FRIENDLY RECEPTION. 173 



man who seemed to be travelling with them. 

 On accosting this party, the officer, an active 

 well-looking man, shook hands with us, and 

 offered to order our horses at the next post, to 

 which he was going immediately ; being, as he 

 said, on his way from Buenos Ayres to St. Luis^ 

 to join his regiment. After thanking him, and 

 interchanging civil speeches, he rode off, and 

 we entered the house, where we found a de- 

 cently dressed, and well-mannered postmis- 

 tress, surrounded by her daughters, who were 

 tolerably good-looking. They received us with 

 great kindness, begged us to prolong our stay 

 over the night, and would take nothing in 

 return for an excellent dinner, with which they 

 provided us, excepting a prescription from the 

 doctor, for a son of the postmaster, who was 

 apparently in the last stage of consumption. 



