Aspects of the Valley. 53 



innumerable black vultures (Cathartes atratus) were 

 perched, waiting all the dreary day long for fair 

 weather to fly abroad in search of food. 



On the ground this vulture does not appear to 

 advantage, especially when bobbing and jumping 

 about, performing the " buzzard lope," when quar- 

 relling with his fellows over a carcase : but when 

 perched aloft, his small naked rugous head and neck 

 and horny curved beak seen well-defined above the 

 broad black surface of the folded wing, he does 

 not show badly. As I had no wish to make a bag 

 of vultures and saw nothing else, I shot nothing. 



A little past noon on the second day we saddled 

 our horses and started on our homeward ride ; and 

 although the wind still blew a gale, lashing the 

 river into a long line of foam on the opposite shore, 

 and bringing storms of rain and sleefc at inter- 

 vals, this proved a very delightful ride, one that 

 shines in memory above all other rides I have 

 taken. We went at a swift gallop along the north 

 bank, and never had grey Patagonia looked more 

 soberly and sadly grey than on this afternoon. The 

 soil, except in places where the winter grass had 

 spread over it, had taken a darker brown colour 

 from the rain it had imbibed, and the bosky uplands 

 a deeper grey than ever, while the whole vast sky 

 was stormy and dark. But after a time the west- 

 ering sun began to shine through the rifts behind us, 

 while before us on the wild flying clouds appeared 

 a rainbow with hues so vivid that we shouted 

 aloud with joy at the sight of such loveliness. 



