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cavates its own burrow, but uses that of the Bizcacha.
'Wherever tliis animal is present, without doubt tins is true ;
but on the .sandy plains of Bahia Blanca, where the Bizcacha is
not found, the Gauchos maintain that the Agouti is its own
workman. The same thing occurs with the little owls of the
Pampas (Noctiia ciiiiicularia), which have so often been described
as standing like sentinels at the mouths of the
burrows ; tor in Banda Oriental, owing to the absence of the
Bizcacha, they are obliged to hollow out their own habitations.
Azara also says that the Agouti, except when pressed
by danger, does not enter its burrow : on this point
I'm u st again differ from that high authority. At Bahia
Blanca I have repeatedly seen two or three of these animals
sitting on their haunches by the mouths of their holes,
which, as I passed by at a ‘distance, they quietly entered.
Daily in the neighbourhood of these spots the Agouti were
abundant: but dift'erently from most burrowing animals, it
wanders, commonly two or three together, to miles or
leagues from its home ; nor do I know whether it returns at
nio-ht. The Agouti feeds and roams about by day; is shy and
watchful; does not squat, or so rarely that I never saw an instance
of this ; it cannot run very fast; and, therefore, is frequently
caught by a couple of dogs, even of mixed breed.
Its manner of running more resembles that of a rabbit than
of a hare. The Agouti generally produces two young ones
at a birth, which are brought forth within the burrow. The
flesh, when cooked, is very white; it is, however, rather
tasteless and dry. . „ ,
The next morning, as we approached the Rio Colorado,
the appearance of the country changed; we soon came on a
plain covered with turf, which, from its flowers, tall clover,
and little owls, resembled the Pampas. We passed also a
muddy swamp of considerable extent, which in summer
dries, and becomes incrusted with various salts; and hence
IS called a salitral. It was covered by low succulent plants,
of the same kind with those growing on the sea-shore. The
Colorado, at the pass where we crossed it, is only about
I i sixty yards wide; generally it must be nearly doulile that
7. I width. Its course is very tortuous, being marked by willowi
i trees and beds of reeds: in a direct line the distance to the
I I mouth of the river is said to be nine leagues, but by water
twenty-five. We were delayed crossing in the canoe by some
' immense troops of mares, which were swimming the river in
Mi order to follow a division of troops into the interior. A
i more ludicrous spectacle I never beheld, than the hundreds
of heads, all directed one way, with pointed ears and dis-
I ! tended nostrils, appearing just above the water like a great
i i shoal of some amphibious animals. Mare’s flesh is the only
' j food which the soldiers have when on an expedition. This
M i gives them a very great facility of movement; for the dis-
' j tance to which horses can be driven over these plains is quite
surprising : I have been assured that an unloaded horse can
travel a hundred miles a day for many days successively.
'• The encampment of General Rosas was close to the river.
-'I_,: It consisted of a square formed by waggons, artillery, straw
huts, &c. The soldiers were nearly all cavalry; and I
should think such a villanous, banditti-like army, was never
; : before collected together. The greater number of men were
of a mixed breed, between Negro, Indian, and Spaniard. I
know not the reason, liut men of such origin seldom have a
good expression of countenance. I called on the secretary to
show my passport. He began to cross-question me in the
most dignified and mysterious manner. By good luck I had
a letter of recommendation from the government of Buenos
Ayres* to the commandant of Patagones. This was taken to
General Rosas, who sent me a very obliging message; and
j the secretary returned all smiles and graciousness. We took
J,., up our residence in the rancho, or hovel, of a curious old
Spaniard, who had served with Napoleon in the expedition
against Russia.
We staid two days at the Colorado; I had little to do, for
* I am b o u n d to e x p re s s , in th e s tro n g e s t te rm s , m y o b lig a tio n to th e
G o v e rnm e n t o f B u e n o s A y re s fo r th e o b lig in g m a n n e r in w h ic h p a s sp o rts
to a ll p a rts o f th e c o u n try w e re g iv en m e, as n a tn v a lis t o f t h e B e ag le.
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