88 



CHARLES DARWIN 



Bahia Blanca scarcely deserves the name of a village. A 

 few houses and the barracks for the troops are enclosed by 

 a deep ditch and fortified wall. The settlement is only of 

 recent standing (since 1828) ; and its growth has been one of 

 trouble. The government of Buenos Ayres unjustly occu- 

 pied it by force, instead of following the wise example of the 

 Spanish Viceroys, who purchased the land near the older 

 settlement of the Rio Negro, from the Indians. Hence the 

 need of the fortifications; hence the few houses and little 

 cultivated land without the limits of the walls; even the 

 cattle are not safe from the attacks of the Indians beyond 

 the boundaries of the plain, on which the fortress stands. 



The part of the harbour where the Beagle intended to 

 anchor being distant twenty-five miles, I obtained from the 

 Commandant a guide and horses, to take me to see whether 

 she had arrived. Leaving the plain of green turf, which 

 extended along the course of a little brook, we soon entered 

 on a wide level waste consisting either of sand, saline 

 marshes, or bare mud. Some parts were clothed by low 

 thickets, and others with those succulent plants, which lux- 

 uriate only where salt abounds. Bad as the country was, 

 ostriches, deer, agoutis, and armadilloes, were abundant. My 

 guide told me, that two months before he had a most narrow 

 escape of his life: he was out hunting with two other men, 

 at no great distance from this part of the country, when they 

 were suddenly met by a party of Indians, who giving chase, 

 soon overtook and killed his two friends. His own horse's 

 legs were also caught by the bolas; but he jumped off, and 

 with his knife cut them free: while doing this he was obliged 

 to dodge round his horse, and received two severe wounds 

 from their chuzos. Springing on the saddle, he managed, by 

 a most wonderful exertion, just to keep ahead of the long 

 spears of his pursuers, who followed him to within sight of 

 the fort. From that time there was an order that no one 

 should stray far from the settlement. I did not know of this 

 when I started, and was surprised to observe how earnestly 

 my guide watched a deer, which appeared to have been 

 frightened from a distant quarter. 



We found the Beagle had not arrived, and consequently 

 set out on our return, but the horses soon tiring, we were 



