The Gaucho as Stockmen
The work of the gaucho lies almost altogether among the livestock.
From: 1914 C.E. To: 1914 C.E.
Location: Argentina
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
From Argentina Past & Present by W. H. Koebel, 1914
The Gaucho as Stockmen
The work of the gaucho lies almost altogether among the livestock. Agricultural labour is not his strong point, this branch of estancia life being left in the hands of the Italian and other foreign colonists. The nature of the cattle work is similar to that in other stock-raising countries. The "mustering" of the animals, however, is conducted in a fashion characteristic of the country. The herds are driven together at a certain point in the estancia, usually marked by a large, upright post. After a short while they learn the significance of this latter. When they find the Gauchos riding out in their midst they know well enough what is intended, and are wont to plod along steadily in the desired direction.
A "Rodeo," as it is termed, is a sight worth seeing when at its height, more especially when its units run to thousands, as is frequently the case. Viewed from a distance, one may notice a line strongly marked upon the level of the Camp a line that lengthens and contracts a little from time to time, and that would seem to writhe and heave curiously. Above it hangs a dust cloud of a magnitude that renders it visible for leagues.
At a nearer approach the sight becomes more and more imposing. The line has resolved itself into a broad mass of red, white, dun and other colours. Above this are sheafs and forests of horns, which bend and sway like branches in the wind. The cattle are wheeling round and round with the post in the centre as a pivot. They come by in rank after rank, column after column. Upon the outskirts, the forms of the mounted Gauchos stand out above the rows of moving backs. They resemble officers placed about a huge army.
If the cattle stay their monotonous tramping for a moment they are urged on once again. For this circular perambulation is just sufficient to keep their dull brains occupied. Without it they would grow uneasy, impatient, and take to bolting. As it is, now a single one, and now a group of three or four, will dart outwards in rebellion from time to time. But a hawk-like peon sends his horse at a gallop to meet these almost as soon as they have started out. He whirls and circles with the truant until the latter, checked, is obliged to rejoin the main body. But if the sight of this huge mass of animals be an imposing one, what of the sound?
There are thousands of head of cattle in a bunch, and each of them has something to say. It is a sea a very ocean of sound nothing less would describe it. There comes wave upon wave, billow upon billow of hoarse bellowing roars that rise and fall in volume, but never entirely die away. At times the din sinks sufficiently to permit the rumbling of the heavy hoofs, and the occasional clash of horn against horn to be heard.
But the next moment the brazen throats will have been reinforced in numbers, and nothing beyond the all-deadening bellows sounds once again.
When, the inspection at an end, the watchful Gauchos have departed, the mass of animals will commence to break outwards, gradually at first, like a river that overflows its banks. The solidity of the gathering dissolves itself. Hundreds, tens, and units stride stolidly towards every point of the compass. In the end, the post alone remains to mark where the "Rodeo" was held. But there is a broad circle about it, innocent of a single blade of grass, worn smooth as the surface of a town roadway, that testifies to the power of the hoofs that have tramped around the trysting place.
If the "Rodeo" has been summoned for the purpose of taking amount of the cattle, the operations are yet more interesting to watch. While a number of men surround the army of animals in order to keep it intact, others form up in two rows at a point in the outskirts of the circle, forming thus a gangway which leads directly from it. The cattle are driven outwards through this lane of horses and men, and are counted as they emerge.
The operation sounds simple enough. In practice, however, the display of skill that is called into action is consummate. If one imagines this hedge of mounted men lined up at the fringe of a forest of horns whose owners stampede to break through from time to time, one may picture some lively scenes more especially when the nerves of the horses tend to give way. But the lane of men, though it may swerve and be crumpled in at odd moments, remains.
The operation of "parting " is yet more complicated, for here the main body is separated into two or more herds, and each animal as it arrives at the point of exit is driven to right or left in accordance with its classification. The proceedings somewhat resemble bovine lancers, performed by cumbrous, riotous, and unwilling dancers. This system of "parting" with all its attendant pandemonium, is time-honoured in the Camp; nevertheless, its last days are at hand. The Australian system, less picturesque, but more practical, has already come into vogue to stay.
In this the animals are driven within a stockyard beyond which is a "race" a narrow passage which will permit no two animals to enter it abreast. At the end of it is a gate, so constructed that it controls the entrance to a yard on the right hand and one on the left. By this means the closing of one exit automatically frees the other, and the animal has no initiative but to lumber onwards into that yard which is desired. This "brete," or draughting gate, is a great economiser of labour and of time. Indeed, it is to the Gaucho much that which ships without sails represent to the seaman.
To Argentine Estancieros this innovation is doubly welcome in view of the high standard to which the quality of the stock is attaining. A troop of the highest class animals may be sent through the "brete" with practically no possibility of injury to any of their number. But the Gaucho himself has toned down the vigour of his dealings with the cattle in accordance with their increase in value. He "works" them with a light enough hand in these days. The long lasso is wont to be sparingly and carefully used, and a system of gentle handling is the order of the day.
This was instanced in a competition between a company of Texan cowboys and a number of peons, which took place just outside the town of Buenos Aires in January, 1906. In the matter of pure display and dash so far as "cattle punching" was concerned it must be admitted that the Argentines were completely outclassed.
The performance of the cowboys was striking. When a steer had been let loose, and one of these had worked his will upon the animal, the result could not fail to elicit admiration for the man's skill.
Galloping alongside the animal as it sped forward, he would cast his short lasso with unerring aim, Then, he would either wait with his horse braced to meet the shock, or he would essay a feat of a more daring order. In this case he would ride by the side of the lassoed animal for a short while, then he would dash away from it at right angles. Thus, with the horse going at full gallop, the shock lit upon the steer with terrific violence. In a flash its four legs would be pointing upwards to the sky. The next second it would be turning helpless somersaults upon the ground, for all the world like a shot rabbit.
Even when at length it lay, disentangled from its own limbs, as it were, and stretched out upon the ground, its compulsory progress had not ceased. For the impetus of the galloping horse was such that the steer was dragged along in its wake, until the rider chose to halt.
At the end of it, when the animal lay stunned, it was the work of but a second or two for the cowboy to fling himself to the ground and to "rope" the steer's legs, the speed with which the operation was effected from start to finish being the test of the competition. As a feat of nerve and horsemanship, the sight was unrivalled. It was, indeed, a stirring one for all but the steer. The result, so far as these poor creatures were concerned, was, as often as not, a horn wrenched off, or a broken limb. In some cases their life had to be made an end to in order to spare them further agony.
In comparison with this, the Argentine made a poor display from a theatrical point of view. Starting out when his turn came with the far longer length of lasso which he is wont to employ, he would cast from a much greater distance than the other. His rope, in consequence, would occasionally miss its object altogether at the first attempt, and, when successful, it frequently failed to bring the animal to the ground.
It was a comparison of two styles of stockriding in which from the point of view of rapidity the Argentine was bound to suffer. But though the time he took was longer, the animals handled by him showed no signs of injury whatever. Moreover, magnificent though the performance of the Cowboys was, there are not many Estancieros who would have cared to entrust their fine stock to the mercies of the Texans, as exemplified in this competition.
As roughriders and sitters of bucking horses, neither side was able to secure any advantage over the other. There was apparently not a "bucker" in the entire Republic capable of unseating any one out of the whole number of competitors. The general results of this competition, it may be said, were distinctly beneficial. For one thing, it awoke the Gaucho to the fact that there were others in the world who could ride and handle stock as well as himself a possibility that he had found some difficulty in crediting until then.
Koebel, W. H. Argentina Past & Present. Adam and Charles Black, 1914.
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