VIII CHARACTER OF THE GAUCHO 165 



The number of the remains embedded in the grand estuary 

 deposit which forms the Pampas and covers the granitic rocks 

 of Banda Oriental, must be extraordinarily great. I believe a 

 straight line drawn in any direction through the Pampas would 

 cut through some skeleton or bones. Besides those which I 

 found during my short excursions, I heard of many others, and 

 the origin of such names as " the stream of the animal," " the 

 hill of the giant," is obvious. At other times I heard of the 

 marvellous property of certain rivers, which had the power of 

 changing small bones into large ; or, as some maintained, 

 the bones themselves grew. As far as I am aware, not one 

 of these animals perished, as was formerly supposed, in the 

 marshes or muddy river-beds of the present land, but their 

 bones have been exposed by the streams intersecting the 

 subaqueous deposit in which they were originally embedded. 

 We may conclude that the whole area of the Pampas is one 

 wide sepulchre of these extinct gigantic quadrupeds. 



By the middle of the day, on the 28th, we arrived at 

 Monte Video, having been two days and a half on the 

 road. The country for the whole way was of a very 

 uniform character, some parts being rather more rocky and 

 hilly than near the Plata. Not far from Monte Video we 

 passed through the village of Las Pietras, so named from 

 some large rounded masses of syenite. Its appearance 

 was rather pretty. In this country a few fig-trees round 

 a group of houses, and a site elevated a hundred feet above 

 the general level, ought always to be called picturesque. 



During the last six months I have had an opportunity of 

 seeing a little of the character of the inhabitants of these 

 provinces. The Gauchos, or countrymen, are very superior to 

 those who reside in the towns. The Gaucho is invariably 

 most obliging, polite, and hospitable : I did not meet with even 

 one instance of rudeness or inhospitality. He is modest, both 

 respecting himself and country, but at the same time a spirited, 

 bold fellow. On the other hand, many robberies are committed, 

 and there is much bloodshed : the habit of constantly wearing 

 the knife is the chief cause of the latter. It is lamentable to 

 hear how many lives are lost in trifling quarrels. In fighting, 

 each party tries to mark the face of his adversary by slashing 



