been purified by its inhabitants; and that
which is unsavoury to look at in a water
bottle, will be very welcome to us in another
form produced at table hot under a dish-
cover.

SOUTH AMERICAN SCRAPS.

THE PAMPAS INDIANS.

THE Pampas Indians, like the more civilised
guachos or descendants of the old Spanish
colonists, live on horseback. Their domestic
arrangements are of the simplest kind. A
moveable tent, made of horse-hide, is the only
mansion they covet; horse-flesh and maize
are their food; a poncho, or short cloak, and
a pair of boots, made of colt-skin, their only
clothing. They herd together in separate
tribes; each community being governed by a
cacique, or chief. Their wants are few; but
even these are often not well supplied, in spite
of the natural fertility of their country. Sir
Francis Head, in his "Scamper across the
Pampas," divides these regions into three
sections. "On leaving Buenos Ayres," he
says, " the first is covered, for one hundred
and eighty miles, with clover and thistles
alternately; the second, which extends for
four hundred and fifty miles, produces long
grass; and the third, which reaches to the
base of the Cordilleras, is a grove of low trees
and shrubs. The whole country is in such
beautiful order, that if cities and millions of
inhabitants could suddenly be planted at
proper intervals and situations, the people
would have nothing to do but drive out their
cattle to graze, and without any previous
preparation, to plough, whatever ground
their wants may require." This is, to a great
extent, true; yet so straitened are the natives
for food occasionally, that necessity has
sharpened their wit to a high degree of
cunning. Travellers inexperienced in the
subtle tricks of the Pampas Indians, have
but poor defences against them, while roving
in pursuit of their little equestrian diversions,
either for frolic or plunder. To understand
some of the strategies which I am about to
disclose, it is necessary to bear in mind that
in South America all journeys, whether long
or short, are made on horseback, and that a
traveller is always accompanied by two or
three attendants, likewise mounted, leading
and tending additional horses, caparisoned
for use. These are usually driven a-head,
and gallop together at a quick speed, followed
by the whole party, the attendants from time
to time riding forward to survey and regulate
the course of the horses in advance.

This is the basis of one of their most
successful stratagems, which is remarkable, as
exhibiting their ability in horsemanship, and,
moreover, the absence of any other purpose
than that of obtaining some petty spoil. It
being a common thing to see five or six
persons galloping through the country, and
driving a large number of horses before them;
you, who are probably travelling in the same
manner, take no special notice of the party
advancing towards you from the distance.
They approach nearer; you neither slacken
your 'pace, nor diverge from your proper
course. Why should you? There is no
perceptible reason; yet you are, or may soon, be
in a snare. Look well at the advancing
party! Now they are near enough for a
more critical survey—what do you make of
them? There are in advance about thirty
horses, driven forward by a party of six
persons, all on horseback—they appear to be
Indians; but what if they are? How can
they harm us? Well, you continue to ride
on unsuspectingly. Now you are within
musket-shot—look intently and scrutinisingly
—do you see nothing more? No, nothing!
Look again. Ha! it is now too late. On
the backs of the thirty horses spring thirty
devils, created seemingly by some sorcerer's
blackest art. Each bears in his hand a lance,
whose cast is certain death. In the first stare
of amazement, before you can arrange a
thought out of your bewilderment, they are
on you and around you; you are dragged
from your horses; and what follows depends
mainly on your own behaviour. It is probable
they will deprive you of your horses—perhaps
your clothes too. What of that? You
escape with your life, and without personal
outrage. Go home as fast as you can, and be
satisfied with so gentle a misfortune.

Now, whence did these thirty "monsters"
spring from so suddenly? How came they
there? Their unearthly wildness seemed to
subdue even the wild horses. Nothing is
plainer than a deception explained. You
cannot seriously think those tawny monsters
knew anything more of magic or sorcery than
its primary and potential element, deception.
Their cunning is of nature, not art. They do
not pretend to do enormities. Their simple
object to obtain effectually and as quietly as
possible, seems to be all they wish, and all
they really do. The truth is, that they did
not spring out of the ground merely to entrap
you. They came as gentlemen, wild or tame,
should approach on horseback—all the way
on those very horses, which they rode in a
fashion of their own—not suitably, by any
means, to the tame equestrians of London or
Paris. A very quick eye might have
discerned, while the advancing horses were
galloping along in apparent freedom, something
hanging under the belly of each horse;
it is the dark body of the crafty Indian,
holding, with one hand, to the mane of his
horse, and to the spine with one of his feet;
in the other hand he carries his lance, so low
to the ground and carefully poised, as neither
to injure nor obstruct the motions of the
horse. The drivers vigilantly keep the horses
together, with that side of each which is free
from the leg of the suspended Indian presented
to the traveller favoured with their interest.