FROM SAN LUIS TO ROSARIO. 39 



bleating of kids and calves, and tlie lowing of cows, altliougli not very agreeable music in them- 

 selves, were highly refreshing after our solitary journey. 



They were killing an ox for the use of the soldiers, hut we were unable to buy any beef, and 

 had to fall back on miserable charqui. 



Saladillo is situated near the junction of the rivers Tercero and Cuarto, the latter of which 

 was very much smaller there than at the place where we formerly crossed it. Near the Punta 

 del Sauce it spreads out, forming lagunas and marshes, and a great part of the water is either 

 evaporated or absorbed in the soil. That which reaches the Tercero is impregnated with 

 salt to such an extent as to be useless for irrigation or drinking. The Tercero is a more con- 

 siderable stream. It empties into the Parana, and only in very dry seasons is too salt for use. 



Crossed the Eio Cuarto where it was fifteen yards wide, two feet deep, and had a current of 

 about two miles an hour, and thence proceeded along near the south bank of the Tercero, over 

 pampa, as far as the post-house of "Cabeza del Tigre," where we stopped for the siesta. Half 

 way we passed a post-house called the "Esquina de Lovaton." 



"La Cabeza del Tigre" is better fortified than most of the post-houses we had passed. It is 

 surrounded by two walls and an intermediate cactus hedge, with another cactus hedge and a 

 ditch outside of all. Besides the post-house^ there are one or two huts outside of the fortifica- 

 tions. Weather very oppressive. Thermometer 93° in the coolest place about the post. 



This day, for the first time, I was obliged to use authority with the arriero. He fancied that 

 his animals w'ere suffering in their hoofs from the heat of the ground, and wished to stop for 

 the siesta on a part of the road where there was neither shelter nor fire-wood with which 

 to cook our dinner ; and although the post-house was in sight, about a league and a half farther 

 on, I was only enabled to force him to proceed to it by threatening not to pay him the stipulated 

 price on arrival in Eosario. The secret of the matter was, that my man was as avaricious as 

 he could be, and invariably preferred camping away from settlements, for fear of having some- 

 thing to pay. 



Left the post-house about 4 p. M., and travelled till 8 o'clock, when we camped three miles to 

 the eastward of the post called "La Cruz Alta." Country pampa, with occasional marshes. 

 "Wind E.S.E. Weather clear. Mosquitos awful. 



December 31. — Five miles farther brought us to the post called the "Guardia de la Esquina," 

 which is not so well fortified as many others. It is surrounded by quite a collection of huts, 

 in one of which I saw a young man and his sister who had been captives among the Indians, 

 but had succeeded in effecting their escape. They had been about a year among the " Chris- 

 tians," and the woman had married, but the man was pining to return to savage life. He 

 sold me nis best poncho, and with the money proposed to purchase a horse to carry him back 

 to the Indian country. Saw also a remarkably pretty and bright-eyed girl — not a very com- 

 mon sight on the pampa. 



The Eio Tercero here was near fifty yards wide, apparently deep, and had a current of about 

 three miles an hour. The gauchos had lassoed and dragged on its banks a few large logs, 

 indications that the country is better wooded farther up. 



Left "La G-uardia," passed the post of Arequitas, then a deserted two-story brick house, and 

 stopped for the siesta at one of the ranches in the vicinity of the post of Los Desmochados. 

 The post-road which follows the river Tercero from beyond Saladillo here leaves it, and turns 

 more to the southward, the river trending to the northward. 



On the afternoon of our arrival at the Desmochados a violent thunder-storm arose ; and as 

 the rain continued all night, we did not leave our comfortable quarters at the farm. The 

 people did everything they could to make our time agreeable. I had a good meal, a comforta- 

 ble room, where there was a raw-hide bedstead and no bugs, and, what was more important, 

 some one to talk to, for which I was beginning to feel great necessity in consequence of the 

 taciturnity of my arriero and his man. The people were very devout, and had prayers at night 

 in presence of the whole family. I was in my room when they commenced their devotions, 



