to be in time for work. One night I had to cross a big
field, without a path or fence for a guide. It was dark, and lightning
hard. I made for a light, which I thought was the house. Going for some
time, I came to a fence--I was lost. I unsaddled and lay down to sleep,
the rain was pouring hard, when I heard a donkey braying, so I shouted,
and was answered by a man in a puesto (out-station). The light I saw was
a village twelve miles away.
My companion was very slack, and the patrons came up and sacked him.
Then I went to the estancia house for a month, breaking in colts for
driving. I felt rather sad at leaving my rough work. It was hard work,
but I never had better health.
My Boss then earned $15 per month, and his wife cooked for the men. Now
he is one of the richest men in the country.
There was no opening there, so the Boss sent me to a New Zealander who
had half a league of camp, all fine stock, good alfalfa and splendid
water. He had a big house and I expected I would live well. My first
work was to dig up locusts' eggs for a week under a hot sun, with the
ground very hard. The Boss was a man of forty-two, very red-faced and
extremely rich, but as mean as possible.
Our meals took about six to eight minutes, fast eating; he would watch
every mouthful.
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