large herds of cattle a long journey to a salting establishment, and
that the tired beasts were frequently obliged to be killed and skinned;
but that he could never persuade the Gauchos to eat of them, and every
evening a fresh beast was slaughtered for their suppers! The view of
the Rio Negro from the Sierra was more picturesque than any other which
I saw in this province. The river, broad, deep, and rapid, wound at
the foot of a rocky precipitous cliff: a belt of wood followed its
course, and the horizon terminated in the distant undulations of the
turf-plain.
When in this neighbourhood, I several times heard of the Sierra de las
Cuentas: a hill distant many miles to the northward. The name
signifies hill of beads. I was assured that vast numbers of little
round stones, of various colours, each with a small cylindrical hole,
are found there. Formerly the Indians used to collect them, for the
purpose of making necklaces and bracelets--a taste, I may observe,
which is common to all savage nations, as well as to the most polished.
I did not know what to understand from this story, but upon mentioning
it at the Cape of Good Hope to Dr. Andrew Smith, he told me that he
recollected finding on the south-eastern coast of Africa, about one
hundred miles to the eastward of St. John's river, some quartz
crystals with their edges blunted from attrition, and mixed with gravel
on the sea-beach. Each crystal was about five lines in diameter, and
from an inch to an inch and a half in length. Many of them had a small
canal extending from one extremity to the other, perfectly cylindrical,
and of a size that readily admitted a coarse thread or a piece of fine
catgut. Their colour was red or dull white. The natives were
acquainted with this structure in crystals. I have mentioned these
circumstances because, although no crystallized body is at present
known to assume this form, it may lead some future traveller to
investigate the real nature of such stones.
While staying at this estancia, I was amused with what I saw and heard
of the shepherd-dogs of the country. [3] When riding, it is a common
thing to meet a large flock of sheep guarded by one or two dogs, at the
distance of some miles from any house or man. I often wondered how so
firm a friendship had been established. The method of education
consists in separating the puppy, while very young, from the bitch, and
in accustoming it to its future companions. An ewe is held three or
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