Roughriders of the Pampas: A Tale of Ranch Life in South America

by F. S. Brereton

The gauchos took to their heels as the big horse made for them, and, separating as well as possible, they ran with all their speed to the rail of the corral. The majority reached it without incident, but it happened that one of them, as he ran, tripped over the trailing thong of his bolas, and went down with a crash. He was up in another second, but by then the beast was close at hand, and as Dudley watched he saw it spin round on its fore legs, as if it were a top, and lash out furiously with its heels. The aim was so true, and the manoeuvre so quickly carried out that it was wonderful that the gaucho was not struck. But he had not worked on the pampas for nothing, and no doubt he had seen many a similar adventure. Seeing that he could not escape, he watched the pursuing horse, and as the maddened brute twisted on its fore legs he threw himself on his face, the heels swishing a foot over his back. Then he rolled over and over, sprang to his feet, and rushed on again, reaching the rail of the corral as the horse came within striking distance again.

"He will be killed," shouted Dudley in his excitement. "The brute will kick the life out of him."

"He will escape. Redos knows the game," was Mr. Blunt's calm rejoinder. "A new hand would attempt to clamber over; our friend knows that that would be fatal."

The gaucho was, in fact, well able to take care of himself. As the horse twisted on its feet again he threw himself on the ground, and, repeating his previous tactics, rolled under the rail into safety, while the heels swished overhead and struck the rail with a clatter to be heard all over the corral.

"They will eject that fellow as a first precaution," said Mr. Blunt. "There goes the first bolas. Pietro is not the lad to make a mess of such a matter."

The gaucho to whom he had referred had taken his station on the second rail of the corral, some little way to the left of the angry horse, and could be seen swinging the two leaden balls of his bolas, waiting for a favorable opportunity to cast. It came in a few seconds. The beast still watched the man who had escaped, and, as he moved towards Pietro, trotted along beside the corral fence, snorting loudly, and eyeing him in no friendly manner. Once, in fact, he dashed open-mouthed in his direction, only to be brought up short by the stout fence. That was Pietro's opportunity, and he seized upon it. The balls swished overhead and suddenly darted forward. Dudley saw them separate, and in a moment they had twined round the neck and fore legs of the horse, wrapping the plaited thongs so thoroughly that escape was impossible. But the beast could still use its legs, and, startled by the blow of the balls, and by the thongs, it twisted round and made off at a furious pace, plunging as it went. But it was not to go far. Pietro had used his bolas before, and seeing that his aim was good, he had at once taken a turn of the thong round one of the posts, and a strong grip of the slack end, so that when the horse came to the full extent of the line he could bring him up short, and yet not so suddenly as to break the leather. Crash! The big beast staggered, rose high in the air, and then fell backwards, lashing with all four legs. It was up again in an incredibly short space of time, and then the same process was repeated. It darted away, was brought up with a jerk, and stood glaring about it, choking with the pressure of the thongs.

"He has made his fight, and is done for," said Mr. Blunt. "The men will slip a leather noose into his mouth, and will so hobble his legs with their bolas that he will be as helpless as a foal. Then they will drag him out of the corral. It is absolutely necessary to do that, for, as you see, he considers himself the guardian of the herd. He would kick any other horse to pieces that dared come near his flock out in the open, and here he would kill many of the gauchos if he were not banished. Look! there goes another bolas. He will be wound up so completely soon that he will have no more room for astonishment."

Dudley could not help but admire the dexterity and the courage of the gauchos. They tackled the big horse with method, and before very long had it completely at their command. Then, choking still, and half-stifled by a noose the grip of which could be increased at any instant, they dragged it to the opening of the corral by means of the thong passed over its chin, and with a quick movement set it free. A whip cracked behind it, and in an instant the noble brute was careering away. Half a dozen mares that were too old to be of any use were quickly disposed of, the gauchos mounting their horses and cutting them out from the herd. And then the real work of the day commenced.

"There are some who would let the beasts run wild in the corrals for a month or so," said Mr. Blunt. "But there is no object in delaying, for they will be as wild and unruly then as they are now. You will see how we deal with them. In a month they will be useful animals, and as rideable as any we possess. But the task of breaking them in is no light one. Men are specially selected for it, and receive so much pay per animal; for it is dangerous work, and many gauchos are killed at it."

Dudley could believe that when half an hour had passed, and he had had an opportunity of seeing what actually occurred.