Ill 
POINTS OF ETIQUETTE 
45 
until somebody comes out and asks you to alight, it is not 
customary even to get off your horse : the formal answer of the 
owner is, “ sin pecado concebida ”—that is, conceived without 
sin. Having entered the house, some general conversation is 
kept up for a few minutes, till permission is asked to pass the 
night there. This is granted as a matter of course. The 
stranger then takes his meals with the family, and a room is 
assigned him, where with the horsecloths belonging to his recado 
(or saddle of the Pampas) he makes his bed. It is curious how 
similar circumstances produce such similar results in manners. 
At the Cape of Good Hope the same hospitality, and very 
nearly the same points of etiquette, are universally observed. 
The difference, however, between the character of the Spaniard 
and that of the Dutch boor is shown, by the former never ask¬ 
ing his guest a single question beyond the strictest rule of 
politeness, whilst the honest Dutchman demands where he 
has been, where he is going, what is his business, and even 
how many brothers, sisters, or children he may happen to have. 
Shortly after our arrival at Don Juan’s one of the large 
herds of cattle was driven in towards the house, and three 
beasts were picked out to be slaughtered for the supply of the 
establishment. These half-wild cattle are very active ; and 
knowing full well the fatal lazo, they led the horses a long and 
laborious chase. After witnessing the rude wealth displayed in 
the number of cattle, men, and horses, Don Juan’s miserable 
house was quite curious. The floor consisted of hardened mud, 
and the windows were without glass ; the sitting-room boasted 
only of a few of the roughest chairs and stools, with a couple 
of tables. The supper, although several strangers were present, 
consisted of two huge piles, one of roast beef, the other of 
boiled, with some pieces of pumpkin : besides this latter there 
was no other vegetable, and not even a morsel of bread. For 
drinking, a large earthenware jug of water served the whole 
party. Yet this man was the owner of several square miles of 
land, of which nearly every acre would produce corn, and, with 
a little trouble, all the common vegetables. The evening was 
spent in smoking, with a little impromptu singing, accompanied 
by the guitar. The signoritas all sat together in one corner of 
the room, and did not sup with the men. 
So many works have been written about these countries, 
