LIFE IN PATAGONIA 93 



loaded and placed in position; then the com- 

 mander had a happy inspiration, and all the 

 strong women were made to display themselves on 

 the walls in male attire. Dummy soldiers, hastily 

 improvised from blocks of wood, bolsters, and 

 other materials, were also placed at intervals; 

 so that when the Brazilians arrived in sight they 

 were surprised to see four or five hundred men, 

 as they thought, on the ramparts before them. 

 From the high ground behind the town where they 

 had halted they commanded a view of the river for 

 several miles, but the expected ships were not yet 

 in sight. The day had been oppressively hot, with- 

 out a cloud, and that march of about thirty miles 

 over the waterless desert had exhausted the men. 

 Probably they had been suffering from sea-sick- 

 ness during the voyage; at any rate, they were 

 now mad with thirst, worn out, and not in a fit 

 state to attack a position seemingly so strongly 

 defended. They determined to retire, and wait 

 for a day or two, and then attack the place in con- 

 cert with the ships. To the joy and amazement 

 of the Patagonians, their formidable enemy left 

 without firing a shot. Another happy inspiration 

 came to the aid of the commander, and as soon 

 as the Brazilians had disappeared behind the ris- 

 ing ground, his seventy men were hastily dis- 

 patched to collect and bring in all the horses pas- 

 turing in the valley. When the invaders had been 

 about three or four hours on their spiritless re- 

 turn march, the thunder of innumerable hoofs was 



