villa^i 



86 ATTACKED BY INDIANS. [chap. 



Bahia Blanca scarcely deserves the name of a 

 A few houses and the barracks for the troops are enclosed 

 by a deep ditch and fortified wall. The settlement is only 

 of recent standing (since 1828) ; and its growth has been 

 one of trouble. The government of Buenos Ayres unjustly 

 occupied it by force, instead of following the wise example 

 of the Spanish Viceroys, who purchased the land near the 

 older settlement of the Rio Negro, from the Indians. 

 Hence the need of fortifications ; hence the few houses and 

 little cultivated land without the limits of the walls ; even 

 the cattle are not safe from the attacks of the Indians 

 beyond the boundaries of the plain, on which the fortress 

 stands. 



The part ol the harbour where the Beagle intended to 

 anchor being distant twenty-five miles, I obtained from the 

 commandant a guide and horses, to take me to see whether 

 she had arrived. Leaving the plain of green turf, which 

 extended along the course of a little brook, we soon entered 

 on a wide level waste consisting either of sand, saline 

 marshes, or bare mud. Some parts were clothed by low 

 thickets, and others with those succulent plants which 

 luxuriate only where salt abounds. Bad as the country 

 was, ostriches, deers, agoutis, and armadilloes, were 

 abundant. My guide told me, that two months before he 

 had a most narrow escape of his life : he was out hunting 

 with two other men, at no great distance from this part 

 of the country, when they were suddenly met by a party 

 of Indians, who, giving chase, soon overtook and killed 

 his two friends. His own horse's legs were also caught 

 by the bolas ; but he jumped off, and with his knife cut 

 them free ; while doing this he was obliged to dodge round 

 his horse, and received two severe wounds from their chuzos. 

 Springing on the saddle, he managed, hy a most wonderful 

 exertion, just to keep ahead of the long spears of his 

 pursuers, who followed him to within sight of the fort. 

 From that time there was an order that no one should stray 

 far from the settlement. I did not know of this when I 

 started, and was surprised to observe how earnestly my 

 guide watched a deer, which appeared to have been 

 frightened from a distant quarter. 



We found the Beagle had not arrived, and consequently 

 set out on our return, but the horses soon tiring, we were 

 obliged to bivouac on the plain. In the morning we had 

 caught an armadillo, which, although a most excellent dish 



