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Show 128 SIERRA VENTANA. Sept. 1833. a relish. That the danger was very little was certain, for my two companions made a good fire-a thing which is never done when it is suspected that Indians are near. I reached the place of our bivouac by sunset, and drinking much mate, and smoking several cigaritos, soon made up my bed for the night. The wind was very strong and cold, but I never slept more comfortably. SEPTEMBER lOTH.-In the morning, having fairly scudded before the gale, we arrived by the middle of the day at the Sauce posta. On the road we saw great numbers of deer, and near the mountain a guanaco. The plain, that abuts against the Sierra, is traversed by some curious gullies, of which one was about twenty feet wide, and at least thirty deep; we were obliged in consequence to make a considerable circuit, before we could find a pass. We staid the night at the posta, the conversation, as was generally the case, being about the Indians. The Sierra V entana was formerly a great place of resort; and three or four years ago there was much fighting here. My guide had been present when many men were killed : the women escaped to the top of the ridge, and fought most desperately with big stones ; many thus saving themselves. SEPTEMBER 11TH.-Proceeded to the third posta in com-pany with the lieutenant who commanded it. The distance is called fifteen leagues ; but it is only guess-work and is generally overstated. The road was uninteresting, over a dry grassy plain ; and on our left hand at a greater or less distance there were some low hills; a chain of which, we crossed close to the posta. Before our arrival, we met a large herd of cattle and horses, guarded by fifteen soldiers ; but we were told many had been lost. It is very difficult to drive animals across the plains ; for if in the night a lion, or even a fox, approaches, nothing can prevent the horses dispersing in every direction ; and a storm will have the same effect. A short time since, an officer left Buenos Ayres with 500 horses, and when he arrived at the army he had under twenty. Soon afterwards we perceived by the cloud of dust, that a Sept. 1833. INDIANS. 129 party of hor.s emen were coming t owar d sus. whe r d' my com· pamons knew them to b e I n d'I ans b' th n· Ia1r Istant streammg behind their backs. The I . ' y eir ong hair fillet round their heads b t ndians generally have a ' u never any · black hair blowing across th . covermg; and their etr swarthy £ h · to an uncommon degree th 'ld aces, etghtens Th ' e WI ness of th · . ey turned out to be a part of B . , etr . appearance. gomg to a salina for salt Th I d ~rnantw s fnendly tribe, children sucking it like ~u ar e T~. tans e.at .much salt, their from that of the Spanish gG . h IS habtt Is very different . . auc os who 1 d' kmd of hfe, eat scarcely an Th ' I .' ea mg the same humoured nods as they pas~~d at ;ull ndians ga~e. us goodthem a troop of horses and f, ll gallop, dr~vmg before dogs. ' 0 owed by a tram of lanky SEPTEMBER12Tn:andl3Tn: -Ist 'd . waiting for a troop of sold' , h' hal at this posta two days, . Iers w IC Gen 1 R kmdness to send to I· nri orm me ' would 's h tle ra osas had the Ayres · and he d · d ' or Y travel to Buenos ' a vise me to take th . an escort. In the . e opportunity of such mornmg we rode to . hills to view the country d t . some neighbouring d . 'an o examme theg 1 A mner the soldiers divided th 1 . eo ogy. fter trial of skill with the b 1 ~se ves mto two parties for a ground thirty fi d o as. wo spears were stuck in the tangled only ~n;e .Ya~ s apart, but.they were struck and en-thr ~ m our or five times. The balls can b h own fifdty or Sixty yards, but with little certainty Th' e tho wever, oes not ap pl y t o a man on horseback. fo. r wheI s, sai~:p~:~ ~:.~:a~~: ;h~~~:d ~~hth~ force of th~ .arm, it i~ eighty yards.* In th . ddl wfi e ect to the distance of • e mi eo the day two men had ar ... As a proof of the force with which th b l1 an anecdote that h d e a s are hurled, I may mention appene at the Falkl d r 1 d Spaniards murdered some of th . an s an s. At the time the men, a young Spaniard eu. own countrymen, and a1l the English-na~ e Luciano, came at f~~ :~tnmg awa!, when ~ great _taU Indian, by saymg that h 1 g op after htm, shoutmg to htm to stop and e on Y wanted to s k t h · ' the point of reachinrr th pea . o tm. Just as the Spaniard was on on the legs wt'tll bl ~ bkoat, Luctano threw the balls: they struck him some time i•n sensisbul e 1 a TJel r · ' as to tll row 1u ·r n d own and to render him for V e. le man, after Luciano had had his t.'llk was al OL, lii. K ' • |