54 POINTS OF ETIQUETTE. [chap. 



On the third day we pursued rather an irregular cours 

 as I was employed in examining some beds of marble, 

 the fine plains of turf we saw many ostriches {Struthio rhedj^ 

 Some of the flocks contained as many as twenty or thirty 

 birds. These, when standing on any little eminence, and 

 seen against the clear sky, presented a very noble appearance;. 

 I never met 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, expanding 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 Fuentes, a 

 rich landed proprietor, but not personally known to either 

 of my companions. On approaching 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 owner is, '* Sin pecado concebida" — that is, conceived 

 without sin. Having entered the house, some general con- 

 versation 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 meals with the 

 family, and a room is assigned him, where with the horse- 

 cloths belonging to his recado (or saddle of the Pampas) 

 he makes his bed. It is curious how similar circumstances 

 produce such similar results in manners. At the Cape of 

 Good Hope the same hospitality, and very nearly the same 

 points of etiquette, are universally observed. The difference, 

 however, between the character of the Spaniard and that 

 of the Dutch boor is shown, by the former never asking his 

 guest a single question beyond the strictest rule of politeness, 

 while the honest Dutchman demands where he has been, 

 where he is going, what is his business, and even how many 

 brothers, sisters, or children he may happen to have. 



Shortly after our arrival at Don Juan's, one of the large 

 herds of cattle was driven in towards the house, and three 

 beasts were picked out to be slaughtered for the supply of 

 the establishment. These half-wild cattle are very active ; 

 and knowing full well the fatal lazo, they led the horses a 

 long and laborious chase. After witnessing the rude wealth 

 displayed in the number of cattle, men, and horses, Don 

 Juan's miserable house was quite curious. The floor con- 

 sisted of hardened mud, and the windows were without 

 glass ; the sitting-room boasted only of a few of the roughest 



