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 light 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 

 grass 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 np, and stood erect on their 

 horses' backs. Satisfied that they had no intention 

 of attacking us, and were only looking out for 

 strayed horses, we continued watching them for 



