Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-05-12


The season of heat and cold are the
reverse of those north of the Equator
We arrived in midsummer, and have
since experienced all varieties of weather
incidental to the season-the most fear
full storms Of dust, of rain, and days of
scorching heat. The former is an afflic-
tion to be seen and felt, in order to be
appreciated. Imagine one ofthose bleak,
drifting, North westers, which in winter
so often visit you; a storm of dust and
wind, so thick as to shut out the sun,
darkening the earth with the darkness
Of midnight, penetrating every crack and
crevice Of your house, binding your
eyes, filling your throat and ears, piling
itself in heaps in Jour roads and door
yards, blocking your wells. extinguish-
ing your fires, and almost the breath of
life itself, and you have such a dust
storm as was experienced by us short
time since. The afternoon was clear
and beautiful, but dark, low clouds in
the west, gave indication of rain-of
such it was at first welcome as the mes
senger-but when cattle and horses were
seen fleeing in terror before it, and when
it came laundering upon us, dark, i'm
penetrable wall of dust, sweeping along
the plain, reaching to Heaven, there was
no longer mistaking its nature. Such
a storm had never before been known.
It is the exception, not the rule. Thou
sands of sheep and cattle have perished
the past season in certain localities from
the 'seea" or drought. Some farmers
have lost their entire focks; others, who
with greater foresight removed them to
the frontier camps, not only have saved
them, but secured eligible situations for
coming years.
The customs of the Natives are as
matter of course, peculiar. In the arts
and sciences they are one hundred years
behind the times. Wooden ploughs with
one handle may be seen, the oxen guild
ed by cord of rawhide passing about
their heads. Huge carts with ponder
Gus creaking wheels, ten feet in diane.
ter are used for transporting their prod.
uce from the interior TO Buenos Ayres
or the railroad terminus The yoke is
strapped to the horns of the oxen, eight
or ten feet in length. A Native sitting
upon this. armed with "a long bamboo
pole, guides his team, or, wearied with
this position, reclines in his cart, and by
cord suspends the pole from its top, 81
that by the slightest effort he can reacl
any pair. The diligences are drawn b,
horses-four ab1east-two having har
nesses and being attached to the vehicl
by method similar to our own. Oh
either side of these, two more, assistin,
by broad girdle of raw hide passin,
about their bodies. Of the leading fou1
two are mounted, all drawing by tn
means of the girdle above alluded to-
The almost universal means of locomc
tion is by horseback. Now and then
dashing equipage, with full complement
of out-riders and mounted attendant
may be seen, belonging to some haught
''patron," too rich, proud and lazy,
mount a horse.
The finest horses in the world may
found here. Their value is merely non
inal. For daring and dexterity upo
horseback, the "Guachos' are unsurpa,
sed. They may be said to live in tn
saddle, and their feats are astonishing
With wonderful dexterity they hurl tt
"bolas, or fling the ''lasso," bringin
to the ground, or checking in his mat
dening flight, the feetest ''potro" of tt
plains. With his "bolas'' he can brin
to his saddle, without dismounting, tt
| quails or plover, whenever he desir
them for food. The chase Of the ostri(
and deer is his greatest glory. He spi
the object of his search in quiet, feedir
upon the level plain. He gives flu
5 rein to his steed, looscs his "bolas
: whirls them about his head. and lii
$ lightning dashes down upon his covett
| prize. The alarm has taken and Il
: race begins. With the speed of the vii
o the pursuer and pursued skim the plai
Soon his quick eye discerns the time f
action. His experienced hand hurls t
o whirling "bolas." His well train
h steed settles back upon his haunch'
n and the unerring aim has brought to t
ground his victim When not on hors
. back, in his mud or adobe hut, he Will
e away his time in sleep or playing t
y guitar. He thinks and talks and Cal
n only for his horse. Slipping ''mate
&c drinking '.cana' and eating meat are
e means of substance He visits y
e frequently, is very polite and courteo
- in his manners, graceful in his mo-
n ments, and hospitable to the extreme.
You visit his rancho, and he invites y
j to dismount, and enter his house. Sc
p the inevitable innate" gourd is produc'
h A little '.yerba" sugar and boiling '
> ter, is placed therein, and the mistr
;. of the house taking sip, and finding
v to her liking, hence supposing 1t to
If to yours, proffers it. You sip it throu
n n,otali n fr,ha and woo to tha slyin