amusements are those which
prepare him for the occupations of his future life; with a lazo made of
twine he tries to catch little birds, or the dogs, as they walk in and
out of the hut. By the time he is four years old he is on horseback,
and immediately becomes useful by assisting to drive the cattle into the
corral."

When sufficiently strong to cope with a wild animal, the young Llanero
is taken to the _majada_ or great cattle-pen, and there hoisted upon the
bare back of a fierce young bull. With his face turned towards the
animal's tail, which he holds in lieu of bridle, and his little legs
twisted round the neck of his antagonist, he is whirled round and round
at a furious rate. His position, as may be imagined, is anything but
equestrian; yet, the fear of coming in contact with the bull's horns
compels the rider to hold on until, by a dexterous twist of the animal's
tail while he jumps off its back, he succeeds in overturning his
antagonist.

In proportion as he grows older and stronger, a more manly amusement is
afforded him with the breaking in of a wild colt. This being, however, a
more dangerous experiment, in which many a young eagle "is rendered a
lame duck," he is provided with the necessary accoutrements to withstand
the terrible struggle with the animal. Firmly seated upon his back and
brandishing overhead a _chaparro_ vine for a whip, the apprentice is
thus installed in his new office, from which he must not descend until
the brute is perfectly subdued; the coil of lazo in the hands of his
merciless instructor would be the least evil awaiting him should he
otherwise escape safe and sound from the desperate kicks and plunges of
the horse.

Here commences what we may term the public life of the Llanero; his
education is now considered complete. From this moment all his endeavors
and ambition will be to rival his companions in the display of physical
force, which he shows to an admirable degree when, armed with his tough
lazo, he pursues the wild animals of his domain. If a powerful bull or
wild horse tries to escape into the open plain, the cavalier unfurls the
noose which is always ready by his side, and the fugitive is quickly
brought back to the corral. Should the thong give way under the
impetuous flight of the animal, the rider seizes him by the tail, and
whirling round suddenly, pulls towards him with so much force as to
cause his immediate overthrow.

In all these exercises the roving cavalier