Year: 1874

word for word true, written down as told
me by the principal actor in it. 1t is not
a very sensational one, as sensation goes
in South America but | think it is in
teresting as showing what sort of advcn-
lures tamely-bred youngsters 90 through
when transplanted to try sheep.farmns =
in the far south.


b. o. is the Anglicized abbreviation
of Bonda Oriental, as X. A. is Of Re-
publica Argentina the two being those
large tracts Of pastoral country on either
side Of the Rio dc la Plata, the open un-
cultivated parts Of which are called in
English parlance the camp a free trans.
lation Of the Spanish word campo or
country, and answering to the Australian
bush


1t was lovely morning in the depth
Of winter one Of those we so often see in
those countries when n hard hoar frost
has fallen during the night, and the whole
camp, as far as the eye can reach, is 4
sheet of pure white rime. Even the trees
betting the Santa Lucia river were that
morning lightly frosted over, an event of
rare occurrence, and denoting an cxcep.
tionally severe cold The effect was
perfect but | don't think was quite
in the mood to appreciate it Yon'll
easily understand why in a moment.


At the time I'm telling you about, the
revolution stirred up by the 'Blancos'
(the White or Conservative party) had
been dragging on its fight and runaway
tactics for more than year; aud horses,
considered 10y the wild and undsciplined
soldcry Of both Government and Reyolu-
uonists as articulo de guerra, or any
ones property, were getting awlully
scarce had dwindled down to being
the possessor OF one solitary mount a
very fair specimen Of his kind, which |
valued more at shat time than all the
Blink Bonnys' and 'Gladiateurs' that
were ever foaled. You see | knew too
well that without hir my focks would
stray DO one knows where l should be
unable to kill cow or bullock for home
consumption Or in fact, save my life in
more ways than one.


He was kept locked up right carefully
in room Of my house every night; and
out of that room l took and saddled him
at sunrise Of this eventful day, with the
intention Of salying out in search of any
waif or stray in tte shape of horseaesh
that it might be my good luck to come
across when a fellow has been robbed oi
all his horses, it's hard il he msyn't sup.
pose that any odd screw he may find
about is part o ( his missing property
with which to hunt back of my cattle, or
brood mares, as might have straycd too
far into neighbor's land


Up in the Serras of Mnas it had
rained heavily some days before, and a
large volume Of water had come dogn the
Santa Lucia river, which in its normal
state is not at all formidable but which
after the heavy rains Of winter, shows q
wonderful capacity for swallowing uo any
unfortunate Individual who, not being
much Of a swimmer, dares to brave it,
strong current and curling eddies. Ii
front Of my house the iords were to deer
and the currents too rapid for any one
not on a matter Of life or death, to at
tempt passing over; SO mounted my
horse, and quietly trotted upstream ovel
the long rolling hills, for six or sever
miles,to ford called 'Paso de la Calera,
which knew would be just at depth t,
allow me (kneeling on my saddle to eros
over on my horse poaching expedition


We carry out the adage of Ais iai
in love or war TO the fullest extent a
regards horsehesh-that is, if the anima
be not marked with friend or neighbor'
brand.


got over safely, and dismounted t,
allow my horse to shake and partially DR.,
himself before continuing my somewha
dangerous quest; for not having seen an,
acquaintances from that side OF the rive
for many days, was entirely ignoran
as to what military forces might be dow
there, or whether they were Blancos o
Colorados. | krew there was small fore
somewhere about for had seen froI
my house groups of horsemen, varyiD
from three to eight or ten, moving in tn
distance for some days past


Naturally ! kept on the low groun
first, because | knew any animals wou
be most likely to be there, as the swectes
grasses grow in the low, damp groun
near the river and, secondly, because
could better avoid being seen by scout,
who are generally sent out from the Gu
campment at dawn. TO reconnoitre fror
the highest points for any sigu of an en-,
my.


The slight breeze was quite ohilly-a
though the warmth Of the sun as it ros