The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-11-16
No.. 8

During the short time I was at Buenos
Ayres, lived in house out of the town
which was opposite the English burying
ground, and very near the place where the
cattle were killed. This latter spot was a.
bout four or five acres, and was altogether
devoid of pasture; at one end of it there was
large coral enclosed by rough stakes, and
divided into number of pens, each of which
had a separate gate. These cells were al
ways full of cattle doomed for slaughter. /
several times had occasion to ride over the
field, and it was curious to see its different
appearances. In passing it in the day or G.
vening, no human being was to be seen; the
cattle, up to their knees in mud, and with
nothing to eat were standing in the sun, oca
casionally lowing or rather roaring to each
other.
The ground in every direction was cover
ed with groups of large white gulls, some Of
which were earnestly picking at the slops Of
blood which they had surrounded, while 9TH
ers were standing on their tiptoes and flap-
ping their wings as if to recover their appe-
tite. Each slop of blood was the spot where
bullock had died; it was all that was left
of his history, and pigs and gulls were ra-
pidly consuming it. Early in the morning
no blood was to be seen; number of horses.
with the lassos hanging to their saddles,
were standing in groups apparently asleep,
the Mataderos we're either sitting or lying
on the ground close to the stakes of the coral,
and smoking segars; while the cattle. with
oHt metaphor, were waiting until the last
hour of their existenence should strike; for
as soon as the clock of the Recolata struck,
the men all vaulted on their horses, the
gates of all the cells were opened, and in a
few seconds there was scene of apparent
confusion which it was quite impossible to
describe. Every man had a wild bullock at
the end of his lasso; some of these animals
were running away from the horses, and
some were running at them; many were
roaring, some were hamstrung and running
about on their stumps, some were killed and
skinned, while occasionally one would break
the lasso. The horse would often fall upon
his rider, and the bullock would labor to re-
gain his liberty, until the horseman in full
speed caught him with his lasso, tripping
him off the ground in a manner that might
apparently break every bone in his body
was more than once in the middle Of this odd
scene, and was really sometimes obliged TO
gallop for my life, without exactly knowing
where to so for it was often Scylly and Char
ybdis.
was one day going home from this scene,
when saw man on foot, select very large
pig from herd, and throw lasso over his
neck; he pulled it with all his strength, but
the pig had no idea of ebeying the summons;
in an instant, little child rode up, and very
quietly taking tbs end of the lasso from the
man, he lifted up the sheep-skin which COW
cred the saddle, fixed the lasso to the ring
waich is there made for it, and then Instant
ly set off at gallop. Never did any one see
an obstinate animal so completely conquer
ed! With his tail pointing to the ground.
hanging back, and with his four feet all
stretched along the ground, like the teeth of
q harrow, he followed the boy evidently a.
gainst his will; and the sight was so strange,
that | instantly galloped after the pig, to
watch his countenance. He was as obstinate
as ever, until the lasso choked him, and he
then tainted, and fell on his side. The boy
dragged him in this state at gollop, more
than three quarters of mile over hard,
rough ground, and at last suddenly stopped,
and jumping off his horse, began to unloose
the lasso :--"Sta meurto 20 (he is dead) said
! to the boy, really sorry for the pigs fate:-
"Sta vivo!" exclaimed the child, as he
vaulted on his horse and galloped away. I
watched the pig for some time, and was OBJ
serving the blood on his nose, when, to my
great surprise, he began to kick his hind
leg; he then opened his mouth, and, at last,
his eyes; and after he had locked about him
Ga little like Clarence after his dream) he
got up, and very leisurely walked to herd Of
ten or twelve pigs about the same size as
himself, who were about twenty yards Off
l slowly followed him, and when l came up
to the herd, saw they had every one of
them bloody noses.