PREPARATIONS FOR STARTING. 14? 



ner, yesterday, on our galloping expedition to 

 Mendoza. Although the excitement of making 

 the necessary preparations left one little time to 

 think of aught else, still I felt an uneasy sensa- 

 tion, and something more than an approach to 

 regret^ at having undertaken this journey, — 

 especially when I first threw my leg over a 

 sorry white nag, without shoes, and greatly 

 inclined to fall on his nose all the way out of 

 Buenos Ayres. I had fairly turned my back 

 upon the only persons in the new world on 

 whom I could depend for undeviating kindness, 

 to try the hospitality and the faith of strangers, 

 in quest of new adventures, and new acquaint- 

 ances ; and I fully persuaded myself how much 

 more pleasant it would have been to return to 

 England in the packet. 



When, however, I perceived that my horse 

 went better as he got excited, I yielded to the 

 h 2 



