First, regarding the right of possession and equality of standing of the members of the family relative to the property upon which they live.
The estancia is generally left by will to the wife and children, the wife one third, the boys and girls equal shares. Sometimes she who has been called wife, is not legally entitled to the name; but this matters little; she had the right of the property while her spouse lived, and the same rule follows after death, unless specially mentioned in the last will and testament, by her lord, to the contrary. The members of the family rarely divide the property, but live together as before the head of the family died, each member consulting the others before making any sales of stock, &c.
The peons, or laborers, that live upon the estancia, rise half an hour before sunrise, take a maté without sugar (unless the proprietor is unusually considerate), and at sunrise select the horses from the drove in the corral. A portion of the number mount, and gallop off to their respective herds, to select a new pasturage ground, and to prevent them from straying away.
The remaining peons select the half-broken colts, and, after tying them to stout stakes, entangle the animals with coils of the lasso, tripping them off their feet, and rolling them on the ground. This is to teach the young horse to be gentle under difficulties, or, in other words, not to prance and kick when anything touches the heels.
At about eight or nine o’clock the peons return, and report to the capataz (foreman), or to the estanciero himself, the condition of the animals under their respective supervisions. The daily ration is then given them, which they cook and eat. Perhaps a colt or mule is to be ridden for the first time; if so, this exercise follows their breakfast. At noon the peons return to the little shanties that surround the dwelling of their master, and, after taking a few matés, and perhaps another asado, they stretch themselves upon the ground to enjoy the siesta hour, which, however, often becomes hours in length.
The last departure to the plains occurs about three o’clock, and all the men return about dusk; they sup on the simple roast, drink a few matés, then roll themselves up in their ponchos, and sleep soundly, with only a skin or hide beneath them, until, from habit, they awake at the usual hour, and commence the duties of another day.
The Sabbaths and feast days are strictly kept by the gauchos in their own peculiar way. They consider it wrong to work on these days, and when they do, a fine is imposed upon the offenders. But it is perfectly allowable for men and women to dance, gamble, and fight upon a feast day. If the traveller is by any chance in one of the small mud towns in the pampa country, he will see gauchos gallop up into the place from estancias ten, fifteen, and even twenty leagues distant.
They pass the day in testing horsemanship, stealing, pitting fighting-cocks, confessing sins to the padres, and not unfrequently the grand finale is a general mélée, from which few escape without a wound. On such occasions, he who can particularly distinguish himself as a diablo, is generally treated by the crowd, who ply him with aguardiente, and other liquors, until he sometimes mistakes friends for foes. A fine of twenty dollars was once imposed on Sabbath and feast-day breakers,—those who were caught at work.
As the priests had many saints to distinguish by honoring them with particular days, the list received continual acquisitions. St. John’s day, St. Paul’s day, Saint this one, and Saint that, cheated the laboring classes of the towns out of a living; for all these days were better adapted for losing money than for acquiring it. But General Rosas cut down the long list of holidays to the number now observed, which is more than large enough for a fair share of frolic and piety.
When dressed in full regalia, the herdsman’s appearance is very picturesque: in place of pantaloons he wears a chiropá and calconcillas. The former is a square piece of cloth drawn about the thighs, and fastened around the waist with a belt; it descends as far as the knees, from which downward the leg is covered with the calconcillas, a wide pair of linen or cotton drawers, finely worked, and ornamented with two or three frills. The feet are encased in a pair of botas de potro, being the skin stripped from the leg of a colt, and rubbed until it has become soft and pliable. The heels are decorated with a pair of iron or silver spurs, of huge proportions, that rattle and jingle as the gaucho moves about. A shirt, poncho, and hat complete the costume.