118 



BAHIA BLANCA. 



Aug. 1833. 



with a yellow pulpy matter, which, examined under a micro- 

 scope, presented an extraordinary appearance. The mass con- 

 sisted of rounded, semi-transparent, irregular grains, aggregated 

 together into particles of various sizes. All such particles, 

 and the separate grains, possessed the power of rapid move- 

 ment ; generally revolving around different axes, but some- 

 times progressive. The movement was visible with a very 

 weak power, but with the highest its cause could not be 

 perceived. It was very different from the circulation of the 

 fluid in the elastic bag, containing the thin extremity of the 

 axis. On other occasions, when dissecting small marine 

 animals beneath the microscope, I have seen particles of pulpy 

 matter, some of large size, immediately they were disengaged, 

 commence revolving. I have imagined, I know not with 

 how much truth, that this granulo- pulpy matter was in 

 process of being converted into ova. Certainly in this 

 zoophyte such appeared to be the case. 



During my stay at Bahia Blanca, while waiting for the 

 Beagle, the place was in a constant state of excitement, from 

 rumours of wars and victories, between the troops of Rosas 

 and the wild Indians. One day an account came, that a 

 small party forming one of the postas on the line to Buenos 

 Ayres, had been found all murdered. The next day, three 

 hundred men arrived from the Colorado, under the com- 

 mand of Commandant Miranda. A large portion of these 

 men were Indians {mansos, or tame), belonging to the tribe 

 of the Cacique Bernantio, They passed the night here ; and 

 it was impossible to conceive any thing more wild and 

 savage than the scene of their bivouac. Some drank till 

 they were intoxicated ; others swallowed the steaming blood 

 of the cattle slaughtered for their suppers, and then, being 

 sick from drunkenness, they cast it up again, and were be- 

 smeared with filth and gore. 



Nam simul expletus dapibus, vinoque sepultus 

 Cervicem inflexam posuit, jacuitque per antrum 

 Immensus, saniem eructans, ac frusta cruerita 

 Per somnum commixta mero. 



