183-11 HOSPITALITY. 113 



but the men there merely rode in a crescent, each being about a 

 quarter of a mile apart from the other. A fine male ostrich 

 being turned by the headmost riders, tried to escape on one side. 

 The Gauchos pursued at a reckless pace, twisting their horse3 

 about with the most admirable command, and each man whirling 

 the balls round his head. At length the foremost threw them, 

 revolving through the air : in an instant the ostrich rolled over 

 and over, its legs fairly lashed together by the thong. 



The plains abound with three kinds of partridge,* two of 

 which are as large as hen pheasants. Their destroyer, a small 

 and pretty fox, was also singularly numerous ; in the course of 

 the day we could not have seen less than forty or fifty. They 

 were generally near their earths, but the dogs killed one. When 

 we returned to the posta, we found two of the party returned 

 who had been hunting by themselves. They had killed a puma, 

 and had found an ostrich's nest with twenty-seven eggs in it. 

 Each of these is said to equal in weight eleven hens' eggs ; so 

 that we obtained from this one nest as much food as 297 hens' 

 eggs would have given. 



September \Ath. — As the soldiers belonging to the next posta 

 meant to return, and we should together make a party of five, 

 and all armed, I determined not to wait for the expected troops. 

 My host, the lieutenant, pressed me much to stop. As he had 

 been very obliging — not only providing me with food, but lend- 

 ing me his private horses — I wanted to make him some remu- 

 neration. I asked my guide whether I might do so, but he told 

 me certainly not ; that the only answer I should receive, pro- 

 bably would be, " We have meat for the dogs in our country, 

 and therefore do not grudge it to a Christian." It must not be 

 supposed that the rank of lieutenant in such an army would at 

 all prevent the acceptance of payment : it was only the high 

 sense of hospitality, which every traveller is bound to acknow- 

 ledge as nearly universal throughout these provinces. After 

 galloping some leagues, we came to a low swampy country, which 

 extends for nearly eighty miles northward, as far as the Sierra 

 Tapalguen. In some parts there were fine damp plains, covered 

 with grass, while others had a soft, black, and peaty soil. There 



* Two species of Tinamus, and Eudromia elegans of A. d'Orbigny, whicl 

 cai: only be called a partridge with regard to its habits. 



