HUNTING IN THE ANDES 53 



shooting clothes make adequate wear, but the tweed 

 should be of a harsh texture or of moleskin or elephant 

 cord, as otherwise it will be torn to pieces in a few days, 

 for Patagonia is a land of thorns. Boots with nails or, 

 for stalking, with thick red rubber soles are the best 

 footgear. 



On the pampas tent poles and pegs must be carried, 

 as these areas are bare of wood, and the tent which it 

 is rarely necessary to erect as the weather is so dry 

 must not be too high, since the winds are often 

 tremendous, and pegs do not hold well in the loose arid 

 soil. But all over the country it is possible to collect 

 enough brush to boil a kettle, and south of latitude 

 50 water is generally to be found without trouble. In 

 the north more care is needed, as there are many dry 

 regions in which the pools lie so far apart as to constitute 

 a very real danger. 



