SNOW 87 



the overhang of the cliff other graves where the body had 

 been placed and walled in, but like the first they had been 

 opened. Last we went over to an old well from which a 

 bone had been dug, but did not find a suitable place to 

 begin any operations, and reached the house about half- 

 past six after a full day in the saddle. Mrs. Ventner gave 

 me a fine set of Indian arrow points, etc., which had been 

 picked up about the place. That night I slept in a big 

 four-post bed with four pillows and a lace counterpane. 



Next morning after a cup of coffee I started at about five 

 o'clock for camp. Stopping on the way to water my horse 

 I had to break ice on the pool. As I passed I stopped at 

 Booysen's, as he had found two ostrich nests with a total of 

 fifty-five eggs in them, and was willing to sell me ten eggs, 

 which at Comodoro bring 75 centavoes each. By shifting 

 the rocks in my pockets I got one in a pocket and carried 

 one in my hand, leaving the others for Turner to come and 

 get. I got to camp about nine and had breakfast before 

 going on to the hill. During these days work on the hill 

 was very trying; for the wind was so strong that it was 

 almost impossible to stand against it, and in the most 

 exposed places we were forced to crawl on our hands and 

 knees to get ahead at all. 



The day I was at David Ventner's, the boys had gathered 

 as usual under the overhanging ledge to eat lunch. As 

 they sat there Billy picked up a modern bone, and began 

 speculating about it. One called it a guanaco toe, but 

 he said it was human and climbing upon the ledge to 

 investigate, found that for three weeks we had been 

 daily sitting six feet under an Indian grave. It looked 

 like a pile of rocks, but under them was a nearly complete 

 human skeleton. When I got back they took me up and 

 showed me the whole collection of bones spread out on 

 the surface, and asked me to settle a dispute as to one bone. 

 It proved to be a third ilium and started another investi- 

 gation as to the meaning of this extra hip. Going carefully 



