OF THE PAMPAS. 



cities and millions of inhabitants could suddenly 

 be planted at proper intervals and situations, the 

 people would have nothing to do but to drive out 

 their cattle to graze, and, without any previous 

 preparation, to plough whatever quantity of ground 

 their wants might require. 



The climate of the Pampas is subject to a great 

 difference of temperature in winter and summer, 

 though the gradual changes are very regular. The 

 winter is about as cold as our month of November, 

 and the ground at sunrise is always covered with 

 white frost, but the ice is seldom more than one- 

 tenth of an inch thick. In summer the sun is very 

 oppressively hot*, and its force is acknowledged 

 by every living animal. The wild horses and cattle 

 are evidently exhausted by it, and the siesta seems 

 to be a repose which is natural and necessary to all. 

 The middle of the day is not a moment for work, 

 and as the mornings are cool, the latter are evi- 

 dently best adapted for labour, and the former for 

 repose. 



* I have twice ridden across the Morea, which lies nearly in 

 the same latitude (north) as the path across the Pampas, and I 

 think the climate of the latter is hotter than the Morea, Sicily, 

 Malta, or Gibraltar, in summer, and colder in winter. 



