dozen horsemen, were driven slowly towards ⟨the⟩ house, and finally into an adjoining (illegible text) inclosure.
On our way homeward our host entertained ⟨us,⟩ by making his people shew us the South ⟨American⟩ method of catching cattle. The ⟨instrument⟩ used is called in English a Lasso, from the ⟨Spanish⟩ Lazo, which signifies slip-knot or noose, ⟨and⟩ the operation of using it is called Lassoing. ⟨It⟩ consists of a rope made of strips of untanned ⟨hide⟩, varying in length from fifteen to twenty yards, ⟨and⟩ is about as thick as the little finger, it has a ⟨noose⟩ or running-knot at one end, the other ⟨extremity⟩ being fastened by an eye and button to a ring (illegible text) strong hide-belt or surcingle, bound tightly ⟨round⟩ the horse. The coil is grasped by the ⟨horseman's⟩ left hand, while the noose, which is held in the right, trails along the ground, except when in ⟨use⟩ and then it is whirled round the head with ⟨considerable⟩ velocity, during which, by a ⟨peculiar⟩ turn of the wrist, it is made to assume a ⟨circular⟩ form; so that, when delivered from the hand, ⟨the⟩ noose preserves itself open till it falls over the ⟨object⟩ at which it has been aimed.
The unerring precision with which the ⟨lasso is⟩ thrown is perfectly astonishing, and to one ⟨who⟩ sees it for the first time, has a very magical ⟨appearance⟩. Even when standing still it is by ⟨no⟩ means an easy thing to throw the lasso; but ⟨the⟩ difficulty is vastly increased when it comes ⟨to one⟩ used on horseback and at a gallop, and when in addition, the rider has to pass over uneven ⟨ground⟩ and to leap hedges and ditches in his course; ⟨yet⟩
