9^ 



THE PAMPAS. 



Their first act is to set fire to the roof of the 

 hut, and it is ahuost too dreadful to fancy what 

 the feelings of a family must be, when, after hav- 

 ing been alarmed by the barking of the dogs, which 

 the Gauchos always keep in great numbers, they 

 first hear the wild cry which announces their doom, 

 and in an instant afterwards find that the roof is 

 burning over their heads. 



As soon as the family rush out, which they of 

 course are obliged to do, the men are wounded by 

 the Indians with their lances, which are eighteen 

 feet long, and as soon as they fall they are stripped 

 of their clothes ; for the Indians, who are very de- 

 sirous to get the clothes of the Christians, are care- 

 ful not to have them spoiled by blood. While 

 some torture the men, others attack the children, 

 and will literally run the infants through the body 

 with their lances, and raise them to die in the air. 

 The women are also attacked, and it would form 

 a true but a dreadful picture to describe their fate, 

 as it is decided by the momentary gleam which the 

 burning roof throws upon their countenances. 



The old women, and the ugly young ones, are 

 instantly butchered ; but the young and beautiful 



