Ill 
IGNORANCE OF THE PEOPLE 
43 
of various places. It excited the liveliest admiration that I, a 
perfect stranger, should know the road (for direction and road 
are synonymous in this open country) to places where I had 
never been. At one house a young woman who was ill in bed, 
sent to entreat me to come and show her the compass. If their 
surprise was great, mine was greater, to find such ignorance 
among people who possessed their thousands of cattle, and 
“ estancias ” of great extent. It can only be accounted for by 
the circumstance that this retired part of the country is seldom 
visited by foreigners. I was asked whether the earth or sun 
moved ; whether it was hotter or colder to the north ; where 
Spain was, and many other such questions. The greater 
number of the inhabitants had an indistinct idea that England, 
London, and North America, were different names for the same 
place ; but the better informed well knew that London and 
North America were separate countries close together, and that 
England was a large town in London ! I carried with me some 
promethean matches, which I ignited by biting ; it was thought 
so wonderful that a man should strike fire with his teeth, that 
it was usual to collect the whole family to see it: I was once 
offered a dollar for a single one. Washing my face in the 
morning caused much speculation at the village of Las Minas ; 
a superior tradesman closely cross-questioned me about so 
singular a practice ; and likewise why on board we wore our 
beards ; for he had heard from my guide that we did so. He 
eyed me with much suspicion ; perhaps he had heard of 
ablutions in the Mahomedan religion, and knowing me to be a 
heretic, probably he came to the conclusion that all heretics 
were Turks. It is the general custom in this country to ask for 
a night’s lodging at the first convenient house. The astonish¬ 
ment at the compass, and my other feats in jugglery, was to a 
certain degree advantageous, as with that, and the long stories 
my guides told of my breaking stones, knowing venomous 
from harmless snakes, collecting insects, etc., I repaid them for 
their hospitality. I am writing as if I had been among the 
inhabitants of Central Africa ; Banda Oriental would not 
be flattered by the comparison ; but such were my feelings at 
the time. 
The next day we rode to the village of Las Minas. The 
country was rather more hilly, but otherwise continued the 
