64 MALDONADO. 



their moustaches, and. long hlack hair curling down 

 their backs. With their brightly-coloured gar- 

 ments, great spurs clanking about their heels, and 

 knives stuck as daggers (and often so used) at their 

 waists, they look a very different race of men from 

 what might be expected from their name of Gau- 

 chos, or simple countrymen. Their j^oliteness is 

 excessive ; they never diink their spirits without 

 expecting you to taste it ; but whilst making their 

 exceedingly graceful bow, they seem quite as ready, 

 if occasion otiered, to cut your throat. 



On the third day we pursued rather an irregular 

 course, as I was employed in examining some beds 

 of marble. On the fine plains of turf we saw many 

 ostriches (Sti'uthio rhea). Some of the flocks con- 

 tained as many as twenty or thirty birds. These, 

 when standing on any little eminence, and seen 

 against the clear sky, presented a very noble ap- 

 pearance. I never inet with such tame ostriches in 

 any other part of the country : it was easy to gallop 

 up within a short distance of them ; but then, ex- 

 panding their wings, they made all sail right before 

 the wind, and soon left the horse astern. 



At night we came to the house of Don Juan Fu- 

 entes, a rich landed proprietor, but not personally 

 known to either of my companions. On approach- 

 ing the house of a stranger, it is usual to follow 

 several little points of etiquette : riding up slowly 

 to the door, the salutation of Ave Maria is given, 

 and until somebody comes out and asks you to 

 alight, it is not customary even to get off your 

 horse : the formal answer of the ov^mer is, " Sin 

 pecado concebida" — that is, conceived without sin. 

 Having entered the house, some general conversa- 

 tion is kept up for a few minutes, till permission is 

 asked to pass the night there. This is granted as 

 a matter of course. The stranger then takes his 



