1833.] AN ADVENTURE. 79 
surface during the slow and recent elevation of this dry country. 
The whole phenomenon is well worthy the attention of natural- 
ists. Have the succulent, salt-loving plants, which are well 
known to contain much soda, the power of decomposing the 
muriate? Does the black fetid mud, abounding with organic 
matter, yield the sulphur and ultimately the sulphurie acid ? 
Two days afterwards I again rode to the harbour: when not 
far from our destination, my companion, the same man as before, 
spied three people hunting on horseback. He immediately dis- 
mounted, and watching them intently, said, “‘ They don’t ride 
like Christians, and nobody can leave the fort.” The three 
hunters joined company, and likewise dismounted from their 
horses. At last one mounted again and rode over the hill out 
of sight. My companion said, ‘“‘ We must now get on our 
horses: load your pistol ;” and he looked to his own sword. I 
asked, “ Are they Indians? ”— Quien sabe? (who knows?) if 
there are no more than three, it does not signify.” It then struck 
me, that the one man had gone over the hill to fetch the rest of 
his tribe. J suggested this; but all the answer I could extort 
was, “Quien sabe?” His head and eye never for a minute 
ceased scanning slowly the jistant horizon. I thought his un- 
common coolness too good a joke, and asked him why he did not 
return home. I was startled when he answered, “‘ We are 
returning, but in a line so as to pass near a swamp, into which 
we can gallop the horses as far as they can go, and then trust to 
our own legs; so that there is no danger.” I did not feel quite 
so confident of this, and wanted to increase our pace. He said, 
“‘ No, not until they do.” When any little inequality concealed 
us, we galloped; but when in sight, continued walking. At last 
we reached a valley, and turning to the left, galloped quickly to 
the foot of a hill; he gave me his horse to hold, made the dogs 
lie down, and then crawled on his hands and knees to reconnoitre. 
He remained in this position for some time, and at last, bursting 
out in laughter, exclaimed, ‘‘Mugeres!” (women!) He knew 
them to be the wife and sister-in-law of the major’s son, hunting 
for ostrich’s eggs. I have described this man’s conduct, because 
he acted under the full impression that they were Indians. As 
soon, however, as the absurd mistake was found out, he gave ine 
