THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE 



125 



we had not much success, there were some animated chases. 

 Soon after starting the party separated, and so arranged 

 .heir plans, that at a certain time of the day (in guessing 

 which they show much skill) they should all meet from dif- 

 ferent points of the compass on a plain piece of ground, 

 and thus drive together the wild animals. One day I went 

 out hunting at Bahia Blanca, but the men there merely rode 

 in a crescent, each being about a quarter of a mile apart 

 from the other. A fine male ostrich being turned by the 

 headmost riders, tried to escape on one side. The Gauchos 

 pursued at a reckless pace, twisting their horses about with 

 the most admirable command, and each man whirling the 

 balls round his head. At length the foremost threw them, 

 revolving through the air: in an instant the ostrich rolled 

 over and over, its legs fairly lashed together by the thong. 



The plains abound with three kinds of partridge, 8 two 

 of which are as large as hen pheasants. Their destroyer, 

 a small and pretty fox, was also singularly numerous; in 

 the course of the day we could not have seen less than forty 

 or fifty. They were generally near their earths, but the dogs 

 killed one. When we returned to the posta, we found two 

 of the party returned who had been hunting by themselves. 

 They had killed a puma, and had found an ostrich's nest with 

 twenty-seven eggs in it. Each of these is said to equal in 

 Weight eleven hen's eggs ; so that we obtained from this one 

 nest as much food as 297 hen's eggs would have given. 



September 14th. — As the soldiers belonging to the next 

 posta meant to return, and we should together make a party 

 of five, and all armed, I determined not to wait for the ex- 

 pected troops. My host, the lieutenant, pressed me much 

 to stop. As he had been very obliging — not only providing 

 me with food, but lending me his private horses— I wanted 

 to make him some remuneration. I asked my guide whether 

 I might do so, but he told me certainly not; that the only 

 answer I should receive, probably would be, " We have meat 

 for the dogs in our country, and therefore do not grudge it 

 to a Christian." It must not be supposed that the rank of 

 lieutenant in such an army would at all prevent the accept- 



8 Two species of Tinamus. and Eudromia elegans of A. d'Orbigny. which 

 can only be called a partridge with, regard to its habits. 



