THE PAMPAS. 



country, and thought how unsatisfactory it was to 

 be tortured and killed by mistake in other people's 

 quarrels — however, this would not do. I looked 

 towards the cloud of dust, and it was evidently 

 much nearer. In despair, I got my gun and pis- 

 tols, which were all loaded, and when I had dis- 

 posed of them, I opened a small canvas bag which 

 contained all my ammunition gimcracks, for my gun 

 and pistols had all fulminating locks. I ranged all 

 on the seat before me — the small powder-flask, the 

 buck-shot, the bullets, the copper caps, and the 

 punched cards ; but the motion of the carriage 

 danced them all together, and once or twice I felt 

 inclined, in despair, to knock them all off the seat, 

 for against so many people resistance was useless; 

 however, on the other hand, mercy was hopeless, so 

 I, at last, was driven to make the best of a very bad 

 bargain. 



The carriage, which had a window at each of the 

 four sides, had wooden blinds, which moved hori- 

 zontally. I therefore shut them all, leaving an 

 embrasure of about two inches, and then for some 

 seconds I sat looking at the crowd which was 

 coming towards us. 



