38 PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS : NARRATIVE. 



We often hear and read of the monotony of the plains, and doubtless 

 most of us to whom it has fallen to pass uninterruptedly any considerable 

 period of time on the plains have at times distinctly felt this monotony. 

 Nevertheless, there is something decidedly, though silently, impressive in 

 a broad and level plain. As I looked about me I could not resist the 

 drawing of a mental picture of those comparatively recent times when the 

 waters of the Atlantic washed the foot of the escarpment on the crest of 

 which I stood, and when the streams of molten lava were poured out 

 over the surface of the great plain to the south. From this it was but an- 

 other and comparatively short step backward to the time when, instead 

 of a semi-arid region scantily clothed with vegetation just sufficient to 

 sustain the present meagre fauna of these plains, this region supported a 

 fauna rich in ungulates, sloths, armadillos, and giant flightless birds, all 

 indicative of a mild climate and an abundant if not luxuriant vegetation. 

 What a transformation had taken place since these animals had inhabited 

 this region ! The southern Andes had been elevated to so great a height 

 as effectively to deprive the prevailing southwesterly winds of their mois- 

 ture while passing over the summits, causing them to descend the east- 

 ern slopes of these mountains and pass out over the plains in a desic- 

 cated condition, thus reducing the latter to their present semi-arid 

 state and rendering them quite incapable of supporting more than a 

 scanty flora and fauna. These, as well as many other physical changes, 

 had taken place, which will be discussed later when we come to speak of 

 the geology and geography of this region. 



With the approach of darkness I returned to Guer Aike to find, that, 

 while the races had been long concluded, the crowd had by no means 

 dispersed. Some twenty or thirty still remained to make memorable 

 our first Sunday spent on shore in Patagonia, through their drunken 

 carousal protracted far into the night and emphasized by frequent quarrels. 

 Toward morning these orgies gradually subsided as each participant became 

 helpless from the effects of liquor and was stored away on the floor in a 

 convenient corner by the proprietor, who generally succeeded in extract- 

 ing from each his last dollar in return for the intoxicants which rendered 

 him helpless, but at the same time less disagreeable. 



Senor Villegrand was very solicitous as to our comfort and welfare, but 

 despite his utmost efforts it was late in the night before we succeeded in 

 getting anything to eat. At last an ample though not especially well pre- 



