THE PAMPAS INDIANS. 



on the ground with their heads towards the west. 

 They are then covered with the skin of a horse, 

 and as soon as the sun rises at their feet, they are 

 pronounced to be married ^\ 



The Indians are very fond of any sort of intoxi- 

 cating hquor, and when they are at peace with 

 Mendoza, and some of the other provinces, they 

 often bring skins of ostriches, hides, &c., to ex* 

 change for knives, spurs, and hquor. 



The day of their arrival they generally get 

 drunk, but before they indulge in this amusement, 

 they deliberately deliver up to their Cacique their 

 knives, and any other weapons they possess, as they 

 are fully aware that they wiU quarrel as soon as 

 the wine gets into their heads. They then drink 

 till they can hardly see, and fight, and scratch, and 

 bite, for the rest of the evening. The following 

 day they devote to selling their goods, for they 

 never will part with them on the day on which they 

 resolve to be tipsy, as they say that in that state 

 they would be unable to dispose of them to advan- 

 tage. 



* I believe this would almost be a legal marriage in Scot- 

 land. 



