Through the heart of Patagonia . nly thehigh, bald tops of the hills being visible. The next day was Sunday, but not on this occasion a day ofrest. One thought of the bells ringing far away at home and theconcourse of people moving along the winter roads. Here waswind, cold, and a march, cargo to be fixed and refixed to the daysend, then a windy camp-fire, and after a short sleep till the toil had been hard, but we were nearing the lake,and looked forward to a time of rest and hunting. We were rich in meat with the cow, sheep, a Darwins rheacaught by the Indians dogs, and three g
Through the heart of Patagonia . nly thehigh, bald tops of the hills being visible. The next day was Sunday, but not on this occasion a day ofrest. One thought of the bells ringing far away at home and theconcourse of people moving along the winter roads. Here waswind, cold, and a march, cargo to be fixed and refixed to the daysend, then a windy camp-fire, and after a short sleep till the toil had been hard, but we were nearing the lake,and looked forward to a time of rest and hunting. We were rich in meat with the cow, sheep, a Darwins rheacaught by the Indians dogs, and three geese. The hounds of theIndian proved themselves to be troublesome thieves. Hurburyand I were obliged to sleep beside the meat. r)esidcs beingcunniiv thieves the dosfs were cowards. Thev were to all intentsand purposes wild as regarded their habits. \et good guanaco- ii8 THROUGH THE HEART OF PATAGONIA hounds represent very sterling value to their owners, whose liveli-hood they procure. The best at the work I met with in Patagonia. (.)N AHKAU were those which belonged to this Indian ouide. Wg called theman Como No because, whatever question was put to him, hisinvariable reply took the form of Como no? or Why not ? You said perhaps, It is not far to the next camping-ground, is it ? Como no? he would answer. After some three hours at anamble, you would repeat your inquiry. Is it much farther.* Como no ? The most impossible queries met with preciselythe same response. However indeterminate Como No may have been in his mental THE KINGDOM OF THE WINDS 119 attitude, his dogs were definitely good ones. He owned a hip-brindled dog, a small black one and a couple of yellow No had a habit of riding far ahead of the general troop ofmen and horses, his figure making a far-off outline etched in blackagainst the cold blue horizon of the pampa. Sometimes, when helost sight of us for any length of time, he would burn a bush to giveus our direction by the smoke, and we would follow on,
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