48 FROM EOSARIO TO MENDOZA. 



comes from a marsh and pond near by, overgrown with a kind of blade-grass called tortora. 

 In this pond there were a large number of flamingoes feeding 



After a good dinner, proceeded to the next post, called El Guanaco; where, although it was 

 still early, we stopped for the night, on account of the inability of my companion to travel 

 farther. This gave me a good of deal uneasiness. I was apprehensive that from bad riding, 

 some serious accident would happen to him ; and knowing him to be almost destitute of means, 

 I should have been very reluctant to abandon him in the road; while, on the other hand, any 

 detention would have defeated the object of my expedition. Up to the last post he had been of 

 some service in helping to arrange the load on the burden-horse, and I had willingly paid his 

 expenses; but as he was no longer of use on account of the fall, and, moreover, as I was afraid' 

 of getting a fall myself, from the frequent changes to horses I did not know, I took an extra 

 postillion from El Guanaco, to carry the barometer and aid in adjusting the load. As far as 

 the barometer was concerned, I soon found the postillion so awkward that I preferred to 

 carry it myself. 



November 15. — To the post of Tambillos. Country the same, with the exception that near 

 the i^ost-house there is a considerable sand-hill, which is unusual on the pampa. The post con- 

 sists of two or three houses situated on the banks of a laguna, surrounded by thinly wooded 

 sand-cliffs, and, for the pampa, has a decidedly picturesque appearance. The master of the 

 post had a family of very handsome children, the males of which were occujiied in tending 

 horses and cattle, and the females at their accustomed occupation of embroidering calzoncillas. 

 One of the latter was very desirous to buy my vest, as a present for her father. 



After a long delay in procuring horses, we set out for the post of Chucul, where we arrived 

 about four o'clock, but found no person whatever at the place. Eoad over pampa, but very 

 much cut uj) by rains. 



Chucul consists of one hut, and is situated on the east bank of a stream of good water, run- 

 ning to the southeastward ; the same stream was passed on my first trip, near a place where it 

 spreads out in marshes, and is called there Las Chilcas, but here is designated by the name of 

 the post. 



My companion, whose habit was to ride carelessly when not fatigued, swinging arms 

 and body to the tune of some French opera, and who wore green glasses, in order to see 

 nature under the most favorable ausjiices, neglected to guide his horse, and allowed him to 

 tread into a biscacha hole. The consequence was that the jmir of them got a fall, though 

 fortunately there was no harm done. 



We were in a great strait at Chucul, for we could get no other postillion than a boy so small 

 as to be unable to arrange the load, but, by good luck, an arriero happened to pass, who did us 

 this favor, else we should have been obliged to do it ourselves. Not that either of us objected to 

 the work, but it requires more skill than we were possessed of to arrange a jjack-saddle, and 

 lash on its load in such manner that it will not turn. 



Between Chucul and the Villa del Rio Cuarto we were caught in a violent storm, that lasted 

 about two hours, during which the wind blew from every direction, commencing at southwest, 

 and going around by south through all the points of the compass. The lightning surpassed any- 

 thing I have ever seen — discharges taking place from the earth towards the clouds, and from 

 the clouds towards the earth, not far apart, and almost simultaneously; some of those going 

 upwards were remarkably like rockets, exploding after reaching tlie clouds, and sending off 

 numbers of smaller flashes in different directions. Then, again, there were flashes like balls of 

 opaque light, or the turning a dark lantern across the eyes, shining dimly for a moment, and 

 then disappearing. The rain and hail, in the mean time, were very violent ; the latter inflicting 

 such severe blows, that we were obliged to turn our backs to tlio wind, and wait for it to shift, 

 before we could proceed on our journey. 



I am aware that it is not orthodox to say that tlie clouds an:l earth were discharging elec- 

 tricity at the same time; nor do I state this. I only assert \vliut the evidence of my senses 



