Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-12-23
wild Life in Rusnrs Avrss

A letter to the New York Herald, from Bus-
nos Ayres, October 4, gives the following ~
terespng description Of the manner in which
the wild horses which range the widespread
ing pamPaI Of that beautiful country in count
less numbers are frequently captured:
The Indians Of the pampas are very expert
in the management of horses. The horses, too,
seem to psTtake of their owners, intelligence,
aud unite in an attack, OF retreat, or chase, as
though they had reason. Ia attacking a town
or approaching a troop, the natives have the
skill TO cling to the side Of the horse, and in
this manner a troop Of hoTsemen seem only to
be q herd Of flying horses. If necessary, they
can cling to the belly Of the horse as be runs.
When retreatiBg with booty, they rest not By
day OF night until they reach a place Of safety.
Sometimes a hundred leagues are Travelled be-
fore they halt to divide the plumber. IL fear
ful Of pursuit they light no more, eat their
food raw, and even change horses without
checking their speed. Upon all long jaunts
they drive a troop Of loose horses along, aud
when a change lie desirable an Indian rides up
alongside Of a loose animal, jumps upon his
back, and changing the primitive bride is the
work Of but a moment When pursued, 4 sad
de is a buidensome luxury.
10 capturing wild animals of any kind. the
South American horse, like the Asiatic els-
plant, lends his instincts to bis OwBer-sven
assisting to capture his own wild brethren.
The %lassc-a lopg cord made Of plated hide,
very light and very strOng-is so thrown that
the loop upon the end takes 10 the head or a
foot, aud the other end being fastened to the
saddle, the trained horse sets himself to re-
ceive, at the exact moment, the force of the
running animal. The result is a somerset,
which places the animal at The mercy Of his
esptor.
The prentice of killing the horses Of those
who die prevents any great increase OF horses.
Except the two or three given a child at It's
birth, all the horses OF the PatagOnians are
killed at the owners death, saving only such as
are needed to convey his remains to the place
Of burial. Dogs have a similar fate. When a
mans chief wealth is in horses, be need not
fear his wife or heirs cOnspiTing against his
life in order to gain bis property.
An implement TOT The chase and for war that
Is in great favor among the South Americans
il the bolas, OF balls, or as they call them,
" somai." A thong about two yards long has
a ball frnly fastened to each end, and a third
ball is attached to a thong about one yard long,
and the end Of this thong is fastened to the
middle Of The other. The balls may be round
stones, iron or copper ore, or lead or a more
primitive method Is 10 take hardened clay and
fastsn green hide tightly around Il, and when
the hide is dry the bail has the hardness Of a
stone. Taking one ball In the right hand, It Is
whirled with great force and thrown at The
object pursued. The balls aud things are Of
various sizes, according 10 the size OF the ami
NAL to be captured.
The instrument is 80 thrown that the cord
strikes the neck or the legs, and the balls en-
tangle the animal so as to make him poweriess.
4 can be thrown around the neck, binding the
head 10 tie legs, or tying the the legs together
or tying a man fast to bis horse, and then
throwing down the horse. These, and many
more such feats, can be performed a. full speed
and from a great distance. Ihe Indian boys
practice the art, greatly 70 The annoyance Of
the dogs and any birds within their reach.
This is the usual manner Of taking the ostrich,
whose feathers other means would inlure, and
also The manner Of taking deer.
A foreigner is pow, riess when assaulted, even
at a great distance, with the bo'as. One gen
tieman Of ny scqusiEtsnce escaped (ihe only
escape ] ever heard of BY having the prsssnee
Of mino, when they threw them at bis horse, 10
take his knife and cut the thongs, and then,
when they threw at hin TO tie his srms around
bis body, be held HE arms above bic head, and
20 sludsd them.