188 TRAVELS A3I0NGST THE GREAT ANDES, chap. x. 



farther corner, and another, and then they came by twos and 

 threes, until I saw thirty or more, rising and falling over the 

 undulating ground like buoyant ships on a breezy sea ; jovial, 

 wild-looking fellows, picturesquely attired in sombreros and with 

 legs encased in hairy buskins, all riding powerful horses, and 

 sitting like men born in the saddle. As they came up, they 

 halted at a respectful distance behind their lord. I sent Verity 

 forward to make enquiries ; and then, after formally saluting, 

 each party went its way. 



I was not aware until the train had swept past that we had 

 met Senor Eebolledo, the owner of Antisana, of the farms of 

 Pifiantura, Antisanilla, Antisana and all the intervening country, 

 and other large estates ; the proprietor of a princely domain, 

 unlimited on the Amazonian side. If one enquired how far it 

 extended, they answered, '^ As far as you can go to the East " 

 — it had no boundaries in that direction. 



They had been engaged in a grand stock-taking ; and, as the 

 cattle ranged over many miles and had to be driven in from 

 long distances, the work was too much for the usual hands, and 

 major-domos had been borrowed from the surrounding properties 

 to assist in the operation. Judging from their hilarity, the 

 census was satisfactory. Senor Rebolledo heard somehow that we 

 were without cheese, and sent a quantity after us. A messenger 

 came daily to the Hacienda of Antisana to learn our wants, and 

 I had only to express a desire to have it satisfied. '^'^Tell me,^' 

 I said, when we were better acquainted, ^' why do you shower 

 these civilities upon me ? " and received no other answer than '' I 

 took to you from the first. '^ 



In a short time after passing this splendid troop, the track 

 dipped down to cross the Isco rivulet, and we arrived at the 

 Hacienda Antisanilla (12,342 feet), a small place built alongside 

 the lava - stream of which I have spoken — rather densely popu- 

 lated by savage dogs, and by herdsmen who were not so refined 

 in the matter of cleanliness as one might have wished. I could 



