do so, but he told me certainly not; that the only answer I should
receive, probably would be, "We have meat for the dogs in our country,
and therefore do not grudge it to a Christian." It must not be supposed
that the rank of lieutenant in such an army would at all prevent the
acceptance of payment: it was only the high sense of hospitality, which
every traveller is bound to acknowledge as nearly universal throughout
these provinces. After galloping some leagues, we came to a low swampy
country, which extends for nearly eighty miles 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.
September 15th.--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 stayed there the night. As this
point was the most exposed on the whole line, twenty-one soldiers were
stationed here; 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 Indians, but chiefly for
improving the pasture. In grassy plains unoccupied by the larger
ruminating quadrupeds, it seems necessary to remove the superfluous
vegetation by fire, so as to render the new year's growth serviceable.
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 as if mounted on stilts (Himantopus
nigricollis), is here common in flocks of considerable size. It has
been wrongfully accused of inelegance; when wading about in shallow
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