The Desert Pampas. 7 
scarcely any other kind exists it covers large areas 
with a sea of fleecy-white plumes ; in late summer, 
and in autumn, the tints are seen, varying from the 
most delicate rose, tender and illusive as the blush 
on the white under-plumage of some gulls, to purple 
and violaceous. At no time does it look so perfect 
as in the evening, before and after sunset, when 
the softened hight imparts a mistiness to the crowd- 
ing plumes, and the traveller cannot help fancying 
that the tints, which then seem richest, are caught 
from the level rays of the sun, or reflected from the 
coloured vapours of the afterglow. 
The last occasion on which I saw the pampa 
erass in its full beauty was at the close of a bright 
day in March, ending in one of those perfect sunsets 
seen only in the wilderness, where no lines of house 
or hedge mar the enchanting disorder of nature, 
and the earth and sky tints are in harmony. I had 
been travelling all day with one companion, and for 
two hours we had ridden through the matchless 
grass, which spread away for miles on every side, 
the myriads of white spears, touched with varied 
colour, blending in the distance and appearing 
almost like the surface of a cloud. Hearing a 
swishing sound behind us, we turned sharply round, - 
and saw, not forty yards away in our rear, a party 
of five mounted Indians, coming swiftly towards us: 
but at the very moment we saw them their animals 
came to a dead halt, and at the same instant the 
five riders leaped up, and stood erect on their 
horses’ backs. Satisfied that they had no intention 
of attacking us, and were only out looking for 
strayed horses, we continued watching them for 
