PATAGONIAN NIGHTS 67 



go some fifteen miles along it during the low tide in order 

 to avoid a sixty-mile detour inland. The first eight or nine 

 miles on the beach were through loose soft shingle where 

 the horses sank to their hocks at each step. This was the 

 critical part, for there the tide rose ten feet to the foot of 

 the bluffs which in this section rise directly from the water; 

 and once started one must make through this stretch during 

 a low tide. Billy helped me beyond what is known as the 

 "danger point," then returned, reaching camp about eight 

 in the evening. 



From that point there were some eight or ten miles of 

 fine hard sand, which, when the tide was out, made a fine 

 drive; but this sand was curious in appearance, and was 

 referred to as the "glistening sands," there being always 

 a film of water over them. As long as one kept rolling the 

 going was of the best, but if one stopped for a few moments, 

 they acted like quicksand. Over this the wagon rolled 

 rapidly until about five, when I found some running water 

 and drew the wagon up above high- water mark, fed the 

 team, and placed them in a ravine to pick up what they 

 could. Then I made a fire on the beach and got a simple 

 supper. 



With a full moon and a clear sky overhead, the roaring 

 surf on one side, the towering cliffs on the other, a warm 

 night, a driftwood fire with its colored flames, and the knowl- 

 edge that there was not a soul within tens of miles, it seemed 

 a pity to sleep at all. Finally, however, after looking after 

 the horses I unrolled my bed in the bottom of the wagon 

 box and turned in. The tide was low at about four in the 

 morning; so before light the horses were caught, fed, 

 hitched in, and by five we were on the road, in time to see 

 the sun come up out of the ocean with all the colors of a 

 famous sunset. All over Patagonia both the rising and 

 setting of the sun are accompanied by the most brilliant 

 color effects I have ever seen. After two hours on the 

 beach we turned off and took a good though hilly road 



