THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE 



123 



going to a salina for salt. The Indians eat much salt, their 

 children sucking it like sugar. This habit is very different 

 from that of the Spanish Gauchos, who, leading the same 

 kind of life, eat scarcely any; according to Mungo Park, 2 

 it is people who live on vegetable food who have an uncon- 

 querable desire for salt The Indians gave us good-humoured 

 nods as they passed at full gallop, driving before them a 

 troop of horses, and followed by a train of lanky dogs. 



September 12th and 13th. — I stayed at this posta two days, 

 waiting for a troop of soldiers, which General Rosas had 

 the kindness to send to inform me, would shortly travel to 

 Buenos Ayres; and he advised me to take the opportunity 

 of the escort. In the morning we rode to some neighbouring 

 hills to view the country, and to examine the geology. After- 

 dinner the soldiers divided themselves into two parties for 

 a trial of skill with the bolas. Two spears were stuck in 

 the ground twenty-five yards apart, but they were struck 

 and entangled only once in four or five times. The balls can 

 be thrown fifty or sixty yards, but with little certainty. This, 

 however, does not apply to a man on horseback; for when 

 the speed of the horse is added to the force of the arm, it 

 is said, that they can be whirled with effect to the distance 

 of eighty yards. As a proof of their force, I may mention, 

 that at the Falkland Islands, when the Spaniards murdered 

 some of their own countrymen and aH the Englishmen, a 

 young friendly Spaniard was running away, when a great 

 tall man, by name Luciano, came at full gallop after him, 

 shouting to him to stop, and saying that he pnly wanted to 

 speak to him. Just as the Spaniard was on the point of 

 reaching the boat, Luciano threw the balls: they struck him 

 on the legs with such a jerk, as to throw him down and 

 to render him for some time insensible. The man, after 

 Luciano had had his talk, was allowed to escape. He told 

 us that his legs were marked by great weals, where the thong 

 had wound round, as if he had been flogged with a whip. 

 In the middle of the day two men arrived, who brought a 

 parcel from the next posta to be forwarded to the general : 

 so that besides these two, our party consisted this evening 

 of my guide and self, the lieutenant, and his four soldiers. 

 8 Travels in Africa, p. 233. 



