The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-05-26
HUNTING OSTRICHES AND WILD
HORSES

we had taken three brace of birds when An
ostrich starting before Us, Candioti iunior gave
the war hoop Of pursuit to his Gancho followers.
and to me the wellknown intimation Of "Vames.
Senior Don Juan" OFF went or rather few. the
Gauchos; my steed bounded away in their com
pany and we were now, instead of tracking an
Invisible bird through tufted grass i'm full cry after
the nimble, conspicuous. and athletic ostrich
with crest erect. and angry eye, towering above
all heritage, our game flew from us, by The com,
olned aid OF wings and limbs, at the rate of sig
teen miles an hour The chase lasted half thar
time; when an Indian peon, starting ahead of the
close phalanx of his mounted competitions, whirled
his balos. with admirable grace and dexterlty.
around his head, and with deadly aim flung them
over the half-running, haI;fying. but now devo-
ted ostrich. luetrievably entsneled, down came
the giant bird, rolling, fluttering, panling and
being IN an instant despatched, the company of
the held stripped him of his feathers, and stuck
them In their glrdles and left the pucked and
manged carcase in the plain, prey to TIE vul-
lures which were already lowering around us
we now came upon an immense herd of wild
horses. and Candioti, junior, said, .' Now, Senior
ION Juan, must show you how we tame colt %
90 saying, the word was given for the pursuit of
the herd, and off once more, like lightning, start
ed the Gaucho horsemen, Candioii and myself
keeping up with them. The herd consisted of
aoont TWO thousand horses; neighing and snoring.
with ears erect and flowing tails. their names
ouisPfead to the wind, af1righied the moment thew
were conscious of pursuit. The Gauchos set IN
their usual cry the dogs We're left in The distance
and 1t was not till we had followed the flock at
iuil speed, and without check, for five miles.
mat the two headmost poems launched their baloses
at the horse which each had respectively singled
out of the herd. Down to the ground. with
ifighttu somersets, came two gallant colts The
nerd continued It's headlong fight, leaving behind
'heir Two PROSTATE companions. Upon these the
whole band OF Gauchos now ran in lazos we're.
applied to tie their legs; one man held down the
head OF each horse, and another the hind quarters
WIN singular rapdity and dexleriiy, other two
uauchos put the saddles and brides on their fall
ieh' trembling, and nearly frantic victims. This
zone, the two men who had brought down the
colts bestrode them they still lay on The ground
In moment, the lazos which bound their legs
were loosed, and at the same time a shout from
the held so frightened the potTos, that thew START
ed on all tours, but, to their establishment each
with rider on his back, riyetted as it were 10
the saddle. and controlling them by means of a
never before-dreamt of bit in his mouth The
animals made simultaneous and most SURPRISING
vault; they reared, plunged, and kicked; now
they started off at foil gallop, and anon stopped
short in their career, with their heads beeween
their legs, endeayoring TO throw their riders.
- e2ne eZpeTanza !' =" vain hope, indeedl Im-
movable sat the Two Tape Indians: they smiled
at the unavaing efforts of the turbulent and out
rageous animals to unseat them and in less than
an hour from the time of their mounting il was
very evident who s.to be the masters The
horses did their very worst, the Indians never lest
either the security the grace of their seats: till
alter two hours of the most violent efforts to rid
themselves of their burden, the horses were 60
exhausted, that drenehed in sweat, with eeted
and FACILITATING sides, and hanging down their
heads, they stood for FIVE minutes together, pant.
ing and COMPOUNDED, but they made not single
effort to move. Then came the Gaucho's turn to
exercise his most positive Authority. Hitherto
he had been entirely upon the defensive. His
object was simply to keep his seat, and lire ont
his horse. He now wanted to move it in a given
direction, hayward, zigzag, often interrupted was
his course at first, still the Gaucho made for,
gwen point; and they advanced towards it, ill at
the end of three hours the now mastered animals
moved in nearly direct limo, and in COMPANY
with the other horses, TO the questo or small sub
ordinate establishment on the estate, to which we
were repairing. When we got there the two
horses, which so shortly before had been free
as the wind, they tied to the stake of the corral.
the slaves of lordly man; and all hope was at an
end .-RoberiSon's Letters on Paragusu.
SPARTAN NOTIFIED De-