GAUCHOS HORSE-KACTNG. 



51 



occasion^ in their dashing ponchos of various 

 colours. Most of these people^ wretched and 

 dirty as they live, sport their silver spurs and 

 stirrups; their races are very short, and they 

 always ride without saddles. 



Passing along in sight of the Rio Tercero,^ 

 we soon arrived at the post of Esquina de Me- 

 drano, situated very pleasantly on its banks, 

 and the best we had hitherto come to. The river 

 runs close to it^ wide and deep, with very steep 

 banks lined with trees, which, after travelling 

 through a vast plain of one hundred and thirty 

 leagues, with nothing to rest the eye upon, had 

 a most cheering appearance. Here further de- 

 fence against the incursions of the Indians ap- 

 peared to have ceased. The next post being 

 eight leagues, and a bad road, we put up at this 

 one for the night, and had a good supper, and 

 clean room to sleep in. 



Monday ^Oth. Started at eight, with a relay 



This, I think, is the same river, and sometimes called 

 Saladillo . 



E 2 



