accomplished, before a request was made that the mosquito nets and beds
might be removed for loading, and, as we emerged from the various tents,
the breakfast-table greeted us ready laden with tea (from the kettle),
sardines, jam, peons' biscuits, etc. True, the only milk procurable was
some condensed milk, which had "gone solid," there were not enough
knives to go round, and a few other irregularities, but no little items
of that sort ever disturbed the temper of The Tacuruers; they simply
remarked with the other "Autocrat of the Breakfast Table," "Difficulties
are Nature's challenges to you," and used one spoon for all their cups,
tore off lumps of bread with their fingers (when they could get hold of
a loaf), and used the same plate and knife for jam and sardines alike,
and enjoyed their early meal.
[Illustration: "_Rich black alluvial Soil_."]
There was one subject that did cause sore feeling, and that was
mosquitoes. We had thought we knew all about them, we were proud with
the conceit of nets, ammonia, and veils, but our pride had a fall.
Comparatively speaking, we had only known mosquitoes theoretically
before (though that knowledge was bad enough); last night we learnt of
them practically, none of us had thought of _tucking in_ our nets, and
mosquitoes seemed to swarm up under each net before we had been in bed
for half an hour. Little peace did anyone get through those long night
hours, and, though a voice came from one of the tents about 2 a.m.,
remarking clearly above the intermittent snores, "Oh! how lovely," few
echoed the sentiment, and the speaker assured us this morning that she
was only dreaming, and that her words did not refer to insects of any
kind, neither were they made in connection with the upheaval caused by
"Monte" at one period of the night. He had taken up his quarters at one
end of the ladies' tent, but was disturbed from his beauty sleep by the
sudden barking of a dog outside the other end of the tent. This, of
course, must be seen to; it was his duty, so, leaping up, he rushed
through the tent, lifting up each one of the low beds, and their
occupants, as he passed under them on his way to quell the outside
noise. The ladies forbore to scream, though they thought of earthquakes,
but settled down again to their occupation of trying to kill mosquitoes,
quietly, in the dark, and to snatch moments of slumber occasionally.
After breakfast, Our Guest was rather unkindly "put on" by The
Instigator to dig holes, to ascertain how deep the rich, black, alluvial
soil reached; the ladies energetically washed up the breakfast things,
which occupation resulted in The Kid once more, and this time finally,
being given notice to leave, without a character, owing to general
incompetence, impertinence, and lack of ability to wash out tea-cloths.
By 7 a.m. the coaches and carts were ready, horses rounded up, the
"Primera Vista" camp was struck, and the march onward recommenced. But
not before The Chaperon had pointed out a terror that "might have been."
After breakfast he approached us with a stick held at arm's length, on
which hung a dead, slimy-looking, grey snake, about 4 feet long. He
explained that this reptile had crawled over the neck of one of the
peons as he lay on the grass last night. This had happened before we
went to bed, and we felt grateful to The Chaperon for having saved us
from another horror last night by keeping the fact, and snake, to
himself until we were leaving that camp.
The first part of our drive to-day was a new experience; we had passed
over a few ant-hills before on our journey, but now we came to a land
where it was difficult, if not impossible, to dodge them; they literally
covered the ground, and the South American ant-hill is a power to be
reckoned with. It is not the yielding mass composed of soft earth and
other heterogeneous materials as found in England, which can be
demolished with a kick, should anyone have sufficient temerity to lay
himself open to the attacks of the inmates by thus disturbing them; but
the homes of the black ant, and the Amazon ant, in Argentina are quite a
different affair. They are, usually, solid, hard masses of earth from
three to four feet high, very wide at the base, and covered entirely
with coarse grass. They present an unyielding obstacle to any vehicle,
and the wheels of even a heavily laden cart make no impression on them,
but they are not unlikely to cause the overturning of that cart, and
even traction engines suffer from the sudden drop caused by these
gigantic sugar-loaves. Therefore it will be easily realized that the
innumerable ant-hills through, and over which, we drove, were no
inconsiderable menace to the safety of the party, and it was only due to
the great care and skill of our drivers in threading their way amongst
these obstacles that the inmates of the coaches were not upset time
after time. As it was, no accident of the slightest description
occurred--only a few bumps and jolts as we ascended or descended one of
the ant-hills, which are so difficult to discern in open camp, where the
whole land is covered alike with long grass. The worst part of our
travelling did not last more than three or four hours; then we came to
smoother country, fewer ant-hills, and occasional small lagunas, the
land growing slightly undulating, though still bare of trees, and, after
another three hours' driving, during which we had many changes of horses
and several "helps" from the guides over extra bad pieces of travelling,
we could see in the distance the position of the Lake Palmar and the
tops of the palms which grow on the farther shore.
It was during this part of our day's journey that the peons made two
captures of live animals in an armadillo and a nutria. These men have
extraordinary good and far sight, and observe any movement in the grass,
yards ahead of them. They at once killed both animals, for they are
exceedingly fond of armadillo flesh, and cook the animal in its skin.
It was decided that horses and drivers alike would require a rest when
we reached the shores of the lake, and, after our cocheros had made
futile attempts to cut figures of 8 with their respective four and
two-in-hands on the invitingly firm, yellow sands which surround Lake
Palmar, all dismounted, horses were taken out, and, while lunch was
being prepared, the party wandered on the shores of the lake trying to
find remnants of extinct monsters, fossilised palms, and other
improbable things. The Instigator rushed up and down picking leaves to
bits, collecting sand and examining it under the microscope (which is,
as yet, his), tasting the water of the lake, and generally trying to
find a way of teaching Nature how to improve on her own handiwork. It
really seems a pity She does not engage him as her expert consulting
engineer. My Lady and The Saint did discover a boar-hound's tooth on the
sands, and two teeth of a nutria, very pretty in their long, gentle
curve, white at the root and gradually deepening to a reddish-brown at
the end; but both these finds were absolutely valueless, and, though
there was talk of having the teeth set as brooches, etc., connoisseurs,
such as The Wild Man, knew well that the "finds" would be dissolved to
dust long before they could reach the civilisation of a jeweller's shop.
The tiny banks which slope down from the camp to meet the wide
stretching sands of the lake are covered with scrub and low trees of the
acacia type, and, on one of these low trees, eked out with camp stools,
the party, wearied with their search for curios, settled down to await
their mid-day meal. It was gently broken to us that the sheep had at
last been sacrificed, and would shortly appear before us in a different
guise. The slaughter must have been most humane, for no one of us had
heard the slightest cry or sound of distress, and now the flesh was
being cooked. The peons would always prefer to cook all meat in the
hide, if they were allowed to do so, and it is only with constant
watching that they are prevented from thus wasting the valuable skins of
animals. They are enormous meat eaters, which is scarcely to be wondered
at, considering how scarce green food is. They live on meat, maté, and
hard biscuits.
The bright idea occurred to someone that a _hors-d'oeuvre_ would be
acceptable, considering how long ago we had had our meagre early morning
meal, so the only available article, a tinned Dutch cheese, was
attacked; and none but those who have tried, under similar
circumstances, one of the soft Dutch cheeses which one obtains in the
Argentine, would be able to understand how very good it can be. As it
was handed round (to everyone on the same knife), hunger, open-air, and
the exercise of the ant-hills caused it to be appreciated more than
usual, even beyond its deserts, if possible.
As the party were thus collected (mostly with their legs tucked away to
prevent the climbing operations of the black ants with which the ground
was swarming), The Instigator took this opportunity to try to rid
himself of some of the responsibility of the trip by calling a meeting
(the whole nine were already there), and putting it to the vote as to
whether The Kid, now that she had lost her companions the sheep, should
be turned adrift to find her way back again as best she could, drowned
in the lake, or allowed to accompany the party for the rest of the
journey. A wild gleam of joy lit the eyes of everyone who knew anything
of her at this prospect of getting rid of the trial. Both the ladies,
and everyone who had known her for longer than the week, voted, hands
and feet, for her extinction, but four of the men were foolishly too
polite to express their real wishes. So she herself was left with the
casting vote, and chose to go on! Thus The Instigator's well-thought
plan to remove an incubus was frustrated. He was so disgusted with his
failure in a laudable object that, directly after "lunch" (which meant
each one cutting off from the half-sheep, that was handed round, the
piece he or she preferred), he went off with his microscope trying to
find other interests, and in a few minutes was growing unduly excited
over a shrub on which he discovered some most unusual excrescences.
These shapeless masses of earth, apparently growing on the shrub, he was
examining from all points with the naked eye before submitting them to
microscopic investigation, and it was only when Our Guest came up and
removed some of the earth from one of the excrescences that The
Instigator, who was watching intently, noted that the mass resolved
itself into the shape of one of The Saint's shoes, which had been hung
up on the shrub to dry after her lake-searching expedition. Foiled
again, The Instigator collected The Delineator and My Lady, and started
to walk to the northern end of the lake, where The Jehu could pick them
up, when the washing, packing and harnessing allowed of an onward move.
We are told that for once The Kid, perhaps stimulated by her recent
narrow escape from total extinction, really did do some work here. It is
true we only have her word, an indistinct murmur from The Chaperon, and
some clean plates to vouch for the statement, as all the other members
of the party remaining were lying in more or less graceful slumberous
attitudes in carts, under trees, or anywhere else, enjoying forty winks.
Some excellent photos were obtained of the sleeping beauties as they lay
there resting, but their modesty caused them to beg for forbearance in
the publication of any of the pictures thus obtained.
Before the actual start was made, The Jehu, Our Guest, The Chaperon, and
The Wild Man tried their hands at some revolver-shooting. Naturally, the
drivers, after their long hours with the reins, could not do themselves
justice with the more dangerous weapons, but, combined with Our Guest
and The Wild Man, they left a fair show of broken bottles in the lake,
rather to the surprise of the lookers-on.
Neither of our cocheros could resist the further opportunity of figures
of eight as we drove off on the hard sand, but we believe they were not
encouraged in these exhibitions by their passengers, and, skirting the
North part of the lake they came to a little ranch where they had
arranged to meet the three walkers, who had discovered divers
interesting specimens of animal, vegetable and mineral kinds during
their very pleasant stroll round the lake. Here they were sitting at
the ranch awaiting the arrival of the coaches, and they introduced the
newcomers to a marvellous collection of tame birds with whom they had
made acquaintance. The owners of the ranch had six or seven birds of
different kinds, which flew about and pitched on anyone's shoulder or
hand, or on the carriages, and were most friendly; in fact, one big bird
was so willing to become attached to us that we could scarcely persuade
it to leave the coach when we were ready to drive on.
We allowed those who had driven to the spot a few moments in which to
dismount and greet the neat little mistress of the ranch, with whom we
had already made friends, and her pretty children. The roofing of this
little ranch and its out-houses was most interesting. It was carried out
entirely with trunks of palm trees. These, split in half and cleared of
all sap, made very effective roofing, placed alternately in concave and
convex form, so that the ridges of the two lengths of trunk placed bark
upward rest in the hollow of the intervening trunk. Naturally, all rain
water drains off the convex half into the concave trunk and flows down
these gullies into the water course formed of another hollowed palm
trunk running along the lower edge of the roof. A more suitable and
rainproof roof could scarcely be designed. The mistress of the house was
most anxious to entertain us to tea, but, having picked up our guide
from Vera, who it was arranged should meet us here with letters, we
could not spare time for further delay, and once more started off with
the guide ahead of us.
After leaving the ranch we turned to the eastward, and before long
passed over the Calchaqui river (which is more generally known as the
Golondrino here). This was not a difficult matter.
After crossing the Calchaqui we enter quite a new country, the land is
perceptibly higher, the grasses are finer and trees begin to appear.
First we came to the tall palm trees on the edge of the forest, and very
imposing they were, then small montes gave place to the regular woods
which stretch North on this side of the river, and trees abound. The
scenery was altogether more tropical. Occasional flocks of bright pink
flamingoes made a welcome touch of colour as they stood on the edge of
some little laguna, or, disturbed by the unusual approach of coaches,
flew off in the distance. Hares were to be seen now and then, and
sometimes even one of the small wild deer of the forest was noticed
before it rushed off to the shelter of the trees.
Unfortunately, about this time, the sun, which had been so friendly all
day, became overcast with clouds, and the sky assumed a threatening
appearance; but, notwithstanding the wise head-shakings of those who
know the country (The Delineator and The Jehu in particular), the party
refused to be downhearted, and asserted that rain was the most unlikely
event, and, in any case, they intended to enjoy their present drive
through scenery which was not unlike that which would be found in an
English park; the great expanses were gone, and in their place we had
slightly undulating stretches of grass bordered with trees of all kinds.
The whole aspect of the land had changed and the country here was
extremely pretty, though no distant views could be obtained owing to the
thick growth of the trees and the impossibility of finding any but the
slightest rising ground.
We arrived, before long, at a little ranch, in the neighbourhood of
which we were to encamp for the night. The spot was very different to
our camp of last night, for here we were surrounded with trees, and near
by a flock of sheep, belonging to the ranch, were feeding. Before the
heavier carts could arrive, and the work of tent-erecting commence,
there was plenty of time for a cup of tea, with the aid of My Lady's
useful basket; but all the water that could be obtained from the
so-called "well" at the ranch was half mud, and, though this was used
with great success, we could only secure two mouthfuls of tea from each
cup, as the rest of the contents was composed of mud. We believe The Kid
was rather annoyed about this, and felt distinctly aggrieved, but she
did not dare to give vent to her feelings, and the matter did not worry
those who were looking forward to "cocktails" before dinner, and well
they deserved those "cocktails," for by the time the carts arrived the
atmosphere had become intensely close; a slight drizzle seemed only to
add to the damp heat, and the work of unloading and erecting tents, and
beds, and unpacking in that warm, steaming air, which was intensified
under the coverings, was no light one; but here, again, everyone
performed their quota, whether large or small, for the general good.
Before long the tents were up. Three were erected to-night, as, owing to
the rain, we should be obliged to have food under canvas. The Instigator
caused great admiration by cunningly using trees as supports in the
erection of the tents under his supervision, and thus hurrying matters
on. Everything was finished, beds made, luggage under cover, the table
laid ready in the tent, and lamps lit and suspended before the short
twilight had given place to complete darkness, and The Saint once more
earned the blessings and gratitude of all by thoughtfully insisting on a
general "washing of faces." As she marshalled the party in front of her,
and attacked each one with sponge and towel, we were irresistibly
reminded of a board school; but that sponge of toilet vinegar, after the
damp heat and all the work, was one of the most refreshing things
imaginable, and everyone felt cleaner and more cheerful after this
ablution, and ready to attack the poor little armadillo, which had been
cooked; this meat tastes very much like sucking pig. The rain, which was
coming down heavily by this time, was powerless to damp the spirits of
the party as they sat down to dinner. They were only troubled because
they feared this would be their last evening meal in camp, and that
Civilisation might again claim them for her own to-morrow, for a great
deal of the enjoyment of this trip has been due, undoubtedly, to its
incomparable freedom. So they spent the time in eating, and holding a
mutual admiration society meeting. Each decided (between the mouthfuls
of mutton and armadillo) that every other member of the party was just
the nicest person that he or she had ever met, and, as there was no one
there to contradict the obviously erroneous statements, all were
satisfied and content, and drank each other's healths with enthusiasm,
and--whatever else was left. Someone even tried to murmur something
kindly about The Kid. Above all, the Instigator was eulogised, and
rightly, too, for his genial influence helped everything to go well; no
one could have grumbled at the little inconveniences which they had had
to put up with at times, while The Instigator was so cheerful and
anxious for others' comfort and careless of his own through all. His
interest in, and enthusiasm for, his Company know no bounds. Get him to
hold forth, and he will tell you how, in the early days of the Company,
matters were quite different from what they are to-day. The shares stood
then at five shillings each, and the bankers refused to allow an
overdraft of £2,000, and when it became absolutely necessary to have
money he actually made advances out of his own pocket to supply the
requisite funds.
Shortly afterwards matters began to improve, and when he visited the
property in 1900 he was able to send this reassuring message to the
General Meeting:--"I honestly believe the worst is past, and that in
future we shall progress."
He always appraises the work of others whether the result of their
operations is successful or not, and he will appreciate the mental and
manual exertions expended on the undertaking by the employees of the
Company at their true worth. All he asks of his colleagues and
subordinates is that each one shall "play the game" in every sense of
the word to the best of his ability. He never paints the prospects of a
beginner in rosy hues; in fact, he has been known to speak of the
hardships and privations which a young man must be prepared to go
through on first joining the Company as being comparable to "the life of
a dog." To-day the men who have been through those first years of
necessary self-denial and hard work are grateful for the training they
have received and anxious to work their best for the Company.
For a long while the party sat talking of their experiences on this
trip, and of the Company and its prospects. The travelling over this
comparatively unknown land had been a revelation to most; the dormant
wealth lying in the camp must be enormous, but men, money, and brains
are needed to exploit it. Unfortunately, it is still difficult to get
colonists for these more northern districts, but when the railway which
is contemplated becomes an accomplished fact, as it assuredly must,
people will be attracted further north, colonisation will be easier, the
land will yield its hundredfold, and some one will, in time, have
performed the great deed of "making two blades of grass grow where only
one grew before." It may seem to those accustomed to the narrower life
of towns, a lonely, empty life to spend one's years and energies
improving these wild lands; but assuredly the man who labours here with
the best that is in him, not only earns a great reward for himself in
the gradual development and growth of that land, but has deserved well
of mankind in general, and will, some day, receive his "Well done," than
which there is no higher praise, as surely as those whose lives have
been spent in the more public fields of civilisation or in military
prowess.
For some, obscure reason it is generally supposed that the man who
spends his life in agricultural pursuits is bound to have his mental
abilities dulled by the continuous round of duties connected with the
land and the care of animals. The origin of this idea is difficult to
imagine, unless it be that agriculture is the oldest and most necessary
pursuit of mankind; but surely the man who has to keep a perpetual watch
on wind, weather and workers, animal and vegetable kingdom and natural
phenomena, and be ready to anticipate any change, besides being
thoroughly in touch with all the latest improvements, mechanical and
material, in reference to his calling, and conversant with the ruling
prices in the best markets, cannot be held to be a man whose perceptions
are becoming blunted by his business. It is certainly true that there
are many who do "let things go," but that class is not confined to
agriculturists alone, and in agriculture, as in all other callings,
those who "let things slide" very shortly find that most things have
slid away from them irrevocably. Certainly the Argentine is no place for
the man disinclined for exertion. She holds rewards, and great rewards;
but only for the resolute who are prepared to lead a strenuous and
self-denying life of labour, exposure and fatigue, and who come to her
determined to win the best from her rich lands, and to take every
opportunity as it comes in their way for improving their knowledge.
Plans were made for to-morrow's journey; there was talk, if the day was
fine and the way possible, of going first south-east to the tannin
factory at La Gallareta, then due north to Las Gamas, but it was feared
that the recent heavy rains in this district would have made the
undertaking of the two journeys on one day inadvisable, and the Indian
guide persuaded the "leaders" that it would be wiser to go straight to
Las Gamas to-morrow and leave the visit to the factory for Monday. This
would give Tuesday for Santa Lucia and Wednesday for Vera. Sarnosa and
Olmos could be visited from one or the other of these two estancias,
and, leaving Vera on Friday afternoon, San Cristobal would be reached on
Saturday evening.