414 IN THE WILDS OF SOUTH AMERICA 



again, and from appearances there was not a drop of water 

 within many miles. 



We questioned the driver about the lake, and whether 

 there were any patos (ducks); but he only shrugged his 

 shoulders and said: "Quien sabef 



Suddenly we saw the shimmer of placid water ahead, 

 and soon drew up at a board shack some little distance from 

 the lake. Our man had told us to take nothing but our 

 guns and ammunition, as his caretaker, who lived in the 

 hut we had just reached, would provide everything else. 

 We took a tent and a few provisions anyway, just to be 

 safe, and it was lucky that we did. Not only had nothing 

 been provided, but the tenant had not even been advised 

 of our coming. He had only one dirty little room, but this 

 he very generously placed at our disposal; however, we 

 preferred to camp outside, although it was bitter cold. His 

 wife consented to do the cooking. 



The tent was hastily put up; then we hurried to the lake, 

 leaving the family busily engaged in slaughtering a goat 

 for lunch. 



All the surrounding country is a wind-swept desert, there 

 being no trees and but a few thorny bushes. In spots the 

 sand and alkali dust is several feet deep. It seemed im- 

 possible that there could be a lake in such a parched-look- 

 ing locality; but there lay the glistening sheet of water, 

 stretching away into the distance as far as the eye could 

 see. Along the edges were vast, shallow marshes, cover- 

 ing hundreds of acres; in these, sedges grew abundantly, 

 forming shelter and providing a limitless feeding-ground for 

 water-fowl. Half a mile from the bank stood great clumps 

 of totoras, or cattails, rearing then* tough, slender stems to 

 a height of seven or eight feet above the water. What was 

 infinitely more interesting to us, the whole surface of the 

 lake, from its marshy edge to the rows of totoras fading 

 away in the distance, was teeming with water-birds. 



There were no boats to be had in the neighborhood, as 

 the natives use reed rafts. They cut quantities of cattails, 



