162 IDLE DAYS IN PATAGONIA 



try on boots, until you find a pair to fit you. You 

 may try mine if you like ; our years are the same, 

 and it is just possible that our eyes may be in the 

 same condition. ' ' 



The gaucho laughed a loud and scornful laugh, 

 and exclaimed that the idea was too ridiculous. 

 "What, see better with this thing!" and he took 

 them gingerly in his hand, and held them up to 

 examine them, and finally put them on his nose 

 something in the spirit of the person who takes a 

 newspaper twisted into the shape of an extin- 

 guisher, and puts it on his head. He looked at the 

 other, then at me, then stared all round him, with 

 an expression of utter astonishment, and in the 

 end burst out in loud exclamations of delight. 

 For, strange to say, the glasses exactly suited his 

 vision, which, unknown to him, had probably been 

 decaying for years. "Angels of heaven, what is 

 this I see ! " he shouted. * ' What makes the trees 

 look so green they were never so green before! 

 And so distinct I can count their leaves! And 

 the cart over there why, it is red as blood!" 

 And to satisfy himself that it had not just been 

 freshly painted he ran over to it and placed his 

 hand on the wood. It proved hard to convince 

 him that objects had once looked as distinct, and 

 leaves as green, and the sky as blue, and red paint 

 as red, to his natural sight, as they now did 

 through those magical glasses. The distinctness 

 and brightness seemed artificial and uncanny. But 

 in the end he was convinced, and then he wanted 



