14 IDLE DAYS IN PATAGONIA 



food or water, we still struggled on. Only when 

 it grew dark, and a sudden cold wind sprang up 

 from the sea, making us feel stiff and sore, did 

 we finally come to a halt. Wood was abundant, 

 and we made a large fire, and the Italian roasted 

 the two armadilloes he had patiently been carry- 

 ing all day. They smelt very tempting when 

 done ; but I feared that the fat luscious meat would 

 only increase the torturing thirst I suffered, and 

 so while the others picked the bones I solaced my- 

 self with a pipe, sitting in pensive silence by 

 the fire. Supper done, we stretched ourselves out 

 by the fire, with nothing but my large poncho over 

 us, and despite the hardness of our bed and the 

 cold wind blowing over us, we succeeded in getting 

 some refreshing sleep. 



At three o 'clock in the morning we were up and 

 on our way again, drowsy and footsore, but for- 

 tunately feeling less thirsty than on the previous 

 day. "When we had been walking half an hour 

 there was a welcome indication of the approach of 

 day not in. the sky, where the stars were still 

 sparkling with midnight brilliancy, but far in ad- 

 vance of us a little bird broke out into a song mar- 

 velously sweet and clear. The song was repeated 

 at short intervals, and by-and-by it was taken up 

 by other voices, until from every bush came such 

 soft delicious strains that I was glad of all I 

 had gone through in my long walk, since it had 

 enabled me to hear this exquisite melody of the 

 desert. This early morning singer is a charming 



