第13章

Thevegetationisscanty；andalthoughtherearebushesofmanykinds，allarearmedwithformidablethorns，whichseemtowarnthestrangernottoenterontheseinhospitableregions。

Thesettlementissituatedeighteenmilesuptheriver。Theroadfollowsthefootoftheslopingcliff，whichformsthenorthernboundaryofthegreatvalley，inwhichtheRioNegroflows。Onthewaywepassedtheruinsofsomefine“estancias。”whichafewyearssincehadbeendestroyedbytheIndians。Theywithstoodseveralattacks。Amanpresentatonegavemeaverylivelydescriptionofwhattookplace。Theinhabitantshadsufficientnoticetodriveallthecattleandhorsesintothe“corral“[1]whichsurroundedthehouse，andlikewisetomountsomesmallcannon。TheIndianswereAraucaniansfromthesouthofChile；severalhundredsinnumber，andhighlydisciplined。Theyfirstappearedintwobodiesonaneighbouringhill；havingtheredismounted，andtakenofftheirfurmantles，theyadvancednakedtothecharge。TheonlyweaponofanIndianisaverylongbambooorchuzo，ornamentedwithostrichfeathers，andpointedbyasharpspearhead。

Myinformerseemedtorememberwiththegreatesthorrorthequiveringofthesechuzosastheyapproachednear。Whenclose，thecaciquePincheirahailedthebesiegedtogiveuptheirarms，orhewouldcutalltheirthroats。

Asthiswouldprobablyhavebeentheresultoftheirentranceunderanycircumstances，theanswerwasgivenbyavolleyofmusketry。TheIndians，withgreatsteadiness，cametotheveryfenceofthecorral：buttotheirsurprisetheyfoundthepostsfastenedtogetherbyironnailsinsteadofleatherthongs，and，ofcourse，invainattemptedtocutthemwiththeirknives。ThissavedthelivesoftheChristians：manyofthewoundedIndianswerecarriedawaybytheircompanions，andatlast，oneoftheundercaciquesbeingwounded，thebuglesoundedaretreat。Theyretiredtotheirhorses，andseemedtoholdacouncilofwar。ThiswasanawfulpausefortheSpaniards，asalltheirammunition，withtheexceptionofafewcartridges，wasexpended。

InaninstanttheIndiansmountedtheirhorses，andgallopedoutofsight。

Anotherattackwasstillmorequicklyrepulsed。AcoolFrenchmanmanagedthegun；hestoppedtilltheIndiansapproachedclose，andthenrakedtheirlinewithgrape-shot：hethuslaidthirty-nineofthemontheground；and，ofcourse，suchablowimmediatelyroutedthewholeparty。

ThetownisindifferentlycalledElCarmenorPatagones。Itisbuiltonthefaceofacliffwhichfrontstheriver，andmanyofthehousesareexcavatedeveninthesandstone。Theriverisabouttwoorthreehundredyardswide，andisdeepandrapid。Themanyislands，withtheirwillow-trees，andtheflatheadlands，seenonebehindtheotheronthenorthernboundaryofthebroadgreenvalley，form，bytheaidofabrightsun，aviewalmostpicturesque。Thenumberofinhabitantsdoesnotexceedafewhundreds。

TheseSpanishcoloniesdonot，likeourBritishones，carrywithinthemselvestheelementsofgrowth。ManyIndiansofpurebloodresidehere：thetribeoftheCaciqueLucaneeconstantlyhavetheirToldos[2]ontheoutskirtsofthetown。Thelocalgovernmentpartlysuppliesthemwithprovisions，bygivingthemalltheoldworn-outhorses，andtheyearnalittlebymakinghorse-rugsandotherarticlesofriding-gear。TheseIndiansareconsideredcivilized；butwhattheircharactermayhavegainedbyalesserdegreeofferocity，isalmostcounterbalancedbytheirentireimmorality。Someoftheyoungermenare，however，improving；theyarewillingtolabour，andashorttimesinceapartywentonasealing-voyage，andbehavedverywell。Theywerenowenjoyingthefruitsoftheirlabour，bybeingdressedinverygay，cleanclothes，andbybeingveryidle。Thetastetheyshowedintheirdresswasadmirable；ifyoucouldhaveturnedoneoftheseyoungIndiansintoastatueofbronze，hisdraperywouldhavebeenperfectlygraceful。

OnedayIrodetoalargesalt-lake，orSalina，whichisdistantfifteenmilesfromthetown。Duringthewinteritconsistsofashallowlakeofbrine，whichinsummerisconvertedintoafieldofsnow-whitesalt。Thelayernearthemarginisfromfourtofiveinchesthick，buttowardsthecentreitsthicknessincreases。Thislakewastwoandahalfmileslong，andonebroad。Othersoccurintheneighbourhoodmanytimeslarger，andwithafloorofsalt，twoandthreefeetinthickness，evenwhenunderwaterduringthewinter。Oneofthesebrilliantlywhiteandlevelexpansesinthemidstofthebrownanddesolateplain，offersanextraordinaryspectacle。

Alargequantityofsaltisannuallydrawnfromthesalina：andgreatpiles，somehundredtonsinweight，werelyingreadyforexportation。TheseasonforworkingthesalinasformstheharvestofPatagones；foronittheprosperityoftheplacedepends。Nearlythewholepopulationencampsonthebankoftheriver，andthepeopleareemployedindrawingoutthesaltinbullock-waggons，Thissaltiscrystallizedingreatcubes，andisremarkablypure：Mr。TrenhamReekshaskindlyanalyzedsomeforme，andhefindsinitonly0。26ofgypsumand0。22ofearthymatter。Itisasingularfact，thatitdoesnotservesowellforpreservingmeatassea-saltfromtheCapedeVerdislands；

andamerchantatBuenosAyrestoldmethatheconsidereditasfiftypercent。lessvaluable。HencetheCapedeVerdsaltisconstantlyimported，andismixedwiththatfromthesesalinas。ThepurityofthePatagoniansalt，orabsencefromitofthoseothersalinebodiesfoundinallsea-water，istheonlyassignablecauseforthisinferiority：aconclusionwhichnoone，Ithink，wouldhavesuspected，butwhichissupportedbythefactlatelyascertained，[3]thatthosesaltsanswerbestforpreservingcheesewhichcontainmostofthedeliquescentchlorides。

Theborderofthislakeisformedofmud：andinthisnumerouslargecrystalsofgypsum，someofwhicharethreeincheslong，lieembedded；

whilstonthesurfaceothersofsulphateofsodaliescatteredabout。TheGauchoscalltheformerthe“Padredelsal。”andthelatterthe“Madre；“

theystatethattheseprogenitivesaltsalwaysoccuronthebordersofthesalinas，whenthewaterbeginstoevaporate。Themudisblack，andhasafetidodour。Icouldnotatfirstimaginethecauseofthis，butIafterwardsperceivedthatthefrothwhichthewinddriftedonshorewascolouredgreen，asifbyconfervae；Iattemptedtocarryhomesomeofthisgreenmatter，butfromanaccidentfailed。Partsofthelakeseenfromashortdistanceappearedofareddishcolour，andthisperhapswasowingtosomeinfusorialanimalcula。Themudinmanyplaceswasthrownupbynumbersofsomekindofworm，orannelidousanimal。Howsurprisingitisthatanycreaturesshouldbeabletoexistinbrine，andthattheyshouldbecrawlingamongcrystalsofsulphateofsodaandlime！Andwhatbecomesofthesewormswhen，duringthelongsummer，thesurfaceishardenedintoasolidlayerofsalt？Flamingoesinconsiderablenumbersinhabitthislake，andbreedhere，throughoutPatagonia，inNorthernChile，andattheGalapagosIslands，Imetwiththesebirdswherevertherewerelakesofbrine。Isawthemherewadingaboutinsearchoffood——probablyforthewormswhichburrowinthemud；andtheselatterprobablyfeedoninfusoriaorconfervae。Thuswehavealittlelivingworldwithinitselfadaptedtotheseinlandlakesofbrine。Aminutecrustaceousanimal(Cancersalinus)

issaid[4]toliveincountlessnumbersinthebrine-pansatLymington：butonlyinthoseinwhichthefluidhasattained，fromevaporation，considerablestrength——namely，aboutaquarterofapoundofsalttoapintofwater。Wellmayweaffirmthateverypartoftheworldishabitable！

Whetherlakesofbrine，orthosesubterraneanoneshiddenbeneathvolcanicmountains——warmmineralsprings——thewideexpanseanddepthsoftheoceantheupperregionsoftheatmosphere，andeventhesurfaceofperpetualsnowallsupportorganicbeings。

TothenorthwardoftheRioNegro，betweenitandtheinhabitedcountrynearBuenosAyres，theSpaniardshaveonlyonesmallsettlement，recentlyestablishedatBahiaBlanca。ThedistanceinastraightlinetoBuenosAyresisverynearlyfivehundredBritishmiles。ThewanderingtribesofhorseIndians，whichhavealwaysoccupiedthegreaterpartofthiscountry，havingoflatemuchharassedtheoutlyingestancias，thegovernmentatBuenosAyresequippedsometimesinceanarmyunderthecommandofGeneralRosasforthepurposeofexterminatingthem。ThetroopswerenowencampedonthebanksoftheColorado；ariverlyingabouteightymilesnorthwardoftheRioNegroWhenGeneralRosasleftBuenosAyreshestruckinadirectlineacrosstheunexploredplains：andasthecountrywasthusprettywellclearedofIndians，heleftbehindhim，atwideintervals，asmallpartyofsoldierswithatroopofhorses(aposta)，soastobeenabledtokeepupacommunicationwiththecapital。AstheBeagleintendedtocallatBahiaBlanca，Ideterminedtoproceedtherebyland；andultimatelyIextendedmyplantotravelthewholewaybythepostastoBuenosAyres。

August11th——Mr。Harris，anEnglishmanresidingatPatagones，aguide，andfiveGauchoswhowereproceedingtothearmyonbusiness，weremycompanionsonthejourney。TheColorado，asIhavealreadysaid，isnearlyeightymilesdistant：andaswetravelledslowly，weweretwodaysandahalfontheroad。Thewholelineofcountrydeservesscarcelyabetternamethanthatofadesert。Waterisfoundonlyintwosmallwells；itiscalledfresh；butevenatthistimeoftheyear，duringtherainyseason，itwasquitebrackish。Inthesummerthismustbeadistressingpassage；fornowitwassufficientlydesolate。ThevalleyoftheRioNegro，broadasitis，hasmerelybeenexcavatedoutofthesandstoneplain；forimmediatelyabovethebankonwhichthetownstands，alevelcountrycommences，whichisinterruptedonlybyafewtriflingvalleysanddepressions。Everywherethelandscapewearsthesamesterileaspect；adrygravellysoilsupportstuftsofbrownwitheredgrass，andlowscatteredbushes，armedwiththorns。

Shortlyafterpassingthefirstspringwecameinsightofafamoustree，whichtheIndiansreverenceasthealtarofWalleechu。Itissituatedonahighpartoftheplain；andhenceisalandmarkvisibleatagreatdistance。AssoonasatribeofIndianscomeinsightofit，theyoffertheiradorationsbyloudshouts。Thetreeitselfislow，muchbranched，andthorny：justabovetherootithasadiameterofaboutthreefeet。

Itstandsbyitselfwithoutanyneighbour，andwasindeedthefirsttreewesaw；afterwardswemetwithafewothersofthesamekind，buttheywerefarfromcommon。Beingwinterthetreehadnoleaves，butintheirplacenumberlessthreads，bywhichthevariousofferings，suchascigars，bread，meat，piecesofcloth，etc。，hadbeensuspended。PoorIndians，nothavinganythingbetter，onlypullathreadoutoftheirponchos，andfastenittothetree。RicherIndiansareaccustomedtopourspiritsandmateintoacertainhole，andlikewisetosmokeupwards，thinkingthustoaffordallpossiblegratificationtoWalleechu。Tocompletethescene，thetreewassurroundedbythebleachedbonesofhorseswhichhadbeenslaughteredassacrifices。AllIndiansofeveryageandsexmaketheirofferings；theythenthinkthattheirhorseswillnottire，andthattheythemselvesshallbeprosperous。TheGauchowhotoldmethis，saidthatinthetimeofpeacehehadwitnessedthisscene，andthatheandothersusedtowaittilltheIndianshadpassedby，forthesakeofstealingfromWalleechutheofferings。

TheGauchosthinkthattheIndiansconsiderthetreeasthegoditself，butitseemsformoreprobablethattheyregarditasthealtar。TheonlycausewhichIcanimagineforthischoice，isitsbeingalandmarkinadangerouspassage。TheSierradelaVentanaisvisibleatanimmensedistance；

andaGauchotoldmethathewasonceridingwithanIndianafewmilestothenorthoftheRioColoradowhentheIndiancommencedmakingthesameloudnoisewhichisusualatthefirstsightofthedistanttree，puttinghishandtohishead，andthenpointinginthedirectionoftheSierra。

Uponbeingaskedthereasonofthis，theIndiansaidinbrokenSpanish，“FirstseetheSierra。”Abouttwoleaguesbeyondthiscurioustreewehaltedforthenight：atthisinstantanunfortunatecowwasspiedbythelynx-eyedGauchos，whosetoffinfullchase，andinafewminutesdraggedherinwiththeirlazos，andslaughteredher。Weherehadthefournecessariesoflife“enelcampo。”——pastureforthehorses，water(onlyamuddypuddle)，meatandfirewood。TheGauchoswereinhighspiritsatfindingalltheseluxuries；andwesoonsettoworkatthepoorcow。ThiswasthefirstnightwhichIpassedundertheopensky，withthegearoftherecadoformybed。

ThereishighenjoymentintheindependenceoftheGaucholife——tobeableatanymomenttopullupyourhorse，andsay，“Herewewillpassthenight。”Thedeath-likestillnessoftheplain，thedogskeepingwatch，thegipsy-groupofGauchosmakingtheirbedsroundthefire，haveleftinmymindastrongly-markedpictureofthisfirstnight，whichwillneverbeforgotten。

Thenextdaythecountrycontinuedsimilartothatabovedescribed。

Itisinhabitedbyfewbirdsoranimalsofanykind。Occasionallyadeer，oraGuanaco(wildLlama)maybeseen；buttheAgouti(CaviaPatagonica)

isthecommonestquadruped。Thisanimalhererepresentsourhares。Itdiffers，however，fromthatgenusinmanyessentialrespects；forinstance，ithasonlythreetoesbehind。Itisalsonearlytwicethesize，weighingfromtwentytotwenty-fivepounds。TheAgoutiisatruefriendofthedesert；

itisacommonfeatureofthelandscapetoseetwoorthreehoppingquicklyoneaftertheotherinastraightlineacrossthesewildplains。TheyarefoundasfarnorthastheSierraTapalguen(lat。37degs。30’)，wheretheplainrathersuddenlybecomesgreenerandmorehumid；andtheirsouthernlimitisbetweenPortDesireandSt。Julian，wherethereisnochangeinthenatureofthecountry。Itisasingularfact，thatalthoughtheAgoutiisnotnowfoundasfarsouthasPortSt。Julian，yetthatCaptainWood，inhisvoyagein1670，talksofthemasbeingnumerousthere。Whatcausecanhavealtered，inawide，uninhabited，andrarely-visitedcountry，therangeofananimallikethis？Itappearsalso，fromthenumbershotbyCaptainWoodinonedayatPortDesire，thattheymusthavebeenconsiderablymoreabundantthereformerlythanatpresent。WheretheBizcachalivesandmakesitsburrows，theAgoutiusesthem；butwhere，asatBahiaBlanca，theBizcachaisnotfound，theAgoutiburrowsforitself。ThesamethingoccurswiththelittleowlofthePampas(Athenecunicularia)，whichhassooftenbeendescribedasstandinglikeasentinelatthemouthoftheburrows；forinBandaOriental，owingtotheabsenceoftheBizcacha，itisobligedtohollowoutitsownhabitation。

Thenextmorning，asweapproachedtheRioColorado，theappearanceofthecountrychanged；wesooncameonaplaincoveredwithturf，which，fromitsflowers，tallclover，andlittleowls，resembledthePampas。Wepassedalsoamuddyswampofconsiderableextent，whichinsummerdries，andbecomesincrustedwithvarioussalts；andhenceiscalledasalitral。