THE PAMPAS. 



249 



it possesses, like all the works of nature, ten 

 thousand beauties. It has also the grandeur 

 and magnificence of space, and I found that the 

 oftener I crossed it, the more charms I discovered 

 in it. 



On approaching the huts, it is interesting to see 

 the little Gauchos, who, brought up without wants, 

 and taught to consider the heaven over their heads 

 as a canopy under which they may all sleep, lite- 

 rally climb up the tails of the horses which they are 

 unable otherwise to mount, and then sport and gal- 

 lop after each other, while their father's stirrups 

 are dangling below their naked feet. In the fore- 

 ground of Nature, there is perhaps no figure so 

 beautiful as that of a child who rides well, and the 

 picturesque dress of the little Gauchos adds very 

 much to their appearance. I have often admired 

 them as they have been sent with me from one post 

 to another. Although the shape of their body is 

 concealed by the poncho, yet the manner in which 

 it partakes of the motion of the horse is particularly 

 elegant. It is interesting, too, to see the heedless, 

 careless way in which these little chubby-faced 

 creatures ride, and how thoughtlessly they drive 



