START FOR THE PAMPAS. Ill 



We started with thrilling hopes of sport for the Pam- 

 pas those vast plains of which we had heard so much. 

 Buenos Ayres was soon left far behind, and we found our- 

 selves riding across a plain, which, as far as the eye could 

 reach, appeared to be covered with clover and thistles. 

 Joaquin informed us that the plain continued of this cha 

 racter for about one hundred and eighty miles from Bue- 

 nos Ayres. There are no regular roads across the Pampas, 

 although they are so much travelled. There are carriage 

 routes, upon which mud huts, called posts, are stationed, 

 about twenty miles apart. But the country is so inter- 

 sected with rivers, streams, and marshes, that progress is 

 difficult in any kind of a vehicle. 



Joaquin contrived to keep us within a few miles of the 

 most common route. The advantage of this was that we 

 were seldom far from the huts of the Gauchos, who might 

 have aided us against the attacks of robbers or Indians. 

 The latter are very warlike, and have a hereditary hos- 

 tility to the Gauchos, and, indeed, to all whites. They 

 even excel the Gauchos in horsemanship, which is the 

 highest praise that can be given them. As they gene- 

 rally go abroad in large parties these attacks are greatly 

 dreaded. 



During our first day upon the Pampas, we saw immense 

 herds of horses and cattle, but as Mr. Barrill and I had 

 Deheld the bufialos upon the prairies, we were not so much 



