The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-08-22
A SOUTH AMERICAN SCENE.
A VISIT TO AN ESTANCIA IN THE
CATTLE COUNTRY.
Immense Estates Whose Owners
Possess Great Herds of Cattle
Strengthening the Animals.

Possess Great Herds of Cattle
SIaughtering the Animals
A Detroit Free Press contributor de-
scribes visit to large South American
estancia, or cattle ranch. lie says:
The name estancia is given to those |
immense estates, some of viii h surpass
in extent the departments in France,
and whose owners are exclusively occu-
pied in raising horses and cattle. These |
cattle are counted by thousands-their |
sheep by hundreds of thousands. These
immense herds lie in the open air and |
craze in the fields which surround the
main buildings; these are usual built
on the most elevated spot in the estancia.
Horses, oxen and sheep are watched and
cared for by herdsmen living and sleep.
ing continually in the open air. Each
herdsmen is expected to guard from
1000 to 5000 head of cattle. As to the
main buildings, or estancia proper, they
are bnilt in the form of a
square or rectangle with terraces,
with no outer entrance except large
gate as thick and strong as that OF
a state prison. This is the residence OF
the master, the major .domo and ths
household servants. All the apartments
open on walks bordering the court in
the center of which is well of fresh wa
ter. These walks, sheltered by verandas,
are made of bricks. Then there is
chapel where priest comes every six
months to oficiate, and a high tower
from which, as we have seen, poems
watched day and night over the pampas.
Adjoining the estancia are vegetable and
tho rap0hpg in which
reside the poems, the corrals, Enclosures
formed of wooden palisades, in which
are kept the horses in habitual use the
milch cows and poultry. The forge, the
wheelwrght shops, the vehicles used in
the transportation of produce, the ware
houses with walls pierced with hun
dred holes, in which are tleeces and hides
to be sent to Patagonia, Buenos Ayres or
Rosario; and finally the corrals, where
the different animals are slaughtered. n
wall, four feet high, surrounds all these
buildings aud dependencies; this wall is
protected by large ditch, on whose
outer edge is an impenetrable hedge OF
aloes, with leaves as long, sharp, and
strong us iron spears. This triple rampant
forms the inclosure of every estancia in
South America. As soon as the black
flag is run up, all the herdsmen, and
other servants who may be outside,
hasten to regain the protection of the
estancia
We had arrived at Las Jarillas Just in
time to witness the slaughter of the ami
mails. This is called matadero. 1t is
an ignoble spectacle, but then travellers
must have the courage to witness every
thing. Every morning at daybrcak dur
ing the whole time that the matadero
lasts, the poems drive 200 or 800 head OF
cattle to the entrance of the corrals.
| These animals. who smell the bloo1 shed
/ the previous evening, generally refuse to
enter. Then men on horseback throw
/ lassoes over their horns, while Other
horsemen spur their horses right on them,
and the shock throws each refractory
animal to the ground. Scarcely has II
! fallen when those who have lassoed il
! drag it inside, where one man throws hi'
! lasso over one hind foot while seconc
cuts the leaders of the other. The poo
beast falls forward on his knees, as if tC
implorc mercy from the eXecutioners
but It's sufTerings are almost over Armed
with very long, sharp knife the mata
dor advances he raises his arm-a tiasl
IA gleam-and all is over. The ami
nal falls as if struck by a thunderbolt
The blade, buried deep just below th'
left shoulder, has touched the heart
The matador withdraws his blade, The
blood gushes from the wound, aud NOV
ing slowly on account o.
the enormous boots VIII ch encas
his legs the matador approaches anothe
victim. The animals are immediatcl.
skinned and cut up. The meat and hide
are salted and dressed. The former /
sent to Brazil and the latter to Europe
where they are tanned and serve t,
fashion the dainty boots and slippers o
our elegantes. One must have witnessed
a matadcro to form an idea of what it Is
The swarthy poems, naked to the waist
with their wild, fierce faces and flashing
black eyes and bare and blood stained
arms are fearful to behold. Withou
pity they slay, and strike again ant
again The slaughtered animals ar
heaped upon one another, but what mat
tiers it. The sun is sinking lower an'
lower, and they must finish before night
fall. Hurry, Pepal faster, Jose! W
must make haste. Caramba~ And agail
the shining blades are buried in the bod
les of the poor animals whose plaintiv
bleatings and lowings almost break you
heart. The sun has just disappeared be
low the horizon. Soon focks OF owls
ravens, condors and yultures collect T.
feast on the remains and olial which
but for these birds of prey, would poisol
the air. With the last day Of the weei
the matadero comes to an end.