Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-02
gasIy 8saaeI,ss s;oaglag.
City and County.
Grea! are The Gauchos.

The Wild West show is coming this
way, led By that famous scout. frontiers
man and hero Of the plains and prairies,
Buffalo Bill, as Col. W. +. Cody is uni
versally known. The Wild West exhibit
ton has been presented with honor and
success and with Tremendous patronage
all over Europe; in 1898 at the Worlds
Fair in Chicago, and last year in New
York city for season of six months. 1t
has brought together to compete for
equestrian proves most Of the races and
types OF the worlds most celebrated and
remarkable horsemen Col. Cody and
his indefatigable partner Nate Salisbury,
have not been content with reproducing
the stirring scenes and incidents OF
frontier life, and in assembling in friendly
rivalry cowboys, Indians, Vaqueros and
Cossacks, but they have gone farther
aiield in their search for living exemplifl
cations of modern methods OF equitation.
Among the latest additions are the
Gauchos from the distant pampas Of
South America, which has contributed a
band of wild riders from the llanos of the
Argentine Republic The Gaucho differs
in many respects from the other rough
riders of the only partially civilized sec
lions of the earth. He is the production
of a peculiar scheme of existence and of
savage conditions of life that obtain in no
part of the world save on the boundless
prairies of the North and the limitless
llanos Of South America. From the
Gaucho's earliest infancy the half-wild
horses of his native plains have been in
separately associated with his daily doings
At an age when the English or American
child is learning to stand on his feet
without the assistance of his nurse, the
infant Gauoho is being taught by its fond
mother to balance himself on the backs of
colts of the herd. At four years of age
he has learned to ride the widest colt that
roams the pampas, and henceforth he is
to all intents and purposes an integral
portion of the animal he bestrides, no
more TO be dismounted against his will
than if he and the horse were really parts
OF one creature. No wonder, therefore,
that the Gaucho is d horseman Of remark
able dexterity in the management of his
four-legged friend and servant. The
Gauchos are reputed to be the most expert
lassoeFs In the world. Their skill in the
use Of the bolas is almost beyond belief.
This instrument consists Of number of
raw hide thongs fastened to a central
thong, and with an iron ball at each end
The Gaucho can hurl this at a flying horse
or ostrich from distance of sixty feet,
and cause 1t to be inextricably entangled
about the legs and bring the victim help
lessly to the ground. This rather than
the lasso is the fayorite weapon in cap
turing wild animals or fighting in war.
ItA will BIO understood, therefore, from
ID brief description of their peculiarities,
That they arc novel acquisition to the
many other novelties of the Wild West
exhibition. Together with the other
rough riders of the show they form con-
trast to the trained, but none the less
skillful, horsemen furnished by several of
the world S great military nations, includ-
ing the big cavalrymen Of France, Ger.
many, Russia. England and the United
States, all of whom will be represented in
the vast arena of the Wild West show,
which is to appear here on Friday, July
10.