14 Idle Days in Patagonia. 



we had now been over twelve hours walking in the 

 heat, without tasting 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 carrying 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 myself 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 hard- 

 ness 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 

 fortunately feeling less thirsty than on the previous 

 day. When we had been walking half an hpur 

 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 

 advance of us a little bird broke out into a song 

 marvellously sweet and clear. The song was re- 

 peated 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 



