HUNTING IN THE ANDES. 57 



The climate is dry and good, and ordinary English shoot- 

 ing 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 da}^s, 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. 



