in search of the castaways-第25章

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by　a　few　Spanish　words　which　Paganel　managed　to　make　out。　His　offer　was　accepted；　and　Glenarvan　and　his　learned　friend　started　off　with　him　at　once。　They　walked　at　a　good　pace　for　an　hour　and　a　half；　and　had　to　make　great　strides　to　keep　up　with　the　giant　Thalcave。　　The　road　lay　through　a　beautiful　fertile　region；　abounding　in　rich　pasturages；　where　a　hundred　thousand　cattle　might　have　fed　comfortably。　Large　ponds；　connected　by　an　inextricable　labyrinth　of　RIOS；　amply　watered　these　plains　and　produced　their　greenness。　Swans　with　black　heads　were　disporting　in　the　water；　disputing　possession　with　the　numerous　intruders　which　gamboled　over　the　LLANOS。　　The　feathered　tribes　were　of　most　brilliant　plumage；　and　of　marvelous　variety　and　deafening　noise。　The　isacus；　a　graceful　sort　of　dove　with　gray　feathers　streaked　with　white；　and　the　yellow　cardinals；　were　flitting　about　in　the　trees　like　moving　flowers；　while　overhead　pigeons；　sparrows；　chingolos；　bulgueros；　and　mongitas；　were　flying　swiftly　along；　rending　the　air　with　their　piercing　cries。　Paganel's　admiration　increased　with　every　step；　and　he　had　nearly　exhausted　his　vocabulary　of　adjectives　by　his　loud　exclamations；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　Patagonian；　to　whom　the　birds；　and　the　swans；　and　the　prairies　were　every　day　things。　The　learned　geographer　was　so　lost　in　delight；　that　he　seemed　hardly　to　have　started　before　they　came　in　sight　of　the　Indian　camp；　or　TOLDERIA；　situated　in　the　heart　of　a　valley。　About　thirty　nomadic　Indians　were　living　there　in　rude　cabins　made　of　branches；　pasturing　immense　herds　of　milch　cows；　sheep；　oxen；　and　horses。　They　went　from　one　prairie　to　another；　always　finding　a　well…spread　table　for　their　four…footed　guests。　These　nomads　were　a　hybrid　type　of　Araucans；　Pehu…enches；　and　Aucas。　　They　were　Ando…Peruvians；　of　an　olive　tint；　of　medium　stature　and　massive　form；　with　a　low　forehead；　almost　circular　face；　thin　lips；　high　cheekbones；　effeminate　features；　and　cold　expression。　As　a　whole；　they　are　about　the　least　interesting　of　the　Indians。　However；　it　was　their　herds　Glenarvan　wanted；　not　themselves。　As　long　as　he　could　get　beef　and　horses；　he　cared　for　nothing　else。　Thalcave　did　the　bargaining。　　It　did　not　take　long。　　In　exchange　for　seven　ready　saddled　horses　of　the　Argentine　breed；　100　pounds　of　CHARQUI；　or　dried　meat；　several　measures　of　rice；　and　leather　bottles　for　water；　the　Indians　agreed　to　take　twenty　ounces　of　gold　as　they　could　not　get　wine　or　rum；　which　they　would　have　preferred；　though　they　were　perfectly　acquainted　with　the　value　of　gold。　Glenarvan　wished　to　purchase　an　eighth　horse　for　the　Patagonian；　but　he　gave　him　to　understand　that　it　would　be　useless。　They　got　back　to　the　camp　in　less　than　half　an　hour；　and　were　hailed　with　acclamations　by　the　whole　party　or　rather　the　provisions　and　horses　were。　They　were　all　hungry；　and　ate　heartily　of　the　welcome　viands。　　Robert　took　a　little　food　with　the　rest。　　He　was　fast　recovering　strength。　The　close　of　the　day　was　spent　in　complete　repose　and　pleasant　talk　about　the　dear　absent　ones。　Paganel　never　quitted　the　Indian's　side。　　It　was　not　that　he　was　so　glad　to　see　a　real　Patagonian；　by　whom　he　looked　a　perfect　pigmy　a　Patagonian　who　might　have　almost　rivaled　the　Emperor　Maximii；　and　that　Congo　negro　seen　by　the　learned　Van　der　Brock；　both　eight　feet　high；　but　he　caught　up　Spanish　phrases　from　the　Indian　and　studied　the　language　without　a　book　this　time；　gesticulating　at　a　great　rate　all　the　grand　sonorous　words　that　fell　on　his　ear。　〃If　I　don't　catch　the　accent；〃　he　said　to　the　Major；　〃it　won't　be　my　fault；　but　who　would　have　said　to　me　that　it　was　a　Patagonian　who　would　teach　me　Spanish　one　day？〃

CHAPTER　XVI　THE　NEWS　OF　THE　LOST　CAPTAIN

NEXT　day；　the　22d　of　October；　at　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning；　Thalcave　gave　the　signal　for　departure。　　Between　the　22d　and　42d　degrees　the　Argentine　soil　slopes　eastward；　and　all　the　travelers　had　to　do　was　to　follow　the　slope　right　down　to　the　sea。　Glenarvan　had　supposed　Thalcave's　refusal　of　a　horse　was　that　he　preferred　walking；　as　some　guides　do；　but　he　was　mistaken；　for　just　as　they　were　ready；　the　Patagonian　gave　a　peculiar　whistle；　and　immediately　a　magnificent　steed　of　the　pure　Argentine　breed　came　bounding　out　of　a　grove　close　by；　at　his　master's　call。　Both　in　form　and　color　the　animal　was　of　perfect　beauty。　　The　Major；　who　was　a　thorough　judge　of　all　the　good　points　of　a　horse；　was　loud　in　admiration　of　this　sample　of　the　Pampas　breed；　and　considered　that；　in　many　respects；　he　greatly　resembled　an　English　hunter。　This　splendid　creature　was　called　〃Thaouka；〃　a　word　in　Patagonia　which　means　bird；　and　he　well　deserved　the　name。　Thalcave　was　a　consummate　horseman；　and　to　see　him　on　his　prancing　steed　was　a　sight　worth　looking　at。　　The　saddle　was　adapted　to　the　two　hunting　weapons　in　common　use　on　the　Argentine　plainsthe　BOLAS　and　the　LAZO。　　The　BOLAS　consists　of　three　balls　fastened　together　by　a　strap　of　leather；　attached　to　the　front　of　the　RECADO。　　The　Indians　fling　them　often　at　the　distance　of　a　hundred　feet　from　the　animal　or　enemy　of　which　they　are　in　pursuit；　and　with　such　precision　that　they　catch　round　their　legs　and　throw　them　down　in　an　instant。　It　is　a　formidable　weapon　in　their　hands；　and　one　they　handle　with　surprising　skill。　　The　LAZO　is　always　retained　in　the　hand。　It　is　simply　a　rope；　thirty　feet　long；　made　of　tightly　twisted　leather；　with　a　slip　knot　at　the　end；　which　passes　through　an　iron　ring。　This　noose　was　thrown　by　the　right　hand；　while　the　left　keeps　fast　hold　of　the　rope；　the　other　end　of　which　is　fastened　to　the　saddle。　A　long　carbine；　in　the　shoulder　belt　completed　the　accouterments　of　the　Patagonian。　He　took　his　place　at　the　head　of　the　party；　quite　unconscious　of　the　admiration　he　was　exciting；　and　they　set　off；　going　alternately　at　a　gallop　and　walking　pace；　for　the　〃trot〃　seemed　altogether　unknown　to　them。　　Robert　proved　to　be　a　bold　rider；　and　completely　reassured　Glenarvan　as　to　his　ability　to　keep　his　seat。　The　Pampas　commenced　at　the　very　foot　of　the　Cordilleras。　　They　may　be　divided　into　three　parts。　　The　first　extends　from　the　chain　of　the　Andes；　and　stretches　over　an　extent　of　250　miles　covered　with　stunted　trees　and　bushes；　the　second　450　miles　is　clothed　with　magnificent　herbage；　and　stops　about　180　miles　from　Buenos　Ayres；　from　this　point　to　the　sea；　the　foot　of　the　traveler　treads　over　immense　prairies　of　lucerne　and　thistles；　which　constitute　the　third　division　of　the　Pampas。　On　issuing　from　the　gorges　of　the　Cordilleras；　Glenarvan　and　his　band　came　first　to　plains　of　sand；　called　MEDANOS；　lying　in　ridges　like　waves　of　the　sea；　and　so　extremely　fine　that　the　least　breath　of　wind　agitated　the　light　particles；　and　sent　them　flying　in　clouds；　which　rose　and　fell　like　water…spouts。　It　was　a　spectacle　which　caused　both　pleasure　and　pain；　for　nothing　could　be　more　curious　than　to　see　the　said　water…spouts　wandering　over　the　plain；　coming　in　contact　and　mingling　with　each　other；　and　falling　and　rising　in　wild　confusion；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　nothing　could　be　more　disagreeable　than　the　dust　which　was　thrown　off　by　these　innumerable　MEDANOS；　which　was　so　impalpable　that　close　one's　eyes　as　they　might；　it　foun