344 RAPIDITY OF STREAM GUANACO- April 



had occupied but little room in the boat, were frozen so hard as 

 to become unmanageable and very difficult to stow. 



21st. We proceeded as usual, dragging the boats up the 

 stream (or rather torrent, for it never ran less than six knots, 

 and in many places more) at the rate of about two miles an 

 hour : and as we were approaching near to the smoke, we chose 

 our position for the night, rather more cautiously than usual, 

 upon a little peninsula. 



22d. We had not advanced a mile this morning, when fresh 

 tracks of Indians, on horseback, trailing their long lances, 

 aroused our utmost vigilance. We thought they had been 

 reconnoitring our party, at day-light, and perhaps such was 

 the case. The smoke of their fires was seen behind the nearest 

 range of low hills, on our side of the river, being then on the 

 north bank, but the boats had been tracking on either side, 

 as better ground for walking was found. Proceeding on, a 

 dead animal was found in the water, which proved to be a 

 guanaco; how it came by its death did not appear, as it 

 showed no external wound, but some of our party, hungrier 

 or less squeamish than the rest, immediately proposed dividing 

 and eating it ; and hunger carried the day : the dead animal 

 was hauled on shore, cut to pieces, and distributed. The 

 guanaco steaks were much relished by all except two or three, 

 who could not conquer their antipathy to supposed carrion. 

 Our meal was eaten close to the place where we thought a 

 tribe of Indians was encamped: and, in consequence, our 

 arms were kept in readiness, and a careful watch set. After- 

 wards cautiously proceeding, we arrived at the spot whence 

 the smoke had issued, but saw no human beings: though 

 marks of very recent fire, and numerous tracks of feet upon a 

 soft muddy place at the side of the river, showed that a party 

 of Indians had lately crossed over, and a smoke rising at some 

 distance on the southern shore, pointed out where they were 

 gone. At this spot there was about an acre of good pasture 

 land, by the water side : and the breadth of the river itself was 

 something less than usual, reasons which had induced the na- 



