VIII 
CHARACTER OF THE GAUCHO 
165 
The number of the remains embedded in the grand estuary 
deposit which forms the Pampas and covers the granitic rocks 
of Banda Oriental, must be extraordinarily great. I believe a 
straight line drawn in any direction through the Pampas would 
cut through some skeleton or bones. Besides those which I 
found during my short excursions, I heard of many others, and 
the origin of such names as “ the stream of the animal,” “ the 
hill of the giant,” is obvious. At other times I heard of the 
marvellous property of certain rivers, which had the power of 
changing small bones into large ; or, as some maintained, 
the bones themselves grew. As far as I am aware, not one 
of these animals perished, as was formerly supposed, in the 
marshes or muddy river-beds of the present land, but their 
bones have been exposed by the streams intersecting the 
subaqueous deposit in which they were originally embedded. 
We may conclude that the whole area of the Pampas is one 
wide sepulchre of these extinct gigantic quadrupeds. 
By the middle of the day, on the 28th, we arrived at 
Monte Video, having been two days and a half on the 
road. The country for the whole way was of a very 
uniform character, some parts being rather more rocky and 
hilly than near the Plata. Not far from Monte Video we 
passed through the village of Las Pietras, so named from 
some large rounded masses of syenite. Its appearance 
was rather pretty. In this country a few fig-trees round 
a group of houses, and a site elevated a hundred feet above 
the general level, ought always to be called picturesque. 
During the last six months I have had an opportunity of 
seeing a little of the character of the inhabitants of these 
provinces. The Gauchos, or countrymen, are very superior to 
those who reside in the towns. The Gaucho is invariably 
most obliging, polite, and hospitable : I did not meet with even 
one instance of rudeness or inhospitality. He is modest, both 
respecting himself and country, but at the same time a spirited, 
bold fellow. On the other hand, many robberies are committed, 
and there is much bloodshed : the habit of constantly wearing 
the knife is the chief cause of the latter. It is lamentable to 
hear how many lives are lost in trifling quarrels. In fighting, 
each party tries to mark the face of his adversary by slashing 
