DIRTY POST HOUSES. 



63 



always tbe case; for they will generally refer 

 passengers to the post-house. 



Saturday^ ^th. We were detained for horses 

 till eleven o'clock^ then started for Rio Quinto, 

 a long stage of twelve leagues. This road is 

 extremely bad and heavy for a carriage. The 

 country now became more woody, and very 

 rocky. Our cargo horses detained us very 

 much this journey^ not being able to get them^ 

 for the last six leagues, faster than a walk. We 

 passed the remains of many a poor horse that 

 had dropped and died on this long stage. On 

 crossing the Rio Quinto, we arrived at the post 

 of the same name, situated on its banks : this 

 is another wretched, dirty post. It is worthy of 

 remark, that after leaving the province of Santa 

 Fe, all the post-houses are wretchedly dirty; 

 probably not having been swept out for months : 

 this is chiefly owing to the indolence of the wo- 

 men ; for, the post-rooms are left to their ma- 

 nagement, the men being more engaged looking 

 after their horses ; when that is done, all their 



