It was gaucholand through which we were travelling.
The old-time conditions of gaucho civilization that produced these wild and formidable fighting men, who fought as they lived, on the backs of their horses, have vanished as utterly as our own Far West of the days of Kit Carson.
In one we might see a Spanish family, in another blond Germans or Swiss, in yet another a family of gaucho stock looking more Indian than white.
In most places the gaucho has changed as our own cowboy has changed.
While he was asking himself what was the best thing to do, the foremost Gaucho made a sudden motion with his arm, the noose of a lasso dropped over the Indian's head, and he was jerked over on to his back.
The gaucho entered the wood, and almost immediately re-appeared, holding the bridle of a magnificent charger, upon whose back Don Torribio leaped.
Among the dead I found the corpse of one of his confidants, the gaucho Corrocho, whom I surprised the other day conspiring with him against you.
The latter, in his gaucho dress, had the look of a thorough bandit.
Don Sylvio about to speak, "I know that you are brave, almost too brave; but gaucho bandits abound in the plain.
The gaucho opened his dull eyes in amazement on hearing the chief's last remark, but hastened to obey.
The gauchofell at his feet, and covered his hand with kisses, like a dog licking his master, who has chastised it.
Panchito and Diego were hung as a warning example; a bando, affixed at the foot of the ladder, threatened every insurgent gaucho with the same fate.
Why, I have just come from there," the gaucho muttered, yawning and rubbing his eyes.
The gaucho rose tottering, his eyes were filled with blood, his lips were livid, and his whole body trembled.
Not much better," the gaucho answered, with a shake of his head.
At Carmen, with Don Sylvio d'Arenal," the gaucho answered.
After a while they heard the footfall of a horse behind them; they turned, and perceived Patito, who was making signals to them, and the gaucho soon joined them.
Hitherto I had thought that what was wrong with our native friends was that they believed too much, and this man--this good honest old gaucho we all respected-- believed nothing!
This spectacle greatly excited us at the time and was vividly recalled several months afterwards when one of our gaucho neighbours told us of a curious thing he had just seen.
If his boy friend wanted to learn the gaucho way of fighting he could easily do so.
Not to waste powder on prisoners was an unwritten law of the Argentine army at that period, and the veteran gaucho clever with the knife took delight in obeying it.
And when not working he could gamble and drink like any gaucho to the manner born--and fight too.
Gaucho races--races amongst the men of the soil, the native cowboys of the Argentine prairies!
Only on horseback is the gaucho thoroughly at home, and on these days he looks his best.
Whenever there was a war or a revolution the gaucho would be found in the vanguard, and in times of peace he would enliven the dullness with private feuds which did not end with words.
One gaucho is jumping from group to group, waving two paper pesos (about 3s.
But civilisation has been too strong for him, and the modern gauchois a more law-abiding and useful person.
In spite of his rough appearance and manner, the gaucho is often kind-hearted.
Somebody remarked there were gaucho races over on the other side of the town.
I can see lots of golf in other parts of the world, but here was one of the things I had dreamed about coming out to see--a gaucho race-meeting.
Mounted on horseback, the gauchodrives the animals to the meeting-place.
The duties of the gaucho are to look after the stock on the ranch, chiefly in connection with the "rodeo," or mustering of the cattle.
These primitive meetings are not quite so frequent as they used to be, but they still take place on many Sundays and holidays, and for them the gaucho makes preparations such as he cannot be stirred to at any other time.
In his private quarrels the Argentine Gaucho will bottle up his wrath until his overflowing passion culminates without warning in the rapid knife thrust or revolver shot.
The temperament of the Uruguayan Gaucho shows corresponding distinction from that of the rest.
The Gaucho of the Banda Oriental is not to be confused with his brethren of the neighbouring countries.
No combination of knowledge, sympathy, imagination, and craftsmanship has produced stories and sketches about the cowboy equal to those on the gaucho by W.
Literature on the gaucho is extensive, some of it of a high order.
North American ranges have called forth nothing to compare with this fully illustrated, thorough, magnificent history-dictionary of the gaucho world.
The Indians either had returned into the woods, been killed in the ceaseless revolutionary wars, or had been absorbed into the Gaucho populations of Corrientes, Rio Grande, Entre Rios, and of Santa Fe.
Wandering about the countries of which now I treat, I had almost as little object in my travels as a Gaucho of the outside `camps'.
I saw a pair on a gaucho at the estancia of my friend Dr.
And now the activity of the gaucho is displayed, for he comes on his feet without any injury, smoking his cigarette as coolly as when he lighted it at the starting-post.
The original popularity of Rosas was founded on his gaucho dexterity.
Two lines of horsemen, each from ten to twenty in number, are placed at distances so far apart as to allow a mounted gaucho to pass between them.
The costume of a gaucho is, however, only complete when he is on horseback with the bolas, the lasso, and a knife at his girdle.
A gaucho without his steed is an impracticability.
Then away he gallops to another house where lives a maiden of the name of Leonora, followed by a troop of his gaucho colleagues, trying to snap the duck-bag out of his hand.
Juego de la sortija is a class of sport played by having a small finger-ring fastened under a gibbet, beneath which a gaucho gallops, and tries to tilt off the ring with a skewer which he holds in his hand.
One gaucho in the north and another in the south hear of each other's bravery, obtain a meeting, and, after returning compliments, draw out their knives and fight to the death.
It often happens in the gaucho communities that some one gains a reputation for bravery.
The gaucho dress is peculiar,--a poncho, which is placed over the head by a hole in the centre, and which falls over the body to the hips.
Parodi, the stiff-jointed son of Italian parents, a gaucho as to clothes and speech, but still half-European in his lack of comprehension of the ways of a wild horse.
Turning, I saw the speaker, a Gaucho of about thirty years of age, dressed all in black in the old style of thirty years ago.
It is his winter coat, his raincoat, and his shield to boot, for in his dueling, to which he is much given, the gaucho fights with the knife in one hand and the poncho wrapped around the other hand and arm.
He was murdered by the outlaw gaucho Santos Pérez at the instigation of Rosas.
One gaucho had so repeatedly distinguished himself by his boldness and dexterity in killing jaguars that he was by general consent made the leader of every tiger-hunt.
In the Voyage of a Naturalist, speaking of this supposed indolence of the gauchos, he tells that in one place where workmen were in great request, seeing a poor gaucho sitting in a listless attitude, he asked him why he did not work.
Certain it is that an intoxicated gaucho lifted on to the back of his horse is perfectly safe in his seat.
I neither believe nor disbelieve it; for although I do not put great faith in gaucho natural history, my own observations have not infrequently confirmed statements of theirs, which a sceptical person would have regarded as wild indeed.
In such a case "even the armadillo defends itself," as the gaucho proverb says.
The gaucho is more or less bow-legged; and, of course, the more crooked his legs are, the better for him in his struggle for existence.
In this desolate spot I found a small rancho inhabited by a gaucho and his family, and I spent the night with them.
He said that while out one day with another gaucho looking for cattle a puma was found.
I declined with thanks, and in accordance with gaucho etiquette added that I was prepared to pay for his liquor.
Occasionally the gaucho sleeps in the saddle; the Indian can die on his horse.
She drew rein in approved Gaucho style, bringing her mount to a dead stop from a gallop.
Without a word of explanation, he bent sideways, caught her in his arms, drew her up until she was seated on the holsters strapped to a gaucho saddle, and wheeled his horse into a gallop.
Gaucho boys pursue these birds for sport on horseback, taking them after a chase of fifteen or twenty minutes.
This Tinamou is frequently run down and caught by well-mounted Gaucho boys; the bird frequently escapes into a kennel in the earth, but when it sees no refuge before it and is hotly pursued, it sometimes drops dead.
As I could never succeed in getting specimens when I wanted them, I once employed some Gaucho boys, who had dogs trained to hunt young Ducks, to try for this little Heron.
A Gaucho of my acquaintance one day caught three out of a flock of six in this way; but a very strong wind favoured him, and the birds were at some distance from the water, and allowed him to come near before making the sudden charge.
This scene was witnessed by a beloved old Gaucho friend of mine, a born naturalist, who related it to me.
Between the two of them, though ably assisted by a Gaucho or two, they had fitted up the ancient ruined monastery far away among the hills as a kind of shooting-box, and here they spent many a day, and many a night as well.
I took the lantern from the trembling hands of the Gaucho and held it up, and the sight that met my astonished gaze was one I shall never forget.
The guide--he was to be called our cacique for the time being--that Moncrieff appointed had been a Gaucho malo, a pampas Cain.
Moncrieff reached the casement window first, with a Gaucho carrying a huge lantern.
So, as soon as we had left the glen entirely and disappeared among the sand dunes, we let our horses have their heads, the capataz Gaucho riding on ahead on a splendid mule as strong as a stallion and as lithe as a Scottish deerhound.
The Gaucho malo,' I said to myself as soon as I saw them.
What a happy evening we spent, for our Gaucho runner had brought 'Good news from Home!
Dugald, weak as he had become, sees the Gaucho will make an attempt to save him, and tries to steady himself to catch the end of the lasso that now flies in his direction.
If aunt desired to feast her eyes on the Gaucho malo she had now a chance.
Why did we not even hear the sound of his gun, for the Gaucho told us we were close to the laguna?
Most of them had received gashes more or less severe, and Martinez the Gaucho and Cook lay dead at their feet.
At this moment the gaucho took from the pommel of his saddle two balls like large bullets, connected with a long cord.
When the Gaucho had translated their proposal, Mr. Hardy spoke, using the phraseology which would be most intelligible to the Indians.
The Edwards and the Jamiesons were among the earliest arrivals, bringing the Gaucho Martinez with them.
Before Lopez could leap to the ground the dogs had killed it, and the gaucho pulled out the tail feathers and handed them to Mr. Hardy.
But this is not so, for the Gaucho woman has a preeminence in one respect: she is absolutely the most unmoral woman upon the face of the earth, and she has been so ever since her singular class came into recognized existence.
There may be a question as to the right of the Gaucho women to occupy even a minor place in a history of the development of woman; for the feminine Gaucho has but one individual characteristic.
The gauchoappeared to have been running rapidly; his chest heaved, his face was covered with perspiration.
Emile, the Montonero, and the gaucho were already mounted.
The gauchoremounted his horse, and set off; he soon disappeared in the darkness.
Stop the trade with foreign nations, and how long would it be ere the gaucho would be reduced to the state of the Indian of the pampas, fed on his beef and horse-flesh, and clothed in the skins of wild beasts?
The mamelucho, as the gaucho of Tucuman is called, the horseman of the plains, with the help of his wife, who makes the greater part of his clothing, has almost everything he wants about him.
The mares lead a better life, being kept entirely for breeding; and custom is so strong that no consideration would induce a gaucho to mount one.
Belgrano sallied out and attacked him; he himself at the head of his gaucho allies broke through the Spanish line and assailed them in the rear, while his infantry completely routed their centre, capturing five guns and three standards.
There was a gauchowaiting for him, who seemed very impatient to see him.
In a month's time Belgrano had succeeded in again assembling about 3000 men, while the victorious royalists were held in check by the gaucho cavalry which swarmed all around their position.
Leave all that to me; we will make a gaucho of you before we let you go back to your own country.
The gaucho reminds one of the cowboys of our Western States.
Altogether the gaucho forms a picture of strong vitality and vivid color.
Another Gaucho throws his lasso on the ground under the colt's fore-feet, and by an upward jerk tightens it round his legs.
Hardy, and sparely built, like the Arabs of the desert the Gaucholives on horseback.
While continuing their journey next day, Lawrence resolved to have a chat with theGaucho youth.
On this being stated to the leading Gaucho he shook his head, and advised the senhor to go to their hut for the night.
Beside it stood a loose horse with the carcass of a guanaco flung over it, and a Gaucho lad who was the hunter's only attendant.
The man we let go is a gauchoof the Pampas named Cruz.
In the midst of this elemental war the party reached the Gaucho huts.
Before it could rise the young Gaucho forced its head to the ground and held it there, then drew his long knife, and therewith, in a few seconds, cut off its mane.
The Gaucho chief made a desperate fight towards his own hut, which he gained and entered in safety.
Last, but not least in importance, a Gaucho infant hung suspended from the rafters in a primitive cradle of bullock's skin, the corners of which were drawn together by four strips of hide.
Before the Gaucho home, to which they were hastening, appeared on the horizon, the whole sky had become overclouded and vivid forked lightning began to play.
Another Gaucho performed the same operation on the hair of its tail--both acts being done, as they explained, to indicate that the horse had been once mounted.
The Gaucho chief--if we may so style him--presented his musket and pulled the trigger.
As they drew nearer it was soon seen to be a Gaucho of the Pampas in full chase of an ostrich.
Gaucho children--after being delivered from the cradle before described, and after passing through the crawling period of infancy and attaining to the dignity of the stagger--begin to copy their seniors.
By a treatment which never fails, the gaucho brings the horse to such complete obedience that he is soon trained to give his whole speed and strength to the capture of his companions.
While two men held the horse by his ears, the gauchowho was to mount him fastened on the saddle, and then quickly sprung into it.
When a gaucho wishes to take a wild horse, he mounts a horse that has been used to the sport, and gallops over the plain.
As soon as he comes near his victim, the lasso is thrown round the two hind-legs, and as the gauchorides a little on one side, the jerk throws the wild horse without doing injury to his knees or his face.
