Wichita eagle., 1888-08-30

If thzf is not mow II certainly looks e.
scsly hks i; though as you gee closer \
net c0ld at all"
Scarcely had we rejoined our comEade
when We uttered simultaneous cry OF
astonishmens Right before rs, bounded
only BY the horizor, stretched an I'M
mense plain ct dazzling whiteness, whose
surface sparkled under the bright RAYS of
the sun. Any one would have sworn
that it was snow. Without ut;eriisg
word. 50 overwhelming was our aston
ishmsnt. We TUNED TO Barielo with an
ar Of mute Interrogation Il have
found ont what it IS, cred Iawrence-
''is is cotton"
"Bus where are the cotton pickprxr'
"Yee. thas Is tzue-they are nowhere
TO be seen"
The "vaquero'' laughed in his s,eevs;
be thoroughly enjoyed our asscn,shu,ent.
I'VE are about TO enter the great sals
plains" be said finally. when be thought
our patience had been sufficiently tested.
The salt plainsf Don Cahral had
spoken to Us Of them when we we've dis
ruSing our journey at the essa,,cia of las
Jarrilas; but cur imagination had never
/ pictured any landscape IS grandsse In
It's uniformity. As far as the eve could
reach, extended an ocean Of salt. white
and sparkling as snow. Not a shadow
on this panorama, which reminded me
| Of the immense sseppes Of Siberia. when
winter has spread her nnmaculate wind
ing sheet over that kingdom of death
and silence. Not o spot which could
break the monotonv. ''Comes-en-
courage" continued Bariejo. ..n Is
/ vie place to cross under the broiling sun.
winch is hot enough to roast an OK. but
we must get over it before nightfall. for
even II we sacrifice our horse. we could
not think of camping on the salt plains."
'And how far across this plaln.r
about twelve nliles'
Twelve miles, and our POOR horses had
not been able to go out of q walk all the
morning. 1t was the only gait possible
In the valley Of the Coudors. Putting
spurs to our horses we started Of at a
hard gallop. The gauchos allowed us to
take the lead. Our gallop did not last
long. As soon IS their feet touched the
salt our horses stopped ss II nailed To tho
ground; under their feet the salt crac ckled
like snow. We could only so on step BY
step. And twelve miles to make at this
pace, when We had hoped TO clear tho
PLAIN at i gailop. The heat was suffocat-
ing-the reflection Of this sea OF salt SO
many times refined and purified by the
continual washing and dryings of rain
and wind blinded Us. To complete our
I 81
ing, enervating wind, began 10 blow. We
went painting through stis furnace with
nothing to freshsn or mitigate the scorch-
ing heat. The last rays q the setting
sun tinged with q rosy hue this white
and naked landscape. Suddenly on
our left appeared mass Of fiery
red, while before us q long line Of
vivid green was clearly defined against
the whiteness of The salt At the same
moment the horses began 70 whinny--
they sineit the water. Their pace quick
ened under the stimulus Of this hope of
soon reaching fresh water. as only those
who have lived IN the desert can under
stand. Water-we were noon TO reach
the w2ter-with voice and hand we en-
couraged the poor aniuals We were
on the edge OF the lagoon when al a word
from our guide we stopped short. Tho
spectacle before Us was indeed enough Ia
make Us halt. Issuing from marsh in
O line like veteran troops of infantry. two
or three thousand birds with excessively
long necks and fees, the plunage On their
bodies of soft rose tint, and wings the
color Of fire were advancing. calm. dig
nified, majestic. LOS Flarnengos!' ex-
claimed Bariejo, as we stepped on the
ground, or rather on the salt.-Iiend
LtUloue in Detroit Free Press.
Uverworked Dogs In Germany
Some philanthropist in Germany
should send his name reverberating
down the ages as the friend and protector
Of overworked dogs The condition of
these poor animals throughout Germany
is a blot upon Nineteenth century civiliza-
tion. They passed law in England
prohibiting the use Of dogs for dragging
vehicles, but there B no such law ia
Germany. A customary sight Is a wo-
man 15 years OF age harnessed 10 a cart
with two dogs drawing it weartly along
country roads or through the streets Of
the citieA Very often the woman gives
il up or ia too feeble 10 bear her share,
and then she varies the journey by alter
nately pushing the cart and whipping
the dogs as she walks by their side 4
cart about the size OF a street cab IN New
York, and often loaded to the height of
five or six feet by merchandise, n tho
usual load for an old woman and two
dogs. A cart q smaller dimensions -
often dragged by the dogs alone, and
sometimes one poor beast rs seen strug-
Cling along under q load that an American
would CONSIDER up 10 the powers vi al
average horse.
The dogs are Of all sorts OF breeds. hut
invariably large and strong. They ara
muzzled-for they grow savage under
their harsh treatment-snd are barnezrsed
a good deal after the fasni0n Of borss-
The faithfulneas and industry of tbs poor
creatures are wonderful They vii toll
along the dusty ro4ds straining every
muscle in then bodies until they drop
dead in tbeiz tracks, and desd dogs by
the roadside In ttls country are by nc
means uncommon. At night in the
streets Of Berlin are countiess versders'
carts Displaying fruit. and 10 every ons
is attached dog or two AS sonu -
they have dragged the load into Berlin.
the woman who i selling the fruit takss
a small square Of csxps. oot of the cart
and places It on o.e pavement The dog
then rolls himself UP On Il anil tssserfy
covered with another rug % proAect him
from cold. Ee sleeps there u1 y b tirne