Blanco y Colorado: Old Days among the Gauchos of Uruguay — John Shaqi
Blanco y Colorado: Old Days among the Gauchos of UruguayTetley, William C.
History
Blanco y Colorado: Old Days among the Gauchos of Uruguay
Tetley, William C.
Uruguay -- Description and travel; Uruguay -- Social life and customs
I was out in the camp pretty continually, nevertheless, visiting the
various puestos, and turning inwards the cattle, especially on our
northern boundary. When fine enough I had the Indians at work mending up
the walls of the sheepyards, which were made of loose stones piled one
upon another. These had been greatly neglected at the "Cerro" and needed
building up and repairing, as many gaps were to be seen. Three of the
gates, too, required attention. After a week, however, the weather
improved, so a "para rodeo" of the cattle was arranged for the next day
but one, which was a Saturday. We had our horses tied up the night
before, and were all ready for a start just before sunrise, Don
Frederico and his party coming up from La Concordia just about the same
time. The rodeo, or meeting-place for the cattle, was situate in a
direct line between the Cerro and La Concordia, about half a mile
distant from the former. It had the usual big post planted in the
centre, round which the cattle revolved, and the ground all round was
quite bare of herbage, evidently well trodden by numerous animals. We
had help from three of the puesteros, especially from one named
Marmasola, who not only came himself, but brought three boys with him,
all well mounted. Laborde and Martin arrived from their own side,
accompanied by two or three dogs. I was riding "Carnival," who had now
settled down at the "Cerro," having attached himself to the little grey
mare with one eye, to which he had been collared on his first arrival.
"Napoleon" was in great spirits, paying no attention whatever to the
couple of mongrel terriers who followed behind him. He was quite aware
that serious business was on foot. I got over with the Indians to the
north-western corner of the estancia, and we spread ourselves out,
driving the cattle before us. Some of them seemed inclined to break
back. This was easily prevented, and I found it much easier to do this
here, where it was all open camp, than it had been at the Sierras de Mal
Abrigo, when hindered and surrounded by large masses of rock. Don
Frederico came up from his side with a good deal of help; so altogether
we made a very satisfactory "para rodeo." I had no experience of dealing
with cattle in such large numbers, nor was I surprised to find that care
was needed to keep them all together on the "rodeo," when we got them
there. I felt pretty sure, however, that by bringing them up constantly,
and always keeping them up some time when collected, we should soon get
the herd under complete control. Don Frederico brought with him a Mr.
John Jennings, who was living with him at La Concordia. He was a good
Spanish scholar, and an excellent accountant, fond of gardening, and was
much occupied at the time with the cultivated land there, to which I
have before alluded. His figure was decidedly burly; he had a
good-natured face and thin legs. He did not look well on horseback, as
he appeared too heavy above the saddle, nor was he really much of a
rider.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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