ThenextdaywerodetothevillageofLasMinas。Thecountrywasrathermorehilly，butotherwisecontinuedthesame；aninhabitantofthePampasnodoubtwouldhaveconsidereditastrulyAlpine。Thecountryissothinlyinhabited，thatduringthewholedaywescarcelymetasingleperson。LasMinasismuchsmallereventhanMaldonado。Itisseatedonalittleplain，andissurroundedbylowrockymountains。Itisoftheusualsymmetricalform，andwithitswhitewashedchurchstandinginthecentre，hadratheraprettyappearance。Theoutskirtinghousesroseoutoftheplainlikeisolatedbeings，withouttheaccompanimentofgardensorcourtyards。Thisisgenerallythecaseinthecountry，andallthehouseshave，inconsequenceanuncomfortableaspect。Atnightwestoppedatapulperia，ordrinking-shop。
　　DuringtheeveningagreatnumberofGauchoscameintodrinkspiritsandsmokecigars：theirappearanceisverystriking；theyaregenerallytallandhandsome，butwithaproudanddissoluteexpressionofcountenance。
　　Theyfrequentlyweartheirmoustachesandlongblackhaircurlingdowntheirbacks。Withtheirbrightlycolouredgarments，greatspursclankingabouttheirheels，andknivesstuckasdaggersandoftensousedattheirwaists，theylookaverydifferentraceofmenfromwhatmightbeexpectedfromtheirnameofGauchos，orsimplecountrymen。Theirpolitenessisexcessive；
　　theyneverdrinktheirspiritswithoutexpectingyoutotasteit；butwhilstmakingtheirexceedinglygracefulbow，theyseemquiteasready，ifoccasionoffered，tocutyourthroat。
　　Onthethirddaywepursuedratheranirregularcourse，asIwasemployedinexaminingsomebedsofmarble。OnthefineplainsofturfwesawmanyostrichesStruthiorhea。Someoftheflockscontainedasmanyastwentyorthirtybirds。These，whenstandingonanylittleeminence，andseenagainsttheclearsky，presentedaverynobleappearance。Inevermetwithsuchtameostrichesinanyotherpartofthecountry：itwaseasytogallopupwithinashortdistanceofthem；butthen，expandingtheirwings，theymadeallsailrightbeforethewind，andsoonleftthehorseastern。
　　AtnightwecametothehouseofDonJuanFuentes，arichlandedproprietor，butnotpersonallyknowntoeitherofmycompanions。Onapproachingthehouseofastranger，itisusualtofollowseverallittlepointsofetiquette：
　　ridingupslowlytothedoor，thesalutationofAveMariaisgiven，anduntilsomebodycomesoutandasksyoutoalight，itisnotcustomaryeventogetoffyourhorse：theformalansweroftheowneris，“sinpecadoconcebida“——
　　thatis，conceivedwithoutsin。Havingenteredthehouse，somegeneralconversationiskeptupforafewminutes，tillpermissionisaskedtopassthenightthere。Thisisgrantedasamatterofcourse。Thestrangerthentakeshismealswiththefamily，andaroomisassignedhim，wherewiththehorseclothsbelongingtohisrecadoorsaddleofthePampas
　　hemakeshisbed。Itiscurioushowsimilarcircumstancesproducesuchsimilarresultsinmanners。AttheCapeofGoodHopethesamehospitality，andverynearlythesamepointsofetiquette，areuniversallyobserved。
　　Thedifference，however，betweenthecharacteroftheSpaniardandthatoftheDutchboerisshown，bytheformerneveraskinghisguestasinglequestionbeyondthestrictestruleofpoliteness，whilstthehonestDutchmandemandswherehehasbeen，whereheisgoing，whatishisbusiness，andevenhowmanybrotherssisters，orchildrenhemayhappentohave。
　　ShortlyafterourarrivalatDonJuan’s，oneofthelargestherdsofcattlewasdrivenintowardsthehouse，andthreebeastswerepickedouttobeslaughteredforthesupplyoftheestablishment。Thesehalf-wildcattleareveryactive；andknowingfullwellthefatallazo，theyledthehorsesalongandlaboriouschase。Afterwitnessingtherudewealthdisplayedinthenumberofcattle，men，andhorses，DonJuan’smiserablehousewasquitecurious。Thefloorconsistedofhardenedmud，andthewindowswerewithoutglass；thesitting-roomboastedonlyofafewoftheroughestchairsandstools，withacoupleoftables。Thesupper，althoughseveralstrangerswerepresent，consistedoftwohugepiles，oneofroastbeef，theotherofboiled，withsomepiecesofpumpkin：besidesthislattertherewasnoothervegetable，andnotevenamorselofbread。Fordrinking，alargeearthenwarejugofwaterservedthewholeparty。Yetthismanwastheownerofseveralsquaremilesofland，ofwhichnearlyeveryacrewouldproducecorn，and，withalittletrouble，allthecommonvegetables。Theeveningwasspentinsmoking，withalittleimpromptusinging，accompaniedbytheguitar。Thesignoritasallsattogetherinonecorneroftheroom，anddidnotsupwiththemen。
　　Somanyworkshavebeenwrittenaboutthesecountries，thatitisalmostsuperfluoustodescribeeitherthelazoorthebolas。Thelazoconsistsofaverystrong，butthin，well-plaitedrope，madeofrawhide。Oneendisattachedtothebroadsurcingle，whichfastenstogetherthecomplicatedgearoftherecado，orsaddleusedinthePampas；theotheristerminatedbyasmallringofironorbrass，bywhichanoosecanbeformed。TheGaucho，whenheisgoingtousethelazo，keepsasmallcoilinhisbridle-hand，andintheotherholdstherunningnoosewhichismadeverylarge，generallyhavingadiameterofabouteightfeet。Thishewhirlsroundhishead，andbythedexterousmovementofhiswristkeepsthenooseopen；then，throwingit，hecausesittofallonanyparticularspothechooses。Thelazo，whennotused，istiedupinasmallcoiltotheafterpartoftherecado。Thebolas，orballs，areoftwokinds：thesimplest，whichischieflyusedforcatchingostriches，consistsoftworoundstones，coveredwithleather，andunitedbyathinplaitedthong，abouteightfeetlong。Theotherkinddiffersonlyinhavingthreeballsunitedbythethongstoacommoncentre。
　　TheGauchoholdsthesmallestofthethreeinhishand，andwhirlstheothertworoundandroundhishead；then，takingaim，sendsthemlikechainshotrevolvingthroughtheair。Theballsnosoonerstrikeanyobject，than，windingroundit，theycrosseachother，andbecomefirmlyhitched。
　　Thesizeandweightoftheballsvary，accordingtothepurposeforwhichtheyaremade：whenofstone，althoughnotlargerthananapple，theyaresentwithsuchforceassometimestobreakthelegevenofahorse。Ihaveseentheballsmadeofwood，andaslargeasaturnip，forthesakeofcatchingtheseanimalswithoutinjuringthem。Theballsaresometimesmadeofiron，andthesecanbehurledtothegreatestdistance。Themaindifficultyinusingeitherlazoorbolasistoridesowellastobeableatfullspeed，andwhilesuddenlyturningabout，towhirlthemsosteadilyroundthehead，astotakeaim：onfootanypersonwouldsoonlearntheart。
　　Oneday，asIwasamusingmyselfbygallopingandwhirlingtheballsroundmyhead，byaccidentthefreeonestruckabush，anditsrevolvingmotionbeingthusdestroyed，itimmediatelyfelltotheground，and，likemagic，caughtonehindlegofmyhorse；theotherballwasthenjerkedoutofmyhand，andthehorsefairlysecured。Luckilyhewasanoldpractisedanimal，andknewwhatitmeant；otherwisehewouldprobablyhavekickedtillhehadthrownhimselfdown。TheGauchosroaredwithlaughter；theycriedoutthattheyhadseeneverysortofanimalcaught，buthadneverbeforeseenamancaughtbyhimself。
　　Duringthetwosucceedingdays，IreachedthefurthestpointwhichI
　　wasanxioustoexamine。Thecountryworethesameaspect，tillatlastthefinegreenturfbecamemorewearisomethanadustyturnpikeroad。WeeverywheresawgreatnumbersofpartridgesNothuramajor。Thesebirdsdonotgoincoveys，nordotheyconcealthemselvesliketheEnglishkind。
　　Itappearsaverysillybird。Amanonhorsebackbyridingroundandroundinacircle，orratherinaspire，soastoapproachclosereachtime，mayknockontheheadasmanyashepleases。Themorecommonmethodistocatchthemwitharunningnoose，orlittlelazo，madeofthestemofanostrich’sfeather，fastenedtotheendofalongstick。Aboyonaquietoldhorsewillfrequentlythuscatchthirtyorfortyinaday。InArcticNorthAmerica[1]theIndianscatchtheVaryingHarebywalkingspirallyroundandroundit，whenonitsform：themiddleofthedayisreckonedthebesttime，whenthesunishigh，andtheshadowofthehunternotverylong。
　　OnourreturntoMaldonado，wefollowedratheradifferentlineofroad。
　　NearPandeAzucar，alandmarkwellknowntoallthosewhohavesailedupthePlata，IstayedadayatthehouseofamosthospitableoldSpaniard。
　　EarlyinthemorningweascendedtheSierradelasAnimas。Bytheaidoftherisingsunthescenerywasalmostpicturesque。TothewestwardtheviewextendedoveranimmenselevelplainasfarastheMount，atMonteVideo，andtotheeastward，overthemammillatedcountryofMaldonado。
　　Onthesummitofthemountaintherewereseveralsmallheapsofstones，whichevidentlyhadlainthereformanyyears。MycompanionassuredmethattheyweretheworkoftheIndiansintheoldtime。Theheapsweresimilar，butonamuchsmallerscale，tothosesocommonlyfoundonthemountainsofWales。Thedesiretosignalizeanyevent，onthehighestpointoftheneighbouringland，seemsanuniversalpassionwithmankind。Atthepresentday，notasingleIndian，eithercivilizedorwild，existsinthispartoftheprovince；noramIawarethattheformerinhabitantshaveleftbehindthemanymorepermanentrecordsthantheseinsignificantpilesonthesummitoftheSierradelasAnimas。
　　Thegeneral，andalmostentireabsenceoftreesinBandaOrientalisremarkable。Someoftherockyhillsarepartlycoveredbythickets，andonthebanksofthelargerstreams，especiallytothenorthofLasMinas，willow-treesarenotuncommon。NeartheArroyoTapesIheardofawoodofpalms；andoneofthesetrees，ofconsiderablesize，IsawnearthePandeAzucar，inlat。35degs。These，andthetreesplantedbytheSpaniards，offertheonlyexceptionstothegeneralscarcityofwood。Amongtheintroducedkindsmaybeenumeratedpoplars，olives，peach，andotherfruittrees：
　　thepeachessucceedsowell，thattheyaffordthemainsupplyoffirewoodtothecityofBuenosAyres。Extremelylevelcountries，suchasthePampas，seldomappearfavourabletothegrowthoftrees。Thismaypossiblybeattributedeithertotheforceofthewinds，orthekindofdrainage。Inthenatureoftheland，however，aroundMaldonado，nosuchreasonisapparent；therockymountainsaffordprotectedsituations；enjoyingvariouskindsofsoil；streamletsofwaterarecommonatthebottomsofnearlyeveryvalley；
　　andtheclayeynatureoftheearthseemsadaptedtoretainmoisture。Ithasbeeninferredwithmuchprobability，thatthepresenceofwoodlandisgenerallydetermined[2]bytheannualamountofmoisture；yetinthisprovinceabundantandheavyrainfallsduringthewinter；andthesummer，thoughdry，isnotsoinanyexcessivedegree。[3]WeseenearlythewholeofAustraliacoveredbyloftytrees，yetthatcountrypossessesafarmorearidclimate。Hencewemustlooktosomeotherandunknowncause。
　　ConfiningourviewtoSouthAmerica，weshouldcertainlybetemptedtobelievethattreesflourishedonlyunderaveryhumidclimate；forthelimitoftheforest-landfollows，inamostremarkablemanner，thatofthedampwinds。Inthesouthernpartofthecontinent，wherethewesterngales，chargedwithmoisturefromthePacific，prevail，everyislandonthebrokenwestcoast，fromlat。38degs。totheextremepointofTierradelFuego，isdenselycoveredbyimpenetrableforests。OntheeasternsideoftheCordillera，overthesameextentoflatitude，whereablueskyandafineclimateprovethattheatmospherehasbeendeprivedofitsmoisturebypassingoverthemountains，thearidplainsofPatagoniasupportamostscantyvegetation。Inthemorenorthernpartsofthecontinent，withinthelimitsoftheconstantsouth-easterntrade-wind，theeasternsideisornamentedbymagnificentforests；whilstthewesterncoast，fromlat。