Chapter I: Front Matter

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ACROSS PATAGONIA.

ACROSS PATAGONIA

by

LADY FLORENCE DIXIE

With Illustrations from Sketches by Julius Beerbohm Engraved by Whymper and Pearson

London: Richard Bentley and Son Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen 1880

The rights of Translation and Reproduction are reserved.

Printed by R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh.

TO
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS,
ALBERT EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES,

THIS WORK
DESCRIPTIVE OF
SIX MONTHS' WANDERINGS OVER UNEXPLORED
AND UNTRODDEN GROUND,
IS BY KIND PERMISSION RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED
BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS'S
OBLIGED AND OBEDIENT SERVANT,

THE AUTHOR.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

WHY PATAGONIA?--GOOD-BYE--THE START--DIRTY WEATHER--
LISBON--THE ISLAND OF PALMA--PERNAMBUCO Pages 1-11

CHAPTER II.

BAHIA--RIO DE JANEIRO--RIO HARBOUR--THE TOWN--AN
UPSET--TIJUCA--A TROPICAL NIGHT--MORE UPSETS--SAFETY
AT LAST 12-25

CHAPTER III.

BEAUTIES OF RIO--MONTE VIDEO--STRAITS OF MAGELLAN--
TIERRA DEL FUEGO--ARRIVAL AT SANDY POINT--PREPARATIONS
FOR THE START--OUR OUTFIT--OUR GUIDES 26-39

CHAPTER IV.

THE START FOR CAPE NEGRO--RIDING ALONG THE STRAITS--CAPE
NEGRO--THE FIRST NIGHT UNDER CANVAS--UNEXPECTED
ARRIVALS--OUR GUESTS--A NOVEL PICNIC--ROUGH RIDING--
THERE WAS A SOUND OF REVELRY BY NIGHT Pages 40-51

CHAPTER V.

DEPARTURE OF OUR GUESTS--THE START FOR THE PAMPAS--AN
UNTOWARD ACCIDENT--A DAY'S SPORT--UNPLEASANT EFFECTS OF
THE WIND--OFF CAPE GREGORIO. 52-61

CHAPTER VI.

VISIT TO THE INDIAN CAMP--A PATAGONIAN--INDIAN CURIOSITY
--PHYSIQUE--COSTUME--WOMEN--PROMINENT CHARACTERISTICS
--AN INDIAN INCROYABLE--SUPERSTITIOUSNESS 62-73

CHAPTER VII.

THE PRAIRIE FIRE 74-80

CHAPTER VIII.

UNPLEASANT VISITORS--"SPEED THE PARTING GUEST"--OFF
AGAIN--AN OSTRICH EGG--I'ARIA MISLEADS US--STRIKING
OIL--PREPARATIONS FOR THE CHASE--WIND AND HAIL--A
GUANACO AT LAST--AN EXCITING RUN--THE DEATH--HOME--
HUNGRY AS HUNTERS--"FAT-BEHIND-THE-EYE." 81-99

CHAPTER IX.

ELASTIC LEAGUES--THE LAGUNA BLANCA--AN EARTHQUAKE--
OSTRICH-HUNTING 100-115

CHAPTER X.

DEPARTURE FROM LAGUNA BLANCA--A WILD-CAT--IBIS SOUP--A
FERTILE CAÑADON--INDIAN LAW AND EQUITY--OUR FIRST PUMA
--COWARDICE OF THE PUMA--DISCOMFORTS OF A WET NIGHT--A
MYSTERIOUS DISH--A GOOD RUN Pages 116-127

CHAPTER XI.

A NUMEROUS GUANACO HERD--A PAMPA HERMIT--I'ARIA AGAIN
LOSES THE WAY--CHORLITOS--A NEW EMOTION--A MOON
RAINBOW--WEATHER WISDOM--OPTIMIST AND PESSIMIST--WILD
FOWL ABUNDANT 128-137

CHAPTER XII.

A MONOTONOUS RIDE--A DREARY LANDSCAPE--SHORT FUEL
RATIONS--THE CORDILLERAS--FEATURES OF PATAGONIAN SCENERY
--HEAT AND GNATS--A PUMA AGAIN--"THE RAIN IS NEVER
WEARY"--DAMPNESS, HUNGER, GLOOM--I'ARIA TO THE RESCUE--
HIS INGENUITY 138-150

CHAPTER XIII.

A SURPRISE--A STRANGE SCENE--CALIFATÉ BERRIES--GUANACO
STALKING--A DILEMMA--MOSQUITOES--A GOOD SHOT--
MOSQUITOES 151-161

CHAPTER XIV.

AN UNKNOWN COUNTRY--PASSING THE BARRIER--CLEOPATRA'S
NEEDLES--FOXES--A GOOD RUN--OUR FOREST SANCTUARY--
ROUGHING IT--A BATH--A VARIED MENU 162-173

CHAPTER XV.

EXCURSIONS INTO THE MOUNTAINS--MYSTERIES OF THE
CORDILLERAS--WILD HORSE TRACKS--DEER--MAN THE
DESTROYER 174-183

CHAPTER XVI.

AN ALARM--THE WILD-HORSES--AN EQUINE COMBAT--THE WILD
STALLION VICTORIOUS--THE STRUGGLE RENEWED--RETREAT OF
THE WILD HORSES 184-189

CHAPTER XVII.

EXCURSION TO THE CLEOPATRA NEEDLES--A BOG--A WINDING
RIVER--DIFFICULT TRAVELLING--A STRANGE PHENOMENON--A
FAIRY HAUNT--WILD HORSES AGAIN--THEIR AGILITY--THE
BLUE LAKE--THE CLEOPATRA PEAKS--THE PROMISED LAND 190-200

CHAPTER XVIII.

WE THINK OF RETURNING--GOOD-BYE TO THE CORDILLERAS--THE
LAST OF THE WILD HORSES--MOSQUITOES--A STORMY NIGHT--A
CALAMITY--THE LAST OF OUR BISCUIT--UTILITY OF
FIRE-SIGNALS 201-212

CHAPTER XIX.

ISIDORO--AN UNSAVOURY MEAL--EXPENSIVE LOAVES--GUANACO
SCARCE--DISAPPOINTMENT--NIGHT SURPRISES US--SUPPERLESS
--CONTINUED FASTING--NO MEAT IN THE CAMP 213-223

CHAPTER XX.

THE HORSES LOST!--UNPLEASANT PROSPECTS--FOUND--SHORT
RATIONS--A STRANGE HUNT--A STERN CHASE--THE MYSTERY
SOLVED--THE CABEZA DEL MAR--SAFELY ACROSS--A DAMP
NIGHT--CABO NEGRO AGAIN 224-238