together, slides forward on his hoofs with his own momentum, scoring out a mark about his own length on the ground, and stops dead without moving a muscle. This mark is the "raya." Another diversion is that where gaily-be-ribboned chickens--alive--are provided by the _novias_, or sweethearts of the young men: and these, mounted on their steeds, ride fast and furious to capture the bird from the one who holds it. The unfortunate chicken is generally torn to pieces, and sometimes in jealous anger and rivalry other blood is shed than that of the innocent bird! The _riata_ at times serves the Mexican as a lethal weapon. Perhaps a quarrel between two hot-blooded _vaqueros_ has taken place. One draws his revolver--if his circumstances permit him the possession of so expensive a weapon, and they are generally carried--whilst the other lays hand to his _riata_. It might be supposed that the man with the revolver would triumph, but woebetide him if he fails to bring down his enemy--both are darting about on their agile horses--before the chambers are exhausted, for the other, whirling the rope aloft, lassoes him, and putting spurs to his own beast, drags the unfortunate man from his horse and gallops away across the plain, dragging him mercilessly to death among the rocks and thorns. For the Mexican when aroused to anger--and his fiercest passions are generally the outcome of love affairs or of drink--is mercilessly cruel and revengeful, and thinks little of shedding the blood of a fellow-creature in the heat of a personal encounter. Among the lower class the knife, or _punal_, is a ready weapon, and a stab, whether in the dark or in the daylight, is a common way of terminating a personal question. This is the shadow of the Aztec war-god thus thrown across the ages! Again it may be said of the Mexicans--love blood, wine, dust!