In their fresh "spurt," the trackers had not proceeded very far when
compelled to slacken speed, and finally come to a dead stop. This from
something seen before them upon the plain which threatens to bar their
further progress--at least in the course they are pursuing.
The thing thus obstructing causes them neither surprise nor alarm, only
annoyance; for it is one with which they all are familiar--a
_biscachera_, or warren of _biscachas_.
It is scarce possible to travel twenty miles across the plains bordering
the La Plata or Parana, without coming upon the burrows of this singular
rodent; a prominent and ever-recurring feature in the scenery. There
the _biscacha_, or _viscacha_--as it is indifferently spelt--plays
pretty much the same part as the rabbit in our northern lands. It is,
however, a much larger animal, and of a quite different species or
genus--the _lagostoinus trichodactylus_. In shape of head, body, and
other respects, it more resembles a gigantic rat; and, like the latter,
it has a long tapering tail, which strengthens the resemblance. But,
unlike either rabbit or rat, its hind feet are furnished with but three
toes; hence its specific name, _trichodactylus_. The same scarcity of
toes is a characteristic of the _agoutis, capivaras_, and so called
"Guinea pigs," all of which are cousins-german of the _biscacha_.
The latter makes its burrows very much in the same manner as the
North-American marmot (_Arctomys Ludoviciana)_, better known by the name
of "prairie dog;" only that the subterranean dwellings of the _biscacha_
are larger, from the needs of a bigger-bodied animal. But, strange to
say, in these of the pampa there exists the same queer companionship as
in those of the prairie--a bird associating with the quadruped--a
species of owl, the _Athene cunicularia_. This shares occupation with
the _biscacha_, as does the other, an allied species, with the prairie
dog. Whether the bird be a welcome recipient of the beast's
hospitality, or an intruder upon it, is a question still undetermined;
but the latter seems the more probable, since, in the stomachs of owls
of the northern species, are frequently found prairie dog "pups;" a fact
which seems to show anything but amicable relations between these
creatures so oddly consorting.
There is yet another member of these communities, apparently quite as
much out of place--a reptile; for snakes also make their home in the
holes both of _biscacha_ and prairie dog. And in both cases the reptile
intruder is a rattlesnake, though the species is different. In these,
no doubt, the owls find their staple of food.
Perhaps the most singular habit of the _biscacha_ is its collecting
every loose article which chances to be lying near, and dragging all up
to its burrow; by the mouth of which it forms a heap, often as large as
the half of a cart-load dumped carelessly down. No matter what the
thing be--stick, stone, root of thistle, lump of indurated clay, bone,
ball of dry dung--all seem equally suitable for these miscellaneous
accumulations. Nothing can be dropped in the neighbourhood of a
_biscacha_ hole but is soon borne off, and added to its collection of
_bric-a-brac_. Even a watch which had slipped from the fob of a
traveller--as recorded by the naturalist. Darwin--was found forming
part of one; the owner, acquainted with the habits of the animal, on
missing the watch, having returned upon his route, and searched every
_biscacha_ mound along it, confident that in some one of them he would
find the missing article--as he did.
The districts frequented by these three-toed creatures, and which seem
most suitable to their habits, are those tracts of _campo_ where the
soil is a heavy loam or clay, and the vegetation luxuriant. Its
congener, the _agouti_, affects the arid sterile plains of Patagonia,
while the _biscacha_ is most met with on the fertile pampas further
north; more especially along the borders of those far-famed thickets of
tall thistles--forests they might almost be called--upon the roots of
which it is said to feed. They also make their burrows near the
_cardonales_, tracts overgrown by the cardoon; also a species of large
malvaceous plant, though quite different from the pampas thistles.
Another singular fact bearing upon the habits of the _biscacha_ may here
deserve mention. These animals are not found in the Banda Oriental, as
the country lying east of the Uruguay river is called; and yet in this
district exist conditions of soil, climate, and vegetation precisely
similar to those on its western side. The Uruguay river seems to have
formed a bar to their migration eastward; a circumstance all the more
remarkable, since they have passed over the Parana, a much broader
stream, and are common throughout the province of Entre Rios, as it name
imports, lying between the two.
Nothing of all this occupies the thoughts of the three trackers, as they
approach the particular _biscachera_ which has presented itself to their
view, athwart their path. Of such things they neither think, speak, nor
care. Instead, they are but dissatisfied to see it there; knowing it
will give them some trouble to get to the other side of it, besides
greatly retarding their progress. If they ride right across it at all,
they must needs go at a snail's pace, and with the utmost
circumspection. A single false step made by any of their horses might
be the dislocation of a joint, or the breaking of a leg. On the pampa
such incidents are far from rare; for the burrows of the _biscachas_ are
carried like galleries underground, and therefore dangerous to any heavy
quadruped so unfortunate as to sink through the surface turf. In short,
to ride across a _biscachera_ would be on a par with passing on
horseback through a rabbit warren.
"_Caspita_!" is the vexed exclamation of the gaucho, as he reins up in
front of the obstruction, with other angry words appended, on seeing
that it extends right and left far as the verge of vision, while forward
it appears to have a breadth of at least half a league.
"We can't gallop across that," he adds, "nor yet go at even a decent
walk. We must crawl for it, _muchachos_, or ride all the way round.
And there's no knowing how far round the thing might force us; leagues
likely. It looks the biggest _biscachera_ I ever set eyes on.
_Carra-i-i_!"
The final ejaculation is drawled out with a prolonged and bitter
emphasis, as he again glances right and left, but sees no end either
way.
"Ill luck it is," he continues, after completing his reconnaissance.
"Satan's own luck our coming upon this. A whole country covered with
traps! Well, it won't help us any making a mouth about it; and I think
our best way will be to strike straight across."
"I think so too," says Cypriano, impatient to proceed.
"Let us on into it, then. But, _hijos mios_; have a care how you go.
Look well to the ground before you, and keep your horses as far from the
holes as you can. Where there's two near together steer midways
between, giving both the widest berth possible. Every one of them's a
dangerous pitfall. _Caspita_! what am I prattling about? Let me give
you the lead, and you ride after, track for track."
So saying, he heads his horse in among the rubbish heaps, each with its
hole yawning adjacent: the others, as admonished, close following, and
keeping in his tracks.
They move onward at a creeping pace, every now and then forced to
advance circuitously, but taking no heed of the creatures upon whose
domain they have so unceremoniously intruded. In truth, they have no
thought about these, nor eyes for them. Enough if they can avoid
intrusion into their dwellings by a short cut downwards.
Nor do the _biscachas_ seem at all alarmed at the sight of such
formidable invaders. They are anything but shy creatures; instead, far
more given to curiosity; so much that they will sit squatted on their
hams, in an upright attitude, watching the traveller as he passes within
less than a score yards of them, the expression on their faces being
that of grave contemplation. Only, if he draw too familiarly near, and
they imagine him an enemy, there is a scamper off, their short fore-legs
giving them a gait also heightening their resemblance to rats.
As a matter of course, such confidence makes them an easy prey to the
_biscacha_ catcher; for there are men who follow taking them as a
profession. Their flesh is sweet and good to eat, while their skins are
a marketable commodity; of late years forming an article of export to
England, and other European countries.
Heeding neither the quadrupeds, nor the birds, their fellow-tenants of
the burrow--the latter perched upon the summits of the mounds, and one
after another flying off with a defiant screech as the horsemen drew
near--these, after an hour spent in a slow but diligent advance, at
length, and without accident, ride clear of the _biscachera_, and out
upon the smooth open plain beyond it.
Soon as feeling themselves on firm ground, every spur of the party is
plied; and they go off at a tearing pace, to make up for the lost time.