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Updated: May 31, 2025
The first horse I saw caught in this manner, I thought was dead; but after a time it regained its consciousness, and, giving some convulsive plunges, again got on its legs. Before it had even time to look about, it was led off by some of the Llaneros to a post near the farm, where, in spite of its desperate struggles, it was saddled and bridled.
Without pulling rein, he galloped his horse on to the fragile bridge, which bent beneath the weight of the steed and its rider, and every instant I expected to see it give way. Soon he reached the shore on which I stood, and urged his horse up the steep bank; and one by one the llaneros came rattling after him, and formed rapidly by his side.
Thousands of grim Llaneros acknowledged no chieftain beside el Tio Pepe, Uncle Joe. When Morillo landed, in 1815, with his overwhelming force, only the Llaneros of Paez held out for the Republic; everywhere else in Venezuela the banner of Spain waved in triumph, but on the Plains of the Apure there was neither submission nor peace.
Ride as for your life and hold it till we come." Before the words were well out of Carmen's mouth, I let Pizarro go. He went like the wind. In six minutes I had reached my point and taken post in the throat of the pass, well in the shade. And I was none too soon, for, almost at the same instant, three llaneros dashed into the clearing, and then, as if uncertain what to do next, pulled up short.
As the major, however, had defended himself bravely, Paez gave him quarter, a favour neither he nor his llaneros were in the habit of granting to their foes. On another occasion, one of his men brought in as prisoner a Spanish hussar of the regiment of Fernando the Seventh, who, in order to appear more terrific, wore long beards. "Why did you grant him quarter?" inquired Paez.
Paez took the opportunity of freeing himself from his fetters; and having helped to release some of his fellow-prisoners, they overpowered the sentinels, and made their escape. He was quickly at the head of a fresh body of insurgents; and after going through numerous adventures, he found himself holding the independent command of a large body of llaneros.
Many of these were killed and the rest put to rout, and Barinas was once more in patriot hands. This anecdote will serve to show, better than pages of description, the kind of man that Paez was. When the act became known to the llaneros they proclaimed Paez their general, and were ready to follow him to the death.
Paez was extremely popular among his men, the hardy Llaneros of the northern plains, born horsemen and fighters, corresponding in many respects with the famous Gauchos of the south. Paez himself was a magnificent horseman, and wielded the lance, the characteristic weapon of the Llaneros, to perfection.
This is not said of him in the mocking spirit of the Llaneros men of the great plains who think that no one in the world knows how to sit a horse but themselves. Charles Gould, to use the suitably lofty phrase, rode like a centaur.
He advanced between Senores Fuentes and Gamacho at the head of his llaneros, who had accomplished the feat of crossing the Paramos of the Higuerota in a snow-storm.
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