1833.] PATAGONIAN HARES. 65 



being a landmark in a dangerous passage. The Sierra de la 

 Ventana is visible at an immense distance ; and a Gaucho told me 

 that he was once riding with an Indian a few miles to the north of 

 the Eio Colorado, when the Indian commenced making the same 

 loud noise, which is usual at the first sight of the distant tree ; 

 putting his hand to his head, and then pointing in the direction of 

 the Sierra. Upon being asked the reason of this, the Indian said 

 in broken Spanish, "First see the Sierra." About two leagues 

 beyond this curious tree we halted for the night : at this instant 

 an unfortunate cow was spied by the lynx-eyed Gauchos, who set 

 off in full chase, and in a few minutes dragged her in with their 

 lazos, and slaughtered her. We here had the four necessaries of 

 life " en el campo," pasture for the horses, water (only a muddy 

 puddle), meat and firewood. The Gauchos were in high spirits at 

 finding all these luxuries ; and we soon set to work at the poor 

 cow. This was the first night which I passed under the open sky, 

 with the gear of the recado for my bed. There is high enjoyment 

 in the independence of the Gaucho life to be able at any moment 

 to pull up your horse, and say, " Here we will pass the night." 

 The death-like stillness of the plain, the dogs keeping watch, the 

 gipsy-group of Gauchos making their beds round the fire, have left 

 in my mind a strongly-marked picture of this first night, which 

 will never be forgotten. 



The next day the country continued similar to that above de- 

 scribed. It is inhabited by few birds or animals of any kind. 

 Occasionally a deer, or a Guanaco (wild Llama) may be seen ; but 

 the Agouti (Cavia Patagonica) is the commonest quadruped. This 

 animal here represents our hares. It differs, however, from that 

 genus in many essential respects ; for instance, it has only three 

 toes behind. It is also nearly twice tho size, weighing from 

 twenty to twenty-five pounds. The Agouti is a true friend of tho 

 desert ; it is a common feature in the landscape to see two or three 

 hopping quickly one after the other in a straight line across these 

 wild plains. They are found as far north as the Sierra Tapalguen 

 (lat. 87 30'), where the plain rather suddenly becomes greener and 

 more humid ; and their southern limit is between Port Desire and 

 St. Julian, where there is no change in the nature of the country. 

 It is a singular fact, that although the Agouti is not now found as 

 far south as Port St. Julian, yet that Captain Wood, in his voyage 

 in 1670, talks of them as being numerous there. What cause can 



