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 managed to get her on a level piece of
ground, by taking advantage 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 is the form of a saucer, so that none of the
gravy is lost. If any worthy alderman had supped with us that evening,
"carne con cuero," without doubt, would soon have been celebrated in
London.
During the night it rained, and the next day (17th) was very stormy,
with much hail and snow. We rode across the island to the neck of land
which joins the Rincon del Toro (the great peninsula at the S. W.
extremity) to the rest of the island. From the great number of cows
which have been killed, there is a large proportion of bulls. These
wander about single, or two and three together, and are very savage. I
never saw such magnificent beasts; they equalled in the size of their
huge heads and necks the Grecian marble sculptures. Capt. Sulivan
informs me that the hide of an average-sized bull weighs forty-seven
pounds, whereas a hide of this weight, less thoroughly dried, is
considered as a very heavy one at Monte Video. The young bulls
generally run away, for a short distance; but the old ones do not stir
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