426 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



our host was no doubt true to the letter, for the sea- 

 son was late, and the brilliant birds we were seek- 

 ing had wended their way north ; but even of these, 

 with the knowledge we had acquired of localities, 

 two canoes, and good setters, in another day we 

 could have procured any number we wanted. For 

 mere sporting, such a ground is not often seen, and 

 the idea of a shooting lodge, or rather hut, on the 

 shores of Punta de Arenas for a few months in the 

 season, with a party large enough to consume the 

 game, presented itself almost as attractively as that 

 of exploring ruined cities. On our return, each of 

 us made a single shot, from which we picked up be- 

 tween thirty and forty birds, leaving others crippled 

 and hopping on the beach. We got back to the hut, 

 and tumbled them all into a dry pot (the feathers 

 being, of course, taken off), and sat down ourselves 

 to the business of dissection. With a finishing 

 touch from Doctor Cabot, I prepared a miserable 

 specimen of a beautiful bird, looking upon it, never- 

 theless, with great satisfaction as the memorial of 

 a remarkable place and an interesting adventure. 

 In the mean time, the birds on the fire were getting 

 on swimmingly, in a literal sense, giving decided 

 evidence touching the richness of their feeding- 

 grounds. We had only tortillas as an accompani- 

 ment, but neither we nor the birds had any reason 

 to complain. 



At four o'clock we took leave of our young host, 

 and at dark reached the port, and rode across the 



