of several muskets, and by tbe 

 appearance of some horsemen galloping at a distance 

 of about half a mile beyond the lines. These we soon 

 recognized to be a party of gauchos^ such is the name 

 given to the country people in general, and by which 

 is here understood the partisans of Artigas, as the 

 gauchos are almost to a man on his side. The party 

 was endeavoring to drive off some Portuguese horses, 

 and this they executed with wonderful dexterity; they 

 first started into a gallop the horses which they meant 

 to drive off, and then seemed to give them the direction 

 they pleased, by riding sometimes on one side and 

 sometimes on the other, or driving before them. The 

 animals on which these half horse, half men, were 

 mounted, seemed to be directed more by the inclina- 

 tion than by the hand of the rider; so excellent is their 

 horsemanship. This scene we were informed was re- 

 peated almost every morning, and appeared to be on 

 the part of the gauchos, more a matter of sport, than 

 of profit; for horses are so abundant and cheap, that^ 

 the best can be had for a few dollars; and the owner 

 even sometimes turns his horse loose, to get rid of the 

 expense and trouble of keeping him. The loss of 

 horses however, will probably be felt by the Portu- 

 guese, who are confined to a narrow space, which 

 hardly furnishes sufficient pasturage to sustain those 

 they have. We observed them busily engaged in 

 driving in their cattle, so as to be under the protec- 

 tion of the troops stationed at intervals along the line. 

 Within a few hundred yards of us, there appeared to 

 be a body of forty or fifty in a redoubt, who did no- 

 thing but gaze on the exploits of the gauchos. None 

 went in pursuit of them; a few long shots was all that 



