Part 28 (1/2)

Being all so fresh, we deter day's journey of it So, as soon as we had left the glen entirely and disappeared a the sand dunes, we let our horses have their heads, the _capataz_ Gaucho riding on ahead on a splendidas a stallion and as lithe as a Scottish deerhound

Not long before our start for the hunting grounds men had arrived froreatest dainty to ht with them was a quantity of _Yerba mate_, as it is called It is the dried leaves of a species of Patagonian ilex, which is used in this country as tea, and very delightful and soothing it is This was to be our drink during all our tour More refreshi+ng than tea, less exciting than wine, it not only seeorate the body Drunk war of tiredness passes away, and one is disposed to look at the bright side of life, and that alone

We caround nearly fortyday's journey in so rough a country, but we had a difficulty earlier in the afternoon in finding water Here, however, was a streas in the _sierras_ that lay to the west of us at no very great distance Behind these jagged hills the sun was slowly setting e erected our tents

The ground chosen was at soravel The cacti that grew on two sides of us were of gigantic height, and ribboned or edged with the most beautiful flowers Our horses and mules were hobbled and led to the streareen and plentiful all along its banks

A fire was quickly built and our great stewpan put on We had already killed our dinner in the shape of a small deer or fahich had crossed our path on the plains lower down With biscuits, of which we had a store, some curry, roots, which the Gauchos had found, and a handful or two of rice, we soon had a dinner ready, the very flavour of which would have been enough toman eat

The dogs sat around us and around the Gauchos as we dined, and, it must be allowed, behaved in a ether They reyhounds, and desired to show it in as calnified a manner as possible

After dinner sentries were set, one being reat fear of their sta, but we had promised Moncrieff to run as little risk of any kind as possible on this journey, and therefore coood as our word

The best Gauchos had been chosen for us, and every one of thelish after a fashi+on, especially our bold but not handsome _capataz_, or _cacique_ Ya out the _mate_ This put us all in excellent humour and the best of spirits As we felt therefore as happy as one could wish to be, ere not surprised when the _capataz_ proposed a little music

'It is the pampas fashi+on, senor,' he said to ?' I said

'Play and sing?' he replied, at once producing his guitar, which lay in a bag not far off '_Si_, senor, I will play and sing for you If you bid ht I shall cook for you; when de opportunity coht for you I ahted to be so'

'Thank you, my _capataz_; I have no doubt you are a very excellent fellow'

'Oh, senor, do not flatter yourself toosenors I care, but for the sake of the dear , _capataz_,' I said, 'and talk after'

To our surprise, not one but three guitars were handed out, and the songs and htful to listen to

Then our Sandie Donaldson, after handing his cup to be replenished, sang, _Ye banks and braes_ withand in fine uitars gave excellent acco to conversational story-telling the transition was easy To be sure, neither my brothers nor I nor Archie had much to tell, but some of the experiences of the Gauchos, and especially those of our _capataz_, were thrilling in the extreme, and we never doubted their truth

But noas time for bed, and we returned to the tents and lit our lauanaco robe, our saddles turned upside down ood a pillow as any one could wish

We had now the satisfaction of knowing sorip-sack of Archie's So judge of our surprise when this wonderful London cousin of ours first produced a large jar of what he called mosquito cream, and proceeded to smear his face and hands with the odorous coht at Buenos Ayres, and it is warranted to keep all pas or four, six legs or sixty Have a rub, Dugald?'

'Not I,' cried Dugald 'Why, h to kill bees'

Archie proceeded with his preparations Before enshrouding hie waterproof canvas sack and fastened it tightly round his chest He next produced a hooped head-dress I know no other name for it

'It is an invention of my own,' said Archie, proudly, 'and is, as you see, composed of hoops of wire--'

'Like a lady's crinoline,' said Dugald