FIRST DAY'S JOURNEY. 151 



trunks ; and when he scrambled up he kicked 

 them both off, and bolted away out of the 

 track. Luckily there was light enough to lasso 

 him, which the postilion immediately suc- 

 ceeded in doings and he was repacked. We 

 then resumed our twilight journey at a steadier 

 pace. It was evident that, with our three bag- 

 gage-horses, we should certainly meet with long 

 delays, as well in changing at every post as 

 from accidents on the road ; and we began to 

 consider how we might realize our boasted 

 intention of riding, in ten or twelve days, 

 nine hundred and thirty-six miles across the 

 Pampas. 



It was now quite dark, and the post-hut was 

 still some miles off. Our postilion soon lost 

 his way, and we should have come to a stand- 

 still, had not a gaucho, who chanced to be 

 walking near, arrived in time to point out 



