74 THROUGH THE HEART OF PATAGONIA 



two, both females, which are very much more tender than the 

 males. On one side of the camp was a chain of small lagoons, 

 evidently formed by the overflow of the river, and in one of these 

 I saw a flock of brown pintails. These were easily stalked behind 

 the rushes, and the discharge of two barrels of the 12-bore left five 



upon the water. At dark a 

 storm of rain blew up. 



" October 30. — This car- 

 going work is very weari- 

 some, and has got upon our 

 nerves. Even in one's sleep 

 one sees the reeling, writhing 

 mass of kicking and strug- 

 gling cargueros on the white 

 and ragged-sided barranca* 

 Got off at 1 0.30 and reached 

 the River Mayo, a very small 

 THE ALAZAN COLT (NEARLY KILLED ON THE senguerr) Stream here, flowlng through 



a wide valley lined by bare 

 Steep cliffs 200 feet or so in height. We are all becoming quite 

 expert with the cargoes ; Burbury and Barckhausen, and Jones 

 and I work in pairs. The newness has now worn off the ropes, 

 and haulng on them does not any longer cut our hands. Still 

 an occasional cargo shifts, and the horse, wildly refusing to be 

 caught, gallops away kicking at his cargo. Thus did the Alazan 

 to-day, scattering Mauser ammunition among the bushes, and 

 kicking the spout from our last kettle, so that we can only fill 

 it half full. 



"There is comparatively little game in this bit of country, few 

 guanaco, and those very wild because of the Indians, whose beat 

 we are now approaching. When there is rain, which fortunately 

 is not often, we have to carry our change of clothing upon our 

 saddles to dry them. To-day Jones was very much loaded up 

 with his extra breeches and top boots, that were wet, a gun-cover, 



* Any traveller, settler or cattleman who is acquainted with the vagaries of cargueros 

 will understand our position. Some of the horses which we used as cargueros had 

 never before had a saddle upon their backs. 



