270 



THE PAMPAS. 



and enjoyment ; and the work he has occasionally 

 performed, and the sufferings he has endured, may 

 perhaps teach him to appreciate the wild plains in 

 which he was born. He may have suffered occa- 

 sionally from the spur, but how different is his life 

 from that of the poor post-horse in England, whose 

 work increases with his food, — who is daily led in 

 blinkers to the collar, and who knows nothing of 

 creation, but the dusty road on which he tra- 

 vels, and the rack and manger of a close-heated 

 stable. 



The country through which we rode this day- 

 was covered with locusts of a very beautiful co- 

 lour : they were walking along the road so thick 

 that the ground was completely covered — some 

 were hurrying one way and some another, but the 

 two sets were on different sides of the road like 

 people in the City (of London). At one post these 

 locusts were in such numbers, that the poor woman, 

 in despair, was sweeping them away with a broom, 

 and they swarmed in crowds up my horse's legs. 

 A little girl had given me some water, and I put 

 my straw hat on the ground while I sat down to 

 drink, and with feelings of very great pleasure I 



