248 CRUISE OF THE BARRERA 



the cativo during the winter months. We took our 

 bath but with a prodigious amount of splashing. 



A notable catch was made here of the exceed- 

 ingly rare Chondropoma vinalensis which we re- 

 garded as one of the real molluscan prizes of the 

 expedition. 



Once again we sat under the great mimosa tree 

 by the side of the carretera opposite Sefiora Piad's 

 house, awaiting the regular motor diligencia for 

 Esperanza, and chatted with the local school- 

 master who has the curious conceit of dressing his 

 boys in feminine furbelows and the little girls in 

 more masculine severity of attire. Mounting the 

 big motor-bus we bowled noisily around the east- 

 ern end of the Costanera, passing close under its 

 superb cliffs and then across the gloomy pine 

 lotnas to Esperanza on the coast. 



On the goleta, we found the Patron and Lesmes 

 absent, and we were informed that our tree ducks 

 had escaped; the Patron, aided by Lesmes, was 

 in hot pursuit. What a hopeless quest! At 9 

 o'clock that evening they returned worn out but 

 triumphant in the possession of three tiny little 

 wood-duck chicks, captured miles away at the 

 cost of a journey through the wilds of an almost 



