The Cotton Factory Times. — 1888-05-04 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

WILD LIFE IN BUENOS AYRES.  The following stories will throw some light upon the unsettled nature of life in former days in Buenos Ayres :—Au acquaintance of mine had gone out to take charge of cattle on a newly. established estancia near the frontier, taking with him the materials to build a but. For a while matters went well in all ways; the grass was good and the cattle throve, as did also a few sheep which he had brought out for purposes of food. He had got his hut up, and the roof on it, but the windows and door were not as yet fixed in their places. While this was his position he was disturbed one dark night by hearing a strange commotion amongst his cattle, and upon going to reconnoitre, he discovered that a party of Indians were stelathily surrounding the place. He was unable to escape by the door, as it was not yet hung upon hinges, but only temporarily closed for the night, so that it could not be opened withont making a noise that might direct attention to his movements. He therefore got through a window opening and crawled away from the house as noiselessly as he could. His escape was not discovered at first, and when he got sufficiently far away to be, as he considered, in a place of safety, he lay down to watch the results of the Indians' operations. A lurid glare of light before long announced to him that his hut was in flames, and he knew but too well this was the last act of the marauders when about to drive off his cattle and horses to the Pampas. There was no need for further information, so he arose and set off with a sad heart to walk to his nearest neighbour's, some twenty miles distant. This man lent Lim a horse and accompanied him back to the station, where they found that his worst fears were realised. All the worldly goods he had were either destroyed or carried off. After all, he had cause to be thankful that they had not burned him as well as his hut. Another mail I knew had also a narrow escape— though not from the same cause—in a less isolated place. The aggressors in this case were not the todiaus. The man I refer to also lived alone, and was taking charge of a flock of sheep, and while out looking after them one stormy night he heard some strange noises going around his house. Instead of returning to see what it all meant he very prudently retired into a thicket of thistles, which grow to a great height in Buenos Ayres, and lay there till morning, when with daylight he vtuitured home. His house he found had been sacked by a gang of robber Gauchos in his absence, who, he afterwards learned, had not only robbed but murdered several . of his ueighbours. A third scene, differing from ' both the others except in so far as its having taken place near the frontier, also happened at the house of a young Englishman, a friend of mine. It was shearing time, and he had engaged two strangers to help at the work. After supper the men, as they sat in his kitchen, smoking, began disputing; one of them, who had been drinking freely, accused the other of having stolen a saddle from him some time before. This led to a challenge to fight, which the tipsy man declined, but added that in the morning when lie was sober he would give his challenger every satisfaction in that way. Thereupon the one who had been accused of the theft said, "I won't give you ()bailee to get sober," and drawing his knife plunged it into his victim's heart, killing him on the spot. He then 1 dragged the bleeding body out of the house by the hair, coolly remarking, "I should be sorry to stain the gentleman's floor."—Crauford's Reminiscences of Foreign Travel.  Disrosixo or t Mexuscater.—" Mr. Darringer, will you read this for me ?" "Young man, I can't. It is the worst xvriting I ever saw. What is it about ?" "It is a recommendation from my employer." "Take it over to the printing office. Compositors can resAl anything." "Mr. Derringer, they wrestled an hour over it." "Then take it to Gillingham, the druggist. He'll mix vets up a bottle of cough Med icine, or something of the )410. Hang me if I wouldn't get souls ,MQd tof We pesky ecrawL"