Sept. 1833. Sept. 1833. PAMPAS.
weight eleven hens’ eg g s; so that we obtained from this one
nest as much food as 297 hens’ eggs would have yielded.
S e p t e m b e r 1 4 t h .—As the soldiers belonging to the next
posta meant to return, and we should together make a party
of five, and all armed, I determined not to wait* for the expected
troops. After galloping some leagues, we came to a
low swampy countr)', which extends for nearly eighty miles
to the northward, as far as the Sierra Tapalguen. In some
parts there were fine damp plains, covered with grass, while
others had a soft, black, and peaty soil. There were also
many extensive but shallow lakes, and large beds of reeds.
The country on the whole resembled the better parts of the
Cambridgeshire fens. At night we had some difficulty in
finding, amidst the swamps, a dry place for our bivouac.
S e p t e m b e r 1 5 t h .—Rose very early in the morning, and
shortly after passed the posta, where the Indians had murdered
the five soldiers. The officer had eighteen chuzo
wounds in his body. By the middle of the day, after a hard
gallop, we reached the fifth posta: on account of some difficulty
in procuring horses we staid there the night. As this
point was the most exposed on the whole line, twenty-one
soldiers were stationed there; at sunset they returned from
hunting, bringing with them seven deer, three ostriches,
and many armadilloes and partridges. When riding
through the country, it is a common practice to set fire to
the plain; and hence at night, as on this occasion, the horizon
was illuminated in several places by brilliant conflagrations.
This is done partly for the sake of puzzling any stray
* T h e l ie u t e n a n t p re s s e d m e m u ch to s to p . A s h e h a d b e e n v e ry
o b lig in g— n o t o n ly p ro v id in g m e w ith food, b u t le n d in g m e h is p r iv a te
b o r se s— I w a n te d to m a k e h im som e r em u n e ra tio n . I a s k e d m y g u id e
w h e th e r I m ig h t do so, b u t h e to ld m e c e rta in ly n o t ; t h a t th e o n ly a n sw e r
I s h o u ld re c e iv e , p ro b a b ly w o u ld b e , “ W e h a v e m e a t fo r th e dogs in o u r
c o u n try , a n d th e r e fo r e d o n o t g ru d g e i t to a C h r is tia n .” I t m u s t n o t b e
su p p o s e d t h a t th e r a n k o f l ie u t e n a n t in su ch a n a rm y , w o u ld a t a ll p r e v e n t
th e a c c e p ta n c e o f p a y m e n t ; i t was o n ly th e h ig h s e n se o f h o s p ita lity , wh ich
e v e ry tra v e lle r is b o u n d to a c k n ow led g e a s n e a rly u n iv e rs a l th ro u g h o u t
tlie se p ro v in c e s.
Indians, but chiefly for improving the pasture. In grassy
plains unoccupied by the larger ruminating quadrupeds, it
seems necessary to remove by fire the superfluous vegetation,
so as to render serviceable the new year’s growth.
The rancho at this place did not boast even of a roof, but
merely consisted of a ring of thistle-stalks, to break the force
of the wind. It was situated on the borders of an extensive
but shallow lake, swarming with wild fowl, among which the
black-necked swan was conspicuous.
The kind of plover, which appears is if mounted on stilts,
[Himmitopm mdanurd) is here common in flocks of considerable
size. It has been wrongfuUy accused of inelegance ;
when wading about in shallow water, which is its favourite
resort, its gait is far from awkward. These birds in a flock
utter a noise, that singularly resembles the cry of a pack of
small dogs in full chase: waking in the night, I have more
than once been for a moment startled at the distant sound.
The teru-tero [Vaiiellus cayanensis), is another bird, which
often disturbs the stillness of the night. In appearance and
habits it resembles in many respects our peewits ; its wings,
however, are armed with sharp spurs, like those on the legs
of the common cock. As our peewit takes its name from
the sound of its voice, so does the teru-tero. While riding
over the grassy plains, one is constantly pursued by these
birds, which appear to hate mankind, and I am sure deserve
to be hated, for their never-ceasing, unvaried, harsh screams.
To the sportsman they are most annoying, by telling every
other bird and animal of his approach: to the traveller in the
country, they may possibly, as Molina says, do good, by
warning him of the midnight robber. During the breeding
season, they attempt, like our peewits, by feigning to be
wounded, to draw away from their nests dogs and other enemies.
The eggs of this bird are esteemed a great delicacy.
S e p t e m b e r 1 6 t h .—To the seventh posta at the foot of
the Sierra Tapalguen. The country was quite level, with a
coarse herbage and a soft peaty soil. The hovel was there remarkably
neat, the posts and rafters being made of about a
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