too BANDA ORIENTAL. [CHAP. vj*t 



crossed with a common cow. When the pasture is tolerably long, the 

 niata cattle feed with the tongue and palate as well as common cattle ; 

 but during the great droughts, when so many animals perish, the niata 

 breed is under a great disadvantage, and would be exterminated ii not 

 attended to ; for the common cattle, like horses, are able just to keep 

 alive, by browsing with their lips on twigs of trees and reeds ; this the 

 niatas cannot so well do, as their lips do not join, and hence they are 

 found to perish before the common cattle. This strikes me as a good 

 illustration of how little we are able to judge from the ordinary habits 

 of life, on what circumstances, occurring only at long intervals, the 

 rarity or extinction of a species may be determined. 



November igth. Passing the valley of Las Vacas, we slept at a 

 house of a North American, who worked a lime-kiln on the Arroyo de 

 las Vivoras. In the morning we rode to a projecting headland on the 

 banks of the river, called Punta Gorda. On the way we tried to find 

 a jaguar. There were plenty of fresh tracks, and we visited the trees 

 on which they are said to sharpen their claws ; but we did not succeed 

 in disturbing one. From this point the Rio Uruguay presented to our 

 view a noble volume of water. From the clearness and rapidity of the 

 stream, its appearance was far superior to that of its neighbour the 

 Parana. On the opposite coast, several branches from the latter river 

 entered the Uruguay. As the sun was shining, the two colours of 

 the waters could be seen quite distinct. 



In the evening we proceeded on our road towards Mercedes on the 

 Rio Negro. At night we asked permission to sleep at an estancia at 

 which we happened to arrive. It was a very large estate, being ten 

 leagues square, and the owner is one of the greatest landowners in 

 the country. His nephew had charge of it, and with him there was 

 a captain in the army, who the other day ran away from Buenos Ayres. 

 Considering their station, the conversation was rather amusing. They 

 expressed, as was usual, unbounded astonishment at the globe being 

 round, and could scarcely credit that a hole would, if deep enough, 

 come out on the other side. They had, however, heard of a country 

 where there were six months light and six of darkness, and where the 

 inhabitants were very tall and thin I They were curious about the 

 price and condition of horses and cattle in England. Upon finding 

 out we did not catch our animals with the lazo, they cried out, " Ah, 

 then, you use nothing but the bolas : " the idea of an enclosed country 

 was quite new to them. The captain at last said, he had one question 

 to ask me, which he should be very much obliged if I would answer 

 with all truth. I trembled to think how deeply scientific it would be ' 

 it was, " Whether the ladies of Buenos Ayres were not the handsomest 

 in the world ? " I replied, like a renegade, " Charmingly so." He 

 added, "I have one other question: Do ladies in any other part of 

 the world wear such large combs?" I solemnly assured him that 

 they did not They were absolutely delighted. The captain exclaimed, 

 " Look there ! a man who has seen half the world says it is the case ; 

 we always thought so, but now we know it" My excellent judg- 

 ment in combs and beauty procured me a most hospitable reception ; 



