they
took delight while at full speed in the _carrara_, in catching the
beasts by a dextrous twist in the tail; and the performance was never
satisfactorily concluded until the bullock was thrown a complete
summerset over his horns. These paisanos of California, like the guachos
of Buenos Ayres, and guaso of Chili, pass most of their existence on
horseback; there the natural vigor of manhood seems all at once called
into play, and horse and backer appear of the same piece. The lasso is
their plaything, either for service or pastime; with it, the unruly wild
horse, or bullock, is brought within reach of the knife. Ferocious Bruin
himself gets his throat twisted and choked, and with heavy paws spread
wide apart, is dragged for miles, perhaps to the bear-bait,
notwithstanding his glittering jaws, and giant efforts to escape.
Without the horse and lasso, these gentry are helpless as infants; their
horses are admirably trained, and sometimes perform under a skilful hand
pranks that always cause surprise to strangers. I once saw a band of
horses, at General Rosa's quinta, near Buenos Ayres, trained to run like
hares, with fore and hind legs lashed together by thongs of hide; it
was undertaken to preserve the animals from being thrown by the Indian
bolas, and the riders, as a consequence, lanced to death. But I was far
more amused one afternoon while passing a fandango, near Monterey, to
see a drunken _vaquero_--cattle-driver--mounted on a restive, plunging
beast, hold at arms length a tray of glasses, brimming with aguadiente,
which he politely offered to everybody within reach of his curvettings,
without ever once spilling a drop. I thought this better than Camille
Leroux, in the polka, or a guacho picking up a cigarritto with his
teeth, at a hand gallop! It is remarkable, too, how very long the
Californian can urge a horse, and how lightly he rides, even when the
beast appears thoroughly exhausted, tottering at every pace under a
strange rider; yet the native will lift him to renewed struggles, and
hold him up for leagues further. Nor is it by the aid of his enormous
spurs, for the punishment is by no means so severe as the sharp rowels
with us; but accustomed to the horse from infancy, he appears to divine
his powers, and thus a mutual and instinctive bond is established
between them. The saddles here, as well as those along the southern
coasts, partake in build of the old Spanish high peak and croupe, and
are really inten