116 DANGERS OF THE PAMPAS. 



party of Gauchos, as well as by Indians. But Joaquin 

 insisted that they were Indians, and we were compelled 

 to yield. We then scoured the plain as far as the eye 

 could reach, but even the Gaucho could see nothing of 

 our dreaded enemies. He shook his head, however, and 

 remarked gravely 



" The darkness will render them visible to you." 

 We rode on, changing the direction of our journey some- 

 what, and, at dusk, when I supposed we were at least fifteen 

 miles from the spot where Joaquin had descried the In- 

 dian trail, we halted on the bank of a sparkling rivulet, 

 and following the directions of the guide, constructed our 

 camp, with an eye to its defence. In this my own know- 

 ledge was of much utility. Our packs were so arranged, 

 as to afford us a slight shelter, wjien we stooped ; but this 

 only served for one side of the camp a line of about ten 

 feet. I then suggested that we should throw up breast- 

 works of sod upon the other three sides, and as no other 

 mode of defence could be devised, the suggestion was ap- 

 proved. No time was to be lost. Hatchets and knives 

 were brought into play. The work was slow and difficult, 

 and even my hard arms began to tire before one side of 

 the breastwork was complete. However, we toiled steadily, 

 like men who knew that life was at stake, and by the 

 light of the camp-fire we finished quite a neat little for- 

 tress. The animals were then hobbled, so that they 



