thenslippingoffoverthecrupper，hecaughtholdofthetail，andasoftenasthehorseturnedroundthemanfrighteneditbackbysplashingwaterinitsface。Assoonasthehorsetouchedthebottomontheotherside，themanpulledhimselfon，andwasfirmlyseated，bridleinhand，beforethehorsegainedthebank。Anakedmanonanakedhorseisafinespectacle；Ihadnoideahowwellthetwoanimalssuitedeachother。Thetailofahorseisaveryusefulappendage；Ihavepassedariverinaboatwithfourpeopleinit，whichwasferriedacrossinthesamewayastheGaucho。Ifamanandhorsehavetocrossabroadriver，thebestplanisforthemantocatchholdofthepommelormane，andhelphimselfwiththeotherarm。
WesleptandstayedthefollowingdayatthepostofCufre。Intheeveningthepostmanorletter-carrierarrived。Hewasadayafterhistime，owingtotheRioRozariobeingflooded。Itwouldnot，however，beofmuchconsequence；
for，althoughhehadpassedthroughsomeoftheprincipaltownsinBandaOriental，hisluggageconsistedoftwoletters！Theviewfromthehousewaspleasing；anundulatinggreensurface，withdistantglimpsesofthePlata。IfindthatIlookatthisprovincewithverydifferenteyesfromwhatIdiduponmyfirstarrival。IrecollectIthenthoughtitsingularlylevel；butnow，aftergallopingoverthePampas，myonlysurpriseis，whatcouldhaveinducedmeevertocallitlevel。Thecountryisaseriesofundulations，inthemselvesperhapsnotabsolutelygreat，but，ascomparedtotheplainsofSt。Fe，realmountains。Fromtheseinequalitiesthereisanabundanceofsmallrivulets，andtheturfisgreenandluxuriant。
November17th——WecrossedtheRozario，whichwasdeepandrapid，andpassingthevillageofColla，arrivedatmiddayatColoniadelSacramiento。
Thedistanceistwentyleagues，throughacountrycoveredwithfinegrass，butpoorlystockedwithcattleorinhabitants。IwasinvitedtosleepatColonia，andtoaccompanyonthefollowingdayagentlemantohisestancia，wherethereweresomelimestonerocks。ThetownisbuiltonastonypromontorysomethinginthesamemannerasatMonteVideo。Itisstronglyfortified，butbothfortificationsandtownsufferedmuchintheBrazilianwar。Itisveryancient；andtheirregularityofthestreets，andthesurroundinggrovesofoldorangeandpeachtrees，gaveitaprettyappearance。Thechurchisacuriousruin；itwasusedasapowder-magazine，andwasstruckbylightninginoneofthetenthousandthunder-stormsoftheRioPlata。