rn
home he would visit the Guahibos and try to win them over. "I have
before paid them a visit, when they received me in a friendly way," he
observed. "I know how to treat them; and though they are still
heathens, they look upon me with respect, and may listen to what I say,
however little inclined they are to renounce their idolatrous
practices."

I might give a graphic description of our life in the camp. Our time,
however, was too much taken up with amusements,--the discipline and
organisation of the troops being but little attended to. We had
shooting and hunting excursions nearly every day. If we could not
obtain smaller game, the llaneros with their lassos or bolas quickly
captured as many head of cattle as they required. The chase of a wild
bull afforded, indeed, excellent sport, though it was not without its
dangers, for the savage animal, irritated by its pursuers, would often
turn and attempt to gore them with its horns. These, however, the
llaneros dexterously avoided; and throwing the lasso over the animal's
head, brought it with a violent jerk to the ground, when a thrust of the
lance quickly finished its career.

To give an idea of the rough style in which we lived, I may describe the
mode of cooking the beef thus killed. A joint was selected, which may
be termed the saddle--it being formed of the two rumps, which are never
divided. The hide was not stripped off, but the hair was singed by the
application of a burning brand, which rendered the skin hard and nearly
impenetrable. Several of these joints were placed in a large hole dug
in the ground, about five feet deep, and of a length and breadth in
proportion to the quantity of meat to be dressed. The inside of the
hole having been previously lined with flat stones, and a brisk fire
maintained in it till it had become sufficiently hot, the ashes were
then raked out, and the meat was placed, with the hide downwards, on
sticks fastened from side to side horizontally; and the hole being
covered over with large stones to exclude the air, it was thus baked.
The hide was drawn by the heat from the centre of the meat, but the
sides being bent up, the juices were preserved, and the use of dishes
rendered unnecessary. Joints thus prepared are termed "carne con
cuero."

Another dish on which we regaled ourselves was a sheep or goat with the
skin left on,--as in the way I have described,--and with the inside
filled with turkeys, fowls, ducks, wild ge