Inthemorningweallsalliedforthtohunt，andalthoughwehadnotmuchsuccess，thereweresomeanimatedchases。Soonafterstartingthepartyseparated，andsoarrangedtheirplans，thatatacertaintimeofthedayinguessingwhichtheyshowmuchskilltheyshouldallmeetfromdifferentpointsofthecompassonaplainpieceofground，andthusdrivetogetherthewildanimals。OnedayIwentouthuntingatBahiaBlanca，butthementheremerelyrodeinacrescent，eachbeingaboutaquarterofamileapartfromtheother。Afinemaleostrichbeingturnedbytheheadmostriders，triedtoescapeononeside。TheGauchospursuedatarecklesspace，twistingtheirhorsesaboutwiththemostadmirablecommand，andeachmanwhirlingtheballsroundhishead。Atlengththeforemostthrewthem，revolvingthroughtheair：inaninstanttheostrichrolledoverandover，itslegsfairlylashedtogetherbythethong。Theplainsaboundwiththreekindsofpartridge，[3]twoofwhichareaslargeashenpheasants。Theirdestroyer，asmallandprettyfox，wasalsosingularlynumerous；inthecourseofthedaywecouldnothaveseenlessthanfortyorfifty。Theyweregenerallyneartheirearths，butthedogskilledone。Whenwereturnedtotheposta，wefoundtwoofthepartyreturnedwhohadbeenhuntingbythemselves。Theyhadkilledapuma，andhadfoundanostrich’snestwithtwenty-seveneggsinit。Eachoftheseissaidtoequalinweightelevenhen’seggs；sothatweobtainedfromthisonenestasmuchfoodas297hen’seggswouldhavegiven。
September14th——Asthesoldiersbelongingtothenextpostameanttoreturn，andweshouldtogethermakeapartyoffive，andallarmed，Ideterminednottowaitfortheexpectedtroops。Myhost，thelieutenant，pressedmemuchtostop。Ashehadbeenveryobliging——notonlyprovidingmewithfood，butlendingmehisprivatehorses——Iwantedtomakehimsomeremuneration。IaskedmyguidewhetherImightdoso，buthetoldmecertainlynot；thattheonlyanswerIshouldreceive，probablywouldbe，“Wehavemeatforthedogsinourcountry，andthereforedonotgrudgeittoaChristian。”Itmustnotbesupposedthattherankoflieutenantinsuchanarmywouldatallpreventtheacceptanceofpayment：itwasonlythehighsenseofhospitality，whicheverytravellerisboundtoacknowledgeasnearlyuniversalthroughouttheseprovinces。Aftergallopingsomeleagues，wecametoalowswampycountry，whichextendsfornearlyeightymilesnorthward，asfarastheSierraTapalguen。Insomepartstherewerefinedampplains，coveredwithgrass，whileothershadasoft，black，andpeatysoil。Therewerealsomanyextensivebutshallowlakes，andlargebedsofreeds。ThecountryonthewholeresembledthebetterpartsoftheCambridgeshirefens。Atnightwehadsomedifficultyinfindingamidsttheswamps，adryplaceforourbivouac。
September15th——RoseveryearlyinthemorningandshortlyafterpassedthepostawheretheIndianshadmurderedthefivesoldiers。Theofficerhadeighteenchuzowoundsinhisbody。Bythemiddleoftheday，afterahardgallop，wereachedthefifthposta：onaccountofsomedifficultyinprocuringhorseswestayedtherethenight。Asthispointwasthemostexposedonthewholeline，twenty-onesoldierswerestationedhere；atsunsettheyreturnedfromhunting，bringingwiththemsevendeer，threeostriches，andmanyarmadilloesandpartridges。Whenridingthroughthecountry，itisacommonpracticetosetfiretotheplain；andhenceatnight，asonthisoccasion，thehorizonwasilluminatedinseveralplacesbybrilliantconflagrations。ThisisdonepartlyforthesakeofpuzzlinganystrayIndians，butchieflyforimprovingthepasture。Ingrassyplainsunoccupiedbythelargerruminatingquadrupeds，itseemsnecessarytoremovethesuperfluousvegetationbyfire，soastorenderthenewyear’sgrowthserviceable。
Theranchoatthisplacedidnotboastevenofaroof，butmerelyconsistedofaringofthistle-stalks，tobreaktheforceofthewind。Itwassituatedonthebordersofanextensivebutshallowlake，swarmingwithwildfowl，amongwhichtheblack-neckedswanwasconspicuous。
Thekindofplover，whichappearsasifmountedonstiltsHimantopusnigricollis，isherecommoninflocksofconsiderablesize。Ithasbeenwrongfullyaccusedofinelegance；whenwadingaboutinshallowwater，whichisitsfavouriteresort，itsgaitisfarfromawkward。Thesebirdsinaflockutteranoise，thatsingularlyresemblesthecryofapackofsmalldogsinfullchase：wakinginthenight，Ihavemorethanoncebeenforamomentstartledatthedistantsound。Theteru-teroVanelluscayanus