REVIEW — THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 
275 
“ The gaucho picks out a full-grown colt, and, as the beast rushes 
round the circus, he throws his lazo so as to catch both the front 
legs. Instantly the horse rolls over with a heavy shock, and while 
struggling on the ground the gaucho, holding the lazo tight, makes 
a circle, so as to catch one of the hind legs just beneath the fetlock, 
and draws it close to the front legs ; he then hitches the lazo, so 
that the three are bound together. Then, sitting on the horse’s 
neck, he fixes a strong bridle, without a bit, to the lower jaw. This 
he does by passing a narrow thong through the eye-holes at the 
end of the reins, and several times round both jaw and tongue. , 
“ The two front legs are now tied closely together with a strong 
leathern thong, fastened by a slip-knot. The lazo which bound 
the three together being then loosened, the horse rises with diffi- 
culty. The gaucho now, holding fast the bridle fixed to the lower 
jaw, leads the horse outside the corral. If a second man is present 
(otherwise the trouble is much greater), he holds the animal’s head 
whilst the first puts on the horse-cloths and saddle, and girths the 
whole together. During this operation the horse, from dread and 
astonishment at thus being bound round the waist, throws himself 
over and over again on the ground, and, till beaten, is unwilling to 
rise. At last, when the saddling is finished, the poor animal can 
hardly breathe from fear, and is white from foam and sweat. 
“ The man now prepares to mount by pressing heavily on the 
stirrup, so that the horse may not lose its balance ; and at the 
moment that he throws his leg over the animal’s back, he pulls 
the slip-knot binding the front legs, and the beast is free. Some 
‘domidors’ pull the knot while the animal is lying on the ground, 
and, standing over the saddle, allow him to rise beneath them. 
The horse, wild with dread, gives a few most violent bounds, and 
then starts off at full gallop. When quite exhausted, the man, by 
patience, brings him back to the corral, where, reeking hot, and 
scarcely alive, the poor beast is let free. Those animals which 
will not gallop away, but obstinately throw themselves on the 
ground, are by far the most troublesome. This first process is 
tremendously severe ; but in two or three times the horse is tamed. 
It is not, however, for some weeks that the animal is ridden with 
the iron bit and solid ring ; for it must learn to associate the will of 
the rider with the feel of the rein before the most powerful bridle 
can be of any service. 
“ Animals are so abundant in these countries, that humanity and 
self-interest are not closely united ; therefore I fear it is that the 
former is here scarcely known. One day, riding in the Pampas 
with a very respectable ‘ Estaneiero,’ my horse, being tired, lagged 
behind. The man often shouted to me to spur him. When I re- 
monstrated that it was a pity, for the horse was quite exhausted, 
