Sept. 1833. 



INDIANS. 



129 



party of horsemen were coming towards us ; when far distant 

 my companions knew them to be Indians^ by their long hair 

 streaming behind their backs. The Indians generally have a 

 fillet round their heads^ but never any covering ; and their 

 black hair blowing across their swarthy faces^ heightens 

 to an uncommon degree^, the wildness of their appearance. 

 They turned out to be a party of Bernantio's friendly tribe, 

 going to a salina for salt. The Indians eat much salt, their 

 children sucking it like sugar. This habit is very different 

 from that of the Spanish Gauchos, who, leading the same 

 kind of life, eat scarcely any. The Indians gave us good- 

 humoured nods as they passed at full gallop, driving before 

 them a troop of horses, and followed by a train of lanky 

 dogs. 



September 12th and 13th. — I staid at this posta two days, 

 waiting for a troop of soldiers, which. General Rosas had the 

 kindness to send to inform me, would shortly travel to Buenos 

 Ayres ; and he advised me to take the opportunity of such 

 an escort. In the morning we rode to some neighbouring 

 hills to view the country, and to examine the geology. After 

 dinner the soldiers divided themselves into two parties for a 

 trial of skill with the bolas. Two spears were stuck in the 

 ground thirty-five yards apart, but they were struck and en- 

 tangled only once in four or five times. The balls can be 

 thrown fifty or sixty yards, but with little certainty. This, 

 however, does not apply to a man on horseback; for when 

 the speed of the horse is added to the force of the arm, it is 

 said, that they can be whirled with effect to the distance of 

 eighty yards.* In the middle of the day two men had ar- 



* As a proof of the force with which the balls are hurled, I may mention 

 an anecdote that happened at the Falkland Islands. At the time the 

 Spaniards murdered some of their own countrymen, and all the English- 

 men, a young Spaniard was running away, when a great tall Indian, by 

 name Luciano, came at full gallop after him, shouting to him to stop, and 

 saying that he only wanted to speak to him. Just as the Spaniard was on 

 the point of reaching the boat, Luciano threw the balls : they struck him 

 on the legs, with such a jerk, as to throw him down and to render him for 

 some time insensible. The man, after Luciano had had his talk, was al- 



VOL. III. K 



