IB DESCRIPTIVE OUTLINE 



sit round the spit, from which with their long 

 knives they cut very large mouthfuls*. The hut 

 is lighted by a feeble lamp, made of bullock^s tal- 

 low ; and it is warmed by a fire of charcoal : on the 

 walls of the hut are hung, upon bones, two or three 

 bridles and spurs, and several lassos and balls: on 

 the ground are several dark-looking heaps, which one 

 can never clearly distinguish ; on sitting down upon 

 these when tired, I have often heard a child scream 

 underneath me, and have occasionally been mildly 

 asked by a young woman, what I wanted?-— at 

 other times up has jumped an immense dog ! While 

 I was once warming my hands at the fire of charcoal, 

 seated on a horse^s head, looking at the black roof 

 in a reverie, and fancying I was quite by myself, I 

 felt something touch me, and saw two naked black 

 children leaning over the charcoal in the attitude of 

 two toads : they had crept out from under some of 



* When first 1 lived with the Gauchos, J could not conceive 

 how they possibly managed to eat so quickly meat which I 

 found so unusually tough, but an old Gaucho told me it was 

 because I did not know what parts to select, and he immediately 

 cut me a large piece which was quite tender. I always after- 

 wards begged the Gauchos to help me, and they generally 

 smiled at my having discovered the secret. 



