THE PLAINS OF PATAGONIA 225 



ness; who wish to be altogether independent of 

 such an underlying brute energy ; to live on a cool 

 crust and rapidly grow angelic. But, as things 

 are, it is, perhaps, better to be still, for a while, a 

 little lower than the angels: we are hardly in a 

 position just yet to dispense with the unangelic 

 qualities, even in this exceedingly complex state, 

 in which we appear to be so effectually ' ' hedged in 

 from harm." I recall here an incident witnessed 

 by a friend of mine of an Indian he and his fellow- 

 soldiers were pursuing who might easily have 

 escaped unharmed; but when his one companion 

 was thrown to the ground through his horse fall- 

 ing, the first Indian turned deliberately, sprang 

 to the earth, and, standing motionless by the 

 other's side, received the white men's bullets. Not 

 for love it would be absurd to suppose such a 

 thing but inspired by that fierce instinctive spirit 

 of defiance which in some cases will actually cause 

 a man to go out of his way to seek death. Why 

 are we, children of light the light which makes 

 us timid so strongly stirred by a deed like this, 

 so useless and irrational, and feel an admiration 

 so great that compared with it that which is called 

 forth by the noblest virtue, or the highest achieve- 

 ment of the intellect, seems like a pale dim feel- 

 ing? It is because in our inmost natures, our 

 deepest feelings, we are still one with the savage. 

 We admire a Gordon less for his godlike quali- 

 ties his spirituality, and crystal purity of heart, 

 and justice, and love of his kind than for that 



