1833.] CATTLE DRIVING ON THE PLAINS. 117 



which is never done when it is suspected that Indians are 

 near. I reached the place of our bivouac by sunset, and, 

 drinking much mat6, and smoking several cigaritos, soon 

 made up my bed for the night. The wind was very strong 

 and cold, but I never slept more comfortably. 



September 10th. — In the morning, having fairly scudded 

 before the gale, we arrived by the middle of the day at the 

 Sauce posta. On the road we saw great numbers • of deer, 

 and near the mountain a guanaco. The plain, which abuts 

 against the Sierra, is traversed by some curious gulleys, 

 of which one was about twenty feet wide, and at least 

 thirty deep ; we were obliged in consequence to make a 

 considerable circuit before we could find a pass. We stayed 

 the night at the posta, the conversation, as was generally 

 the case, being about the Indians. The Sierra Ventana 

 was formerly a great place of resort ; and three or four 

 years ago there was much fighting there. My guide had 

 been present when many Indians were killed : the women 

 escaped to the top of the ridge, and fought most desperately 

 with great stones ; many thus saving themselves. 



September 11th. — Proceeded to the third posta in company 

 with the lieutenant who commanded it. The distance is 

 called fifteen leagues ; but it is only guess work, and is 

 generally overstated. The road was uninteresting, over 

 a dry grassy plain ; and on our left hand at a greater or 

 less distance there were some low hills ; a continuation of 

 which we crossed close to the posta. Before our arrival we 

 met a large herd of cattle and horses, guarded by fifteen 

 soldiers ; but we were told many had been lost. It is very 

 difficult to drive animals across the plains ; for if in the 

 night a puma, or even a fox, approaches, nothing can 

 prevent the horses dispersing in every direction ; and a 

 storm will have the same effect. A snort time since, an 

 officer left Buenos Ayres with five hundred horses, and 

 when he arrived at the army he had under twenty. 



Soon afterwards we perceived, by the cloud of dust, that 

 a party of horsemen were coming towards us ; when far 

 distant my companions knew them to be Indians by their 

 long hair streaming behind iheir backs. The Indians 

 generally have a fillet round their heads, but never any 

 covering ; and their black hair blowing across their swarthy 

 faces, heightens to an uncommon degree the wlldness 

 of their appearance. They turned out to be a party of 

 Bernantio's friendly tribe, going to a salina for salt. The 



