THE PAMPAS. 



189 



attentive, and willing to make us comfortable. 

 The old lady was lost in admiration at the 

 clean and fine sheets I had brought with me, 

 and uttered exclamations of wonder at the 

 goodliness and costliness of our apparel — a 

 proof of the simplicity and ignorance of these 

 people, and of how totally cut off they are from 

 all approaches to luxury, and even to comfort. 

 The mosquitoes annoyed us here more than 

 usual, and we could hardly take up a spoonful 

 of broth without suffering from their attacks ; 

 nor, indeed, could our hands be safely engaged 

 in any other labour but that of flapping them 

 away. As Don Joachim rolled himself up in 

 his cloak, and laid down for the night on his 

 saddle-cloths outside the hut, I heard him 

 muttering to himself — " Gtuien sabe se no 

 vendran los Indios antes la manana }" (Who 

 knows if the Indians will not come down 



