1833.] HILL OF BEADS., 149 
waste, is-very considerable. An estanciero told me that he often 
had to send large herds of cattle a long journey toa salting esta- 
blishment, and that the tired beasts were frequently obliged to be 
killed and skinned ; but that he could never persuade the Gauchos 
to eat of them, and every evening a fresh beast was slaughtered for 
their.suppers! The view of the Rio Negro from the Sierra was 
more picturesque than any other which I saw in this province. 
The river, broad, deep and rapid, wound at the foot of a 
tocky precipitous cliff: a belt of wood followed its course, 
and the horizon terminated in the distant undulations of the 
turf-plain. ; 
‘When in this neighbourhood, I several times heard of the 
Sierra de las Cuentas: a hill distant many miles to the north- 
ward. The name signifies hill of beads. I was assured that 
vast numbers of little round stones, of various colours, each 
with a small cylindrical hole, are found there. Formerly the 
Indians used to collect them, for the purpose of making. neck- 
laces and bracelets—a taste, 1 may observe, which is common to 
all savage nations, as well as to the most polished. I did not 
know what to understand from this story, but upon mentioning 
it at the Cape of Good Hope to Dr. Andrew Smith, he told me 
that he recollected finding .on the south-eastern coast of Africa, 
about one liundred miles to the eastward of St. John’s river, 
some quartz crystals with their edges blunted from attrition, and 
mixed with gravel on the sea-beach. Each crystal was about 
five lines in diameter, and from an inch to an inch and a half in 
length. Many of them had a small canal extending from one 
extremity to the other, perfectly cylindrical, and of a size that 
readily admitted a coarse thread or a piece of fine catgut. Their 
colour was red or dull white. The natives were acquainted 
with this structure in crystals. I have mentioned these circum- 
stances because, although no crystallized body is at present 
known to assume this form, it may lead some future traveller to 
investigate the real nature of such stones. 
While staying at this estancia, I was amused with what I saw 
and heard of the shepherd-dogs of the country.* When riding, 
* M. A. d’Orbigny has given nearly a similar account of these dogs, 
tom. i, p. 175. 
