1833.] THE SKUNK. 89 



and knees to reconnoitre. He remained in this position 

 for some time, and at last, bursting out in laughter, ex- 

 claimed, " Mugeres ! " (women !) He knew them to be the 

 wife and sister-in-law of the major's son, hunting for 

 ostriches' eggs. I have described this man's conduct, 

 because he acted under the full impression that they were 

 Indians. As soon, however, as the absurd mistake was 

 found out, he gave me a hundred reasons why they could 

 not have been Indians ; but all these were forgotten at the 

 time. We then rode on in peace and quietness to a low 

 point called Punta Alta, whence we could see nearly the 

 whole of the great harbour of Bahia Blanca. 



The wide expanse of water is choked up by numerous 

 great mud-banks, which the inhabitants call Cangrejales, 

 or crabberies^ from the number of small crabs. The mud 

 is so soft that it is impossible to walk over them, even for 

 the shortest distance. Many of the banks have their 

 surfaces covered with long rushes, the tops of which alone 

 are visible at high water. On one occasion, when in a 

 boat, we were so entangled by these shallows that we 

 could hardly find our way. Nothing was visible but the 

 flat beds of mud ; the day was not very clear, and there 

 was much refraction, or, as the sailors expressed it, 

 "Things loomed high." The only object within our view 

 which was not level was the horizon ; rushes looked like 

 bushes unsupported in the air, and water like mud-banks, 

 and mud-banks like water. 



We passed the night in Punta Alta, and I employed 

 myself in searching for fossil bones ; this point being a 

 perfect catacomb for monsters of extinct races. The 

 evening was perfectly calm and clear ; the extreme 

 monotony of the view gave it an interest even in the midsl 

 of mud-banks and gulls, sand-hillocks and solitary vultures. 

 In riding back in the morning we came across a very fresh 

 track of a Puma, but did not succeed in finding it. We 

 saw also a couple of Zorillos, or skunks, — odious animals, 

 which are far from uncommon. In general appearance 

 the Zorillo resembles a polecat, but it is rather larger, 

 and much thicker in proportion. Conscious of its power, 

 it roams by day about the open plain, and fears neither 

 do^ nor man. If a dog is urged to the attack, its courage 

 is mstantly checked by a few drops of the fetid oil, which 

 brings on violent sickness and running at the nose. What- 

 ever is once polluted by it, is for ever useless. Azara say^ 



