The
afternoon was very hot, and we did not start off again until 4 o'clock.
During the evening we swam across a small river which we found
overflowing its banks on account of the local rains, and, as darkness
fell, we found it almost impossible to see our way on account of the
fireflies, which made such a glare in front of us that the slight track
which we had been following was almost invisible. It was a very dark
night, and once or twice we felt rain. We had to go very slowly, so that
we should not miss the track. Thus we trotted on in Indian file, each of
us now leading spare horses, in silence, except when one of us asked how
many leagues it was to the estancia, only to jog on again for what
seemed two or three hours, until almost midnight. With a cheerful yell
we suddenly came on a barbed wire fence, and after hunting about for a
time, a wire gate.
Immediately tongues seemed to be mechanically loosened and the
conversation flowed freely, discussing the ride, horses, coming
stiffness, and all the things that one has to talk about after two and
a-half days in the saddle. On reaching the estancia about 2 a.m., none
of us needed much bed, and throwing our things down on the grass
outside, we soon were dreaming of alligators, broken bridges, swimming
rivers, etc.
Pages:
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125