NOTES ON THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 
5 
the Andes, but little can be seen of the underlying strata, from 
tbeir being covered with sand, gravel, and alluvium. On the 
higher ground, much gneiss and mica schist is found, especially 
in the Sierra de Las Palomas. The banks of the Rio Desa- 
guadero form an interesting feature; they are composed of 
micaceous and quartzose sandstones, in some parts with the 
characteristics of mica schist, and in others crumbling away, 
probably from weathering, and the action of salts brought down 
by the waters of the river in its course from the snows of the 
Andes, across the Lagunas ; the banks are from forty to 
fifty feet in height, and are composed of the micaceous and 
quartzose matter, which gives to the water its greyish buff 
colour. From this point to Mendoza, the road passes large 
farms, or estancias, mainly devoted to fattening cattle intended 
to be sent to Chili. At Rodeo, near to Mendoza, a lively scene 
may be sometimes witnessed during the shoeing of cattle previous 
to their journey over the Andes. A shed, set on strong posts 
against an adobe wall, divides two large yards ; looking over 
the wall near the centre, a good view of the proceedings may 
be obtained. In a yard about one hundred feet long by fifty 
wide, with no fittings other than the four walls, a tall brawny 
gaucho in his many-coloured costume, stands close to a door 
swinging a lasso over his head; his action is slow and deliberate. 
Opposite this door, about twenty half- wild cattle are running 
backwards and forwards the long way of the yard, when sud- 
denly the lasso falls gracefully over the horns of a fine animal ; 
it stops at once ; a wild jump and a bellow are the prelude to 
a rush at the man in front of the doorway, who stands stock 
still until the animal is within a few yards of him, then, with = 
the agility of a kitten he jumps aside. The animal is unable • 
to follow, as whilst he has been coming towards the gaucho, 
others have quickly shortened up the lasso around a post, 
which now brings up the furious beast within a few feet of the 
entrance of the door. Here, catching sight of the men in the 
shoeing shed through the doorway, he makes a second rush, 
and is again brought up, powerless, with his head close to a 
post. His legs are now fastened together by soft hide straps, 
and with a dexterous throw he is turned over on a bed of straw, 
and his legs fastened to four upright posts, his head being 
carefully kept close to a central post whilst he is being quickly 
i shod. We observe that the door by which the animal entered has 
been closed, and that on the opposite side of the yard, at the 
foot of the slope, a pond of water, eight or ten feet deep, and 
twenty feet wide, runs the whole length of a piece of wall, six 
feet high, and close to the nearest edge. The man who lassoed 
the animal now stands leaning against the wall ; the shoeing 
being finished all get out of the way, excepting this man near 
