Ch. XYIL] A PEASANT FARMER. 309 



when the natural pasturage fails there is no reserve of 

 the other to fall hack on. I planted hoth the Para and 

 Guinea grasses largely at the mines and at Pital, and 

 we were able to keep our mules always in good condi- 

 tion with them. 



About four o'clock in the afternoon our animals were 

 getting tired, and we ourselves were rather fatigued, 

 having been in the saddle since day-light, with the excep- 

 tion of a few minutes' rest at Tierrabona. We halted at a 

 thatched cottage on some high stony savannah land, and 

 were hospitably received by the peasant proprietor, Don 

 Filiberto Trano. He informed us that we had entered 

 the township of Teustepe, and that the town itself was 

 eight leagues distant. The family consisted of Don 

 Filiberto. his wife, and four or five children. Thev had 



/ j */ 



just prepared for their own dinner a young fowl, stewed 

 with green beans and other vegetables, and this they 

 placed before us, saying that they would soon cook some- 

 thing else for themselves. We were too hungry to make 

 any scruples, and after the poor, coarse fare we had been 

 used to, the savoury repast seemed the most delicious I 

 ever tasted. I think we only got two meals on the whole 

 journey that we really enjoyed. This was one, the other 

 the supper that the padre's housekeeper at Palacaguina 

 cooked for us, and I have recorded at length the names 

 of the parties to whom we were indebted for them. 



Don Filiberto had about twenty cows, all of which that 

 could be found were driven in at dusk, and the calves 

 tied up. As they came in, the fowls were on the look-out 

 for the garrapatoes, or ticks ; and the cows, accustomed 

 to the process, stood quietly while they flew up and 

 picked them off their necks and flanks. The calves are 



