114 BAIIIA PLANCA TO IJ[JENOS AYKKS. [chap. vi. 



were also iiuniy cxUmisIvo but sliailow lakes, and large beils of 

 reeds. The coiintry on the whole resenihled the better parts of 

 i\w. Canibrid'ji'eslMre fens. At nig-ht we had some diHieiilfy in 

 finding-, amidst the swani|)s, a dry |)laee for our bivouac. 



Scptcmhrr 15///. — Ivose very early in th(? niornin-;-, and sI)ortly 

 after passed th(! ))osta where tlie Indians had mr.rdered the five 

 soldiers. The ollieer had eii^hteen ehu/o wounds in his body. 

 ]iy the middh; of the day, after a hard <;allop, we reaehed the 

 lif'th posta : on aeeount of some diflieulty in procurinj^- horses 

 we stayed there the nii;ht. As this point was tiu* most exposed 

 on the whole line, twenty-one soldiers were stationed here; at 

 sunset they returned from hunting-, bringinu^ with them seven 

 deer, three ostriehes, and many armadilloes and j)artridj^('s. 

 AVhen ridinu;- 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 })laces by brilliant conMagra- 

 tions. This is done partly for the sake of puzzling any stray 

 Indians, but chiefly for imj)r()ving the i)astnre. In grassy plains 

 unoccupieil by the larger ruminating (]uadru])(Mls, it seems neces- 

 sary to remove the superfluous vegetation by fire, so as to render 

 the new year's growth servicable. 



Th(^ rancho at this jdace did not boast even of a roof, l)ut 

 merely ct)nsisted of a ring of thistle-stalks, to break the force of 

 the wind. \i was situated on the borders of an extensive but 

 shallow lake, swarming with wild fowl, among whi(di the black- 

 n(>eked swan was conspicuous. 



.The kind of ])lover, Mhieh aj)pears as if mounted on stills, 

 (llimantopus uigricollis) is here counnon in flocks of consi- 

 derable size. }t has been wrongl"idly accused of inelegance ; 

 when wading about in shallow water, which is its favourite 

 I'osort, its gait is far from awkward. U'liese birds in a flock 

 utter a noise, that singularly resembles the cry of a ])aek of 

 small dogs in full (diace : waking in the night, I have more than 

 oiu-e been for a moment startled at the distant sound. 'I'he 

 teni-tero (Vanellus cayanus) is another bird, which often dis- 

 turbs the stillness of the night. In appearance and habits it 

 resembles in many r(!sp(>ets our ])eewits ; its wings, however, art- 

 armed with sharp spurs, like; those on the legs of the common 

 cock. As Qur peewit takes ita name from the sound of its voice, 



