204 



CHARLES DARWIN 



There is one main range of hills, nearly two thousand feet 

 in height, and composed of quartz rock, the rugged and bar- 

 ren crests of which gave us some trouble to cross. On the 

 south side we came to the best country for wild cattle; we 

 met, however, no great number, for they had been lately 

 much harassed. 



In the evening we came across a small herd. One of my 

 companions, St. Jago by name, soon separated a fat cow; 

 he threw the bolas, and it struck her legs, but failed in be- 

 coming entangled. Then dropping his hat to mark the spot 

 where the balls were left, while at full gallop, he uncoiled 

 his lazo, and after a most severe chase, again came up to 

 the cow, and caught her round the horns. The other Gaucho 

 had gone on ahead with the spare horses, so that St. Jago 

 had some difficulty in killing the furious beast. He man- 

 aged to get her on a level piece of ground, by taking advan- 

 tage of her as often as she rushed at him; and when she 

 would not move, my horse, from having been trained, would 

 canter up, and with his chest give her a violent push. But 

 when on level ground it does not appear an easy job for 

 one man to kill a beast mad with terror. Nor would it be 

 so, if the horse, when left to itself without its rider, did 

 not soon learn, for its own safety, to keep the lazo tight; 

 so that, if the cow or ox moves forward, the horse moves 

 just as quickly forward; otherwise, it stands motionless 

 leaning on one side. This horse, however, was a young 

 one, and would not stand still, but gave in to the cow as she 

 struggled. It was admirable to see with what dexterity St. 

 Jago dodged behind the beast, till at last he contrived to 

 give the fatal touch to the main tendon of the hind leg; 

 after which, without much difficulty, he drove his knife 

 into the head of the spinal marrow, and the cow dropped 

 as if struck by lightning. He cut off pieces of flesh with 

 the skin to it, but without any bones, sufficient for our 

 expedition. We then rode on to our sleeping-place, and 

 had for supper " carne con cuero," or meat roasted with the 

 skin on it. This is as superior to common beef as venison 

 is to mutton. A large circular piece taken from the back 

 is roasted on the embers with the hide downwards and in 

 the form of a saucer, so that none of the gravy is lost. 



