THE GORGE OF THE RIVER DE LOS ANTIGUOS 153 



our companions were signalling to us to "Come at once — some- 

 thing wrong.'' 



All the day through we patrolled the river banks, riding up and 

 down searching for a ford. About six in the evening we found a 

 place where an island broke the force of the torrent, and we fancied 

 the water was falling. 



The river everywhere was shut in by high cliffs. At the foot 

 oi the cliff we descended the ground was so soft that the horses 

 sank, and we had to haul them through. When we came down to 

 the level of the river, it appeared very different, viewed close at 

 hand, to the encouraging idea we had formed, even through the 

 telescope, from the cliffs above. But the set of the current was 

 for once towards the farther bank, where it culminated in rapids. 



I decided to leave the three worst horses, and we found them 

 a fine stretch of grass and water at Roble Camp. There we left 

 them. They fell to feeding very quietly, and we rode away to the 

 barranca we had so often surmounted that at length we had formed 

 a road through its bushes. 



The river appeared to be still rising, and was at that spot sixty 

 yards or so broad. Large trees went whirling by us as we waded 

 down on our horses into the outer plash of the stream. The horses 

 took it bravely and slowly, tired as they were. We now found 

 there were two islands, a smaller and a larger one, on our line of 

 crossing, upon which we rested, and soon nothing remained save 

 a twenty-foot stream between us and the farther bank. 



Once my horse fell but recovered himself Small blame to 

 him, brave beast, he had been carrying fourteen stone all day. At 

 last, after a strenuous moment, the water grew shallower, and we 

 came out on the farther side into a belt of green scrub. 



Luck never comes alone. As w.e rode on three huemules 

 dashed out of a grlade and I broke the neck of an old buck with 

 the damaged Colt. I had taken a careful sight for a shoulder-shot ! 

 We cut up the huemul, skinned the head and rode on, and soon 

 were out of the canadon of the de los Antiguos River and riding 

 through the bushes towards our companions. The moon, on her 

 rising, found us still going, and the camp we made was a dozen 

 miles from the river. 



