FREIGHTERS 97 



ally one half of the increase). After two or three years 

 this will amount to around 1,200 sheep and the man takes 

 his wages and starts in for himself. In this way after ten 

 years a man if at all thrifty will be worth in the neigh- 

 borhood of $10,000 with which he can start in business al- 

 most anywhere. The commercial lines, on the other hand, 

 take a large capital, for credit has to be given to most of 

 the customers until their wool is sold, and the goods, which 

 come mostly from Europe, have to be ordered and paid for 

 three or four months in advance. 



We stayed here but a day, having all our horses re-shod, 

 getting fresh supplies, and some more money (for during 

 the month since my previous visit my account had been 

 transferred to the Comodoro bank). At this time the bank 

 was open from 7.00 a. m. to 12.00 m. in order to accommo- 

 date the people, most of whom start from town on their 

 journeys during the forenoon. 



This time we received our box of saddles which had gone 

 astray over four months before in Rio Janeiro; and mounted 

 on our western type of saddle with its pommel in front and 

 cantel behind, we felt like new men. While in the town 

 I broke the bridge of my glasses, and there being no jeweler 

 or watchmaker in the place, had to take them to a tin- 

 smith who soldered them together, charging me $2 for the 

 job, and assuring me it would have cost five in Buenos Aires. 



On the morning of November 11 we got our provisions 

 into the wagon and started off southward for Mazaredo, a 

 road to which place seemed very difficult to find. An old 

 teamster finally started us inland on the Sarmiento trail, 

 which took us all day up a wide canyon, in which there 

 remained but little grass as the road is much used. 



As we traveled along this road, from time to time we 

 would meet the freighters, either Boers with series of three 

 to six yokes of oxen, or Spaniards with their horses, all 

 going to or coming from Sarmiento. This is a small but 

 active town about one hundred miles inland, which, when 



