LIFE IN PATAGONIA 99 



for military service at a place twenty-five leagues 

 up the river. For, at that period, every person 

 was at the beck and call of the commander of the 

 colony. Half way to their destination there was 

 a corral, or cattle-enclosure, standing two or three 

 hundred yards from the river, but miles away 

 from any habitation. They drove their animals 

 into the corral, and, after unsaddling and turning 

 loose the beasts they had ridden, were about to 

 catch fresh horses, when a troop of Indians was 

 spied charging down upon them. "Follow me, 

 boys!" shouted Marcos, for there was no time 

 to lose, and away they rushed to the river, throw- 

 ing off their clothes as they ran. In a few mo- 

 ments they were in the water swimming for life, 

 the shouts of the savages ringing in their ears. 

 The river at this point was about eight hundred 

 feet broad, with a strong current, and two of the 

 lads dared not venture across, but escaped, diving 

 and swimming along under the shadow of the 

 bank like a couple of water-rats or wounded ducks, 

 and finally concealed themselves in a reed bed at 

 some distance. The others, led by Marcos, being 

 good swimmers like most of the Patagonians, 

 struck boldly out for the opposite shore. But 

 when they approached it and were beginning to 

 congratulate themselves on their escape, they 

 were suddenly confronted with another party of 

 mounted Indians, standing a few yards back from 

 the margin and quietly waiting their arrival. They 

 turned and swam away to the middle of the stream 



