210 



CHARLES I3ARWIN 



for a few dry twigs, and these they rubbed into fibres ; then 

 surrounding them with coarser twigs, something like a bird's 

 nest, they put the rag with its spark of fire in the middle 

 and covered it up. The nest being then held up to the 

 wind, by degrees it smoked more and more, and at last 

 burst out in flames. I do not think any other method would 

 have had a chance of succeeding with such damp materials. 



jpth. — Each morning, from not having ridden for some 

 time previously, I was very stiff. I was surprised to hear 

 the Gauchos, who have from infancy almost lived on horse- 

 back, say that, under similar circumstances, they always 

 suffer. St. Jago told me, that having been confined for three 

 months by illness, he went out hunting wild cattle, and in 

 consequence, for the next two days, his thighs were so stiff 

 that he was obliged to lie in bed. This shows that the Gau- 

 chos, although they do not appear to do so, yet really must 

 exert much muscular effort in riding. The hunting wild 

 cattle, in a country so difficult to pass as this is on. account 

 of the swampy ground, must be very hard work. The 

 Gauchos say they often pass at full speed over ground which 

 would be impassable at a slower pace; in the same manner 

 as a man is able to skate over thin ice. When hunting, the 

 party endeavours to get as close as possible to the herd with- 

 out being discovered. Each man carries four or five pair of 

 the bolas; these he throws one after the other a,t as many 

 cattle, which, when once entangled, are left for some days, 

 till they become a little exhausted by hunger and struggling. 

 They are then let free and driven towards a small herd of 

 tame animals, which have been brought to the spot on pur- 

 pose. From their previous treatment, being too much ter- 

 rified to leave the herd, they are easily driven, if their 

 strength last out, to the settlement. 



The weather continued so very bad that we determined 

 to make a push, and try to reach the vessel before night. 

 From the quantity of rain which had fallen, the surface 

 of the whole country was swampy. I suppose my horse fell 

 at least a dozen times, and sometimes the whole six horses 

 were floundering in the mud together. All the little streams 

 are bordered by soft peat, which makes it very difficult for 

 the horses to leap them without falling. To complete our 



