292 NOTES OF A NATURALIST. 



topics of the day. In the garden surrounding her 

 house were a number of orange trees in full bearing, 

 and, amongst other exotics, the largest tree of Euca- 

 lyptus globulus that I have yet seen, though planted, 

 as the old lady assured me, only twenty years before. 



It was announced that the return steamer was due 

 at two p.m. on June 27, so I arranged, in the lan- 

 guage of this region, to go for an excursion to the 

 camp as early as possible in the morning. In com- 

 pany with a young Englishman to whom Dr. French 

 had introduced me, I started in a carriage, and, after 

 passing through the belt of gardens and fields sur- 

 rounding the town, soon reached a rather wide stream 

 running between muddy banks. I now understood 

 why all the vehicles here are hung upon such ex- 

 tremely high wheels. The horses take to the water 

 as easily as if they were amphibious, and we got 

 across the stream without taking in water, but not 

 without a severe tug to get the carriage through the 

 deep mud. We next approached a large saladero ; 

 but I had no curiosity to see the process of slaughter, 

 nor the various stages by which a live animal is 

 speedily converted into human food. We made a 

 circuit round the saladero and the adjoining enclosures, 

 and before long reached the open country. 



The general aspect reminded me of what I have 

 seen at the corresponding season in the less inhabited 

 parts of Northern Africa, especially near Tunis, 

 although the plants, as, might be expected, are not 

 only different, but in great part belong to different 

 natural families. Open spaces covered with herbaceous 

 vegetation alternate with patches of low bushes, mostly 



