lí '
a relish. That the danger was very little was certain, for my
two companions made a good fire—a thing which is never
done when it is suspected that Indians are near. I reached
the place of our bivouac by sunset, and drinking much maté,
and smoking several cigaritos, soon made up my bed for the
night. The wind was very strong and cold, but I never
slept more comfortably.
S e p t e m b e r 1 0 t h .—In the morning, having fairly scudded
before the gale, we arrived by the middle of the day at the
Sauce posta. On the road we saw great numbers of deer,
and near the mountain a guanaco. The plain, that abuts
against the Sierra, is traversed by some curious gullies, of
which one was about twenty feet wide, and at least thirty
deep; we were obliged in consequence to make a considerable
circuit, before we could find a pass. W e staid the night
at the posta, the conversation, as was generally the case,
being about the Indians. The Sierra Ventana was formerly a
great place of resort; and three or four years ago there was
much fighting here. My guide had been present when
many men were killed : the women escaped to the top of the
ridge, and fought most desperately with big stones; many
thus saving themselves.
S e p t e m b e r 1 1 t h .—Proceeded to the third posta in company
with the lieutenant who commanded it. The distance
is called fifteen leagues ; but it is only guess-work and is generally
overstated. The road was uninteresting, over a dry
grassy plain ; and on our left hand at a greater or less distance
there were some low h ills; a chain of which, we crossed close
to the posta. Before our arrival, we met a large herd of cattle
and horses, guarded by fifteen soldiers; but we were told
many had been lost. It is very difficult to drive animals
across the plains; for if in the niglit a lion, or even a fox,
approaches, nothing can prevent the horses dispersing in
every direction; and a storm will have the same effect. A
short time since, an officer left Buenos Ayres with 500 horses,
and when he arrived at the army he had under twenty.
Soon afterwards we perceived by the cloud of dust, that a
ÜI
party of horsemen were coming towards u s ; when far distant
my companions knew them to be Indians, by their long hair
streaming behind their backs. The Indians generally have a
fillet round their heads, but never any covering; and their
black hair blowing across their swarthy faces, heightens
to an uncommon degree, the wildness of their appearance.
They turned out to be a party of Bernantio’s friendly tribe,
going to a salina for salt. The Indians eat much salt, their
children sucking it like sugar. This habit is very different
from that of the Spanish Gauchos, who, leading the same
kind of life, eat scarcely any. The Indians gave us good-
humoured nods as they passed at full gaUop, driving before
them a troop of horses, and followed by a train of lanky
dogs.
SEPTEMBERl2THandl3TH.—I staid at this posta two days,
waiting for a troop of soldiers, which. General Rosas had the
kindness to send to inform me, would shortly travel to Buenos
A y re s; and he advised me to take the opportunity of such
an escort. In the morning we rode to some neighbouring
hills to view the country, and to examine the geology. After
dinner the soldiers divided themselves into two parties for a
trial of skiU with the bolas. Two spears were stuck in the
ground thirty-five yards apart, bu t they were struck and entangled
only once in four or five times. The halls can be
thrown fifty or sixty yards, bu t with little certainty. This,
however, does not apply to a man on horseback; for when
the speed of the horse is added to the force of the arm, it is
said, th at they can be whirled with effect to the distance of
eighty yards.* In the middle of the day two men had ar-
* A s a p ro o f o f th e fo rc e w ith w h ic h th e b a lls a re h u r le d , I m ay m e n tio n
a n a n e c d o te th a t h a p p e n e d a t th e F a lk la n d Is la n d s . A t th e tim e th e
S p a n ia rd s m u rd e r e d some o f th e i r ow n c o u n trym e n , a n d a ll th e E n g lis h m
e n , a y o u n g S p a n ia rd was ru n n in g away, w h e n a g r e a t t a ll I n d ia n , b y
n am e L u c ia n o , c am e a t fu ll g allo p a f te r h im , s h o u tin g to h im to s to p , a n d
s a y in g t h a t h e o n ly w a n te d to sp e a k to h im . J u s t as th e S p a n ia rd was o n
th e p o in t o f r e a c h in g th e b o a t, L u c ia n o th rew th e b a lls : th e y s tru c k h im
o n th e legs, w ith su ch a j e r k , as to th row h im d ow n a n d to r e n d e r h im fo r
some tim e in se n s ib le . T h e m an , a f te r L u c ia n o h a d h a d h is t a lk , was a l-
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