84 



THE PAMPAS. 



with his thumb : he replied that he had washed it 

 with salt and water, and then he earnestly asked 

 me if that was good for it ? Si ! si ! si !" said I, 

 walking away in despair, for I thought it was use- 

 less to hint to him, that " not all the water in the 

 wide rude sea'^ would put his thumb into its joint ; 

 and although I knew it ought to be pulled, yet one 

 is so ignorant of such operations, that not knowing 

 in what direction, I therefore left the poor fellow 

 looking at his thumb, in the same attitude in which 

 I found him But, to return to the biscachos. ^ 



These animals are never to be seen in the day, 

 but as soon as the lower limb of the sun reaches 

 the horizon, they are seen issuing from their holes 

 in all directions, which are scattered in groups like 

 little villages all over the Pampas. The biscachos, 

 when full grown, are nearly as large as badgers ; 

 but their head resembles a rabbit, excepting that 

 they have very large bushy whiskers. 



In the evening they sit outside their holes, 

 and they all appear to be moralising. They are 

 the most serious-looking animals I ever saw, and 

 even the young ones are grey-headed, have mus- 

 tachios, and look thoughtful and grave. 



