52 MALDONADO. 



country-house ; and tliere I soon found out that I 

 possessed two or three articles, especially a pocket 

 compass, which created unbounded astonishment. 

 In every house I was asked to show the compass, 

 and by its aid, together with a map, to point out 

 the direction of various places. It excited the 

 liveliest admiration that I, a perfect stranger, 

 should know the road (for direction and road are 

 synonymous in this open country) to places where 

 I had never been. At one house a young woman, 

 who was ill in bed, sent to entreat me to come and 

 show her the compass. If their surprise was great, 

 mine was gi'eater, to find such ignorance among 

 people who possessed their thousands of cattle, and 

 " estancias" of great extent. It can only be ac- 

 counted for by the circumstance that this retired 

 part of the country is seldom visited by foreigners, 

 I was asked whether the earth or sun moved ; 

 whether it was hotter or colder to the north ; where 

 Spain was, and many other such questions. The 

 greater number of the inhabitants had an indistinct 

 idea that England, London, and North America 

 were different names for the same place ; but the 

 better informed well knew that London and North 

 America were separate countries close together, 

 and that England was a large town in London ! I 

 carried with me some promethean matches, which 

 I ignited by biting ; it was thought so wonderful 

 that a man should strike fire with his teeth, that it 

 was usual to collect the whole family to see it : I 

 was once offered a dollar for a single one. Wash- 

 ing my face in the morning caused much specula- 

 tion at the village of Las Minas ; a superior trades- 

 man closely cross-questioned me about so singular 

 a practice ; and likewise why on board we wore 

 our beards ; for he had heard from my guide that 

 we did so. He eyed me with much suspicion ; 



