SHOOTING IN CHILE. 207 



a fly between them. After some fun with them, they 

 were adroitly lassoed by Juan, and dragged to the open, 

 where I amused the whole company by my efforts to 

 lasso one with Don Carlos's lasso. However, after a bit 

 I succeeded after a fashion, and eventually we knocked 

 them all on the head. The largest measured eight feec 

 across the wings. These birds are also caught by build- 

 ing a corral or palisade round any dead animal ; when 

 gorged they are unable to raise themselves over the 

 top, and are thus easily killed. 



As it was now getting dark, we all migrated to the 

 farm, and strange to say, or rather not strange to say, 

 we found Senoritas Carmelita y Mercedita and the 

 guitar awaiting us. I will not weary my readers by 

 stating how we danced till past midnight ; how Don 

 Carlos declared he loved me shghtly better than his 

 own father ; how I declared to Mercedita that I loved 

 her slightly better than — well, the last one I told so 

 before; how we polished off the casuela, made Juana 

 happy with a dollar and innumerable bundles of cigarros, 

 took just perhaps a trifle, a mere trifle, too much for our 

 crania, and, bidding adieu to the mayordomo, went home 

 by moonlight, loaded down with plovers. I think we 

 took eight hours in going home, the delay being caused 

 chiefly by the doctor insisting about every mile on 

 pulling up, and, with a solemn air, delivering to myself 

 and Jose a very learned dissertation on the ways and 

 means of shooting pacliarones, invariably ending his 

 discourse by remarking '^ let^s take a Scotchman^^ — and 

 we letted. 



It may be asked what became of Don Federico ? 

 Alas ! the career of that misguided young man is 

 enveloped in mystery. After that bout with the doctor 



