CHAPTER XIV.
Another Expedition after the Wild Cattle. The Wild Horse, of the Pampas. Vixen and Pampero. The Cow, the Calf, and the Puma. The Successful Foray of the Young Hunters. The New Settlement named. Kitchen and Oven built. The Chase of the Ostrich, and the Capture of another Young Colt.

"AND now, mamma," said Jack, "that we have placed you in an impregnable fortress, there can be no objection to our leaving Captain Matilda and Lieutenant Maria in command, and sallying forth ourselves, like good and worthy knights, in search of adventures."

"Or rather," added Lewis, "let us set out, as my dear countrymen were wont to do in olden times, over the borders, to make a foray on the stray cattle."

"I do not object to the expedition," said Tom; "but I confess my principal motive will be to observe whether the | | 155 Pampas produce any plants or animals worthy of scientific notice."

"If you could meet with another cow," said Nanny, "we could do very well with her, for this young calf takes lots of milk; and you know, Master Jack, honey, you all like milk; and if you could pick up a few hens, honestly, it would serve to make things look like home."

Charles really, liked the chase in a sportsman-like fashion; he was willing to slay pumas, ostriches, or even wild Indians; but to hunt cows for Nanny's dairy was a shock to his dignity; and he sighed as he observed that life on the Pampas was very slow. But the good feelings of Charles were soon recalled; and, after Mr. Merton's gentle admonitions, and Mary's persuasive entreaties that he would try to please poor Nanny, Charles was all kindness and generosity, and would have scoured the plains for a whole day after a solitary agouti, if he thought it would have gratified his dear aunt and cousins.

"Well, I certainly had no intention of becoming a herdsman, when I came out to South America," said he; "but I presume I must accompany you on this gallant expedition. Pray, which of the animals am I to ride, the cow or the llama?"

A few minutes elapsed before the question of Charles was answered, for every one was occupied with the unpleasant reflection of the inadequacy of the stud for a hunting-party; then a hearty fit of laughter succeeded, and it was decided that Almagro and Dr. Lewis should have the horse and mule, and the rest of the hunters must necessarily be pedestrians. Well provided with lassoes and bolas, which they had now learned to manufacture for themselves, they set out, through the woods to the right of the enclosure, to ascend the hills and inspect the lower plains before they descended. They caught two vicunas in their progress, to their great satisfaction; as they knew how much their sisters prized the fur of this pretty little creature. They reached the summit of the steep, and there, after Lewis had surveyed the plains with a telescope, he gave the word to descend.

The descent was through a thick wood, which rather impeded the progress of the horsemen; and Jack first emerged on the wide grassy Pampas, which, though apparently un- | | 156 trodden by man, were certainly not solitary; for he was astonished to behold, within a few yards of him, an immense herd of horses, which, sheltered by the wood, had been unnoticed from above. Some were feeding quietly on the long grass others, the young and playful, were careering round at full gallop. A young foal passed so near to Jack, that he could not resist the temptation, but flung his bolas, which, winding round the hind legs of the animal, stopped its course, and, struggling violently, it fell. Jack called on Charles to assist him, the rest were already off after the horses. "What a lucky fellow you are, Jack! You will have a horse of your own!" cried Charles, who was now all activity. He flung his poncho round the heads of the prostrate animal, which, being thus suddenly blinded, ceased to struggle, and began to tremble violently: they then placed a halter round her neck, tied her legs loosely with a lasso, and disentangled her from the bolas. In the mean time Almagro had taken another young animal, and, with the skill of experience, he immediately removed the bridle from the head of Niger, and forced the bit into the mouth of his captive; then he leaped at once upon its back. The horse, in great astonishment and dismay, reared up, and endeavored in vain to shake off its unpleasant burthen, then it galloped wildly away, bending its bead down, throwing up its hind legs, and endeavoring by any means to dislodge the bold and practised rider; but without effect. Finally it became quite exhausted, and he had no difficulty in bringing it up to the rest of the party. The whole herd of horses had taken to flight; and such is the attraction of society, that Lewis and Tom could scarcely restrain their quiet domestic animals from joining these wild, free denizens of this Pampas; and they had been compelled to convert a lasso into a reign to hold the excited Niger. Charles and Jack had made no attempts to tame their captive, but had contented themselves with securing it by a strong lasso, by which they were enabled to drag it unwillingly after them. They now determined to convey their troublesome prisoners home, before they proceeded on the cattle chase; and after much resistance from the led foal, and some awkward prancing from Almagro's horse, they | | 157 brought them to the enclosure. Jack's loud whistle soon brought his friends out, whose delight and astonishment broke out in cries of joy at the sight of this miraculous addition to their stud.

"I shall name my prize Vixen," said Jack, "for she is an unamiable specimen of the worst properties of her sex; and if Charles and I had not been brave fellows, and rather afraid that you girls would laugh at us, we should have let her go long since, our arms ache so with dragging her. What is to be the name of your horse, Almagro?"

"You must ask my kind and noble friend and preserver, Dr. Lewis, to answer that question," replied Almagro; "I am proud to have captured so fine, a creature, that I may have the pleasure of presenting it to him., when I have sufficiently subdued its fiery spirit."

Lewis received the gift from the grateful Guacho with a pleased satisfaction; for he was truly attached to the faithful Almagro, and declared he should be very glad to mount the handsome horse, as soon as it was safe for him to do so, without risking his neck.

"I undertake to make you a saddle-cloth of skins," said Matilda; and you must call the creature Pampero."

"A very appropriate name for such a wild fierce spirit," answered Lewis; "and I yield this time to Matilda's imperious 'You must,' without a rebellious feeling."

Matilda blushed at the implied reproof: she was beginning to be awake to her prevailing foible, and made, occasionally, secret resolutions to endeavor to subdue her desire for rule.

"My dear children," said Mr. Merton, "I behold with gratitude the comforts and even luxuries of life which your labors are collecting round us; but it is beyond my comprehension to discover the means by which you have ensnared and brought into captivity these fierce and savage quadrupeds, which appear to me to possess that untamable nature which man vainly labors to subdue."

"Have no fears about breaking in the creatures," said Jack; "we are a set of clever fellows; and before long Vixen will he ready for you to mount: and I hope yet to make her gentle enough for mamma to ride, then I shall change her name to Dewdrop."

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"We must now convey these unruly creatures to the corral," said Lewis, "and keep them without food for twenty-four hours, as a commencement of their subjection, but only strong will and perseverance can complete their education."

The young grooms, having fastened the heads of the prisoners to a beach-tree in the corral, so that they were prevented from reaching the ground to feed, left them in this unpleasant confinement and returned to the Pampas to continue their day's sport. It was not long before they found a herd of wild cattle feeding near the edge of the wood. Lewis and Almagro dashed forward towards the herd, the young men remaining concealed at the skirt of the wood, watching for a favorable moment to sally forth.

The whole herd, alarmed at the attack, fled in various directions, tossing their formidable horns, and bellowing furiously. Tom did not like such opponents, and drew back wider cover; but Jack, always fearless, sprung forward from the wood, as a cow passed, followed by a very young calf, and cast his bolas round the legs of the calf, which immediately fell, bleating piteously. The anxious mother stopped her flight at the sound, turned round, and made up for her calf, regardless of the presence of Jack, except that she evinced certain hostile intentions by the angry toss of her horns. Tom had now recovered his courage, and flinging his bolas, prostrated the cow, which, however, made such vigorous attempts to escape that Charles came forward with his gun, in case extreme measures were necessary to secure their safety.

At that moment a monstrous puma sprung from the wood upon the struggling calf, seized its head with its large paws, and drawing it back, dislocated the neck; then flinging its victim over its back, it fled back to the woods with both calf and bolas, to the great vexation of Jack. But in this case, Charles did not hesitate: he pointed his gun and shot the puma through the head. It fell dead immediately, and two victims being thus disposed of, they turned their attention to the third, and with much difficulty placed a halter over the horns, and tied its legs loosely, so that it could not escape or do any mischief. In the mean time the two equestrians, alarmed by the report of the gun, rode up to them. They | | 159 had lassoed a very large animal, but it was so powerful that they had been compelled to dispatch it, especially as they were in anxiety about their young friends. When they saw the puma, Lewis was quite satisfied that it was no wonton waste of ammunition to rid themselves of such a dangerous neighbor. It was now time to return home with the produce of their sport, but much difficulty arose in the disposal of it. Poor Niger was compelled to drag the slain bullock, an immense animal; but they decided to carry away only the skin of the puma, leaving the carcase a pray to the condors. There was much trouble in inducing the refractory cow to move a single step, the united strength of the three young men being insufficient to drag her on against her will; and they were afraid they should be compelled to kill her, but when the body of her calf was laid across the mule, she followed it voluntarily, lowing continually, in a piteous manner. Thus Jack and Charles, guiding her by a lasso on each side, got the cow to the enclosure, Tom bringing up the prosession, carrying the skin of the puma. Heavy laden, hungry, and weary, they reached home, very triumphant at the success of their hunting-day. "Here is your cow, Nanny," cried Jack; "and a gentle creature you will find her! She has almost torn off our arms with her struggles, but we know the means of taming her fury now. Into the corral, my good madam, and beware of corrupting our good Brindle with your wild vagaries." No sooner was the new cow tied up, than she was joined by her domesticated predecessor, which testified a little inhospitality at first towards her unfortunate sister, but they soon struck up a lasting friendship. The replenishment of the larder was very gratifying to the anxious housekeepers--the hunters were promised a dinner of roast veal next day: Nanny was complacent, and was even brought to acknowledge, that if she had an oven, some bread fit far Christians to eat, and some pigs and poultry, the place was not that bad but it might do. "But our settlement ought to have a name, papa," said Tom. Mrs. Merton sighed at the word settlement, and looked at her husband with mournful inquiry. | | 160 "If it be God's will that we should remain here, my Lucy," said he, "and if our children are happy and healthy, we must submit with resignation."

"And, as it certainly is our own estate now," added Tom, "I think we might call it Mertonville."

"Or Lewis Grove," said Matilda; "for we should never have settled here, but for the suggestion of our dear friend Dr. Lewis."

"That is a capital idea, Matilda," answered Jack, "and I give up my plan, which was to name the place Maria Haven, for our dear stranger had the first claim o the property, and here found a refuge amongst us."

"I think," said Lewis, "we had bettor defer naming our retreat till we have finally resolved to continue in it. And now, whilst the nimble fingers of our young ladies are busied with weaving, can we not turn to some work?"

"There is some work ready, I know," replied Jack; "for in return for the poncho she is weaving for him, Charles probably intends to invest Mary with the skin of the puma he has slain."

"I will take the skin of the fore-legs to make the fair child a pair of boots," said Almagro. "The skin of the hind-legs Charles may use himself, for the same purpose."

"My dear friend, Almagro," answered Charles, looking at his handsome legs, still adorned with Hoby's boots, of which he had not quite exhausted his stock, "you cannot surely believe that I could actually, in cold blood, plunge my legs into the skin just vacated by the rightful owner, and walk about in the fanciful attire of a puma's legs, as a pretence at civilized boots? I turn my right to the prize over to my friend Jack, who, bringing all things to the question of mere expediency, sees no wide distinction between the dress of an Esquimaux chief and a Parisian exquisite."

"I accept your gift, cousin Charles," said Jack, "with gratitude; but give me leave to say that a lion's hide., however ungraceful in form, is an approoriate dress for a hunter of the Pampas, and when your Hoby's fail, you will be of my opinion. And now, Almagro, initiate me into this new plan of boot-making." Almagro cut the skin round the thigh, stretched it with pegs, and rubbed it with sand, to remove the hair. The | | 161 lower extremity was then tied together, to cover the toes, the leg was introduced, the heel resting on the pars which had surrounded the lowest joint of the puma's leg; and after drying a few days, and being rubbed with melted fat, Jack had a pair of boots impervious to the briars and underwood of the mountain forests.

They all remained two days at home, cutting up and drying the beef for charqui, of which useful provision they had now prepared a large stock for the contingencies of winter, of which they had had no experience. The new cow underwent a system of training, and was found much more tractable than expected: probably from association with her tamed kindred. She submitted to be milked in a very short time, and they had now such an abundant supply of milk, that Nanny murmured continually because she had no churn. They had made the experiment of putting the cream into a water-cask, and rolling it round, but though this produced amusement, it did not produce butter. The cask was too large, and the motion not sufficiently rapid, and after much labor they only obtained some clotted cream, which was, however, by no means despised.

They now determined to add a kitchen to the hut, for Mrs. Merton, seeing that they were happy in their continual employment, became reconciled to the retreat; and even agreed to have it named, in accordance with the united wishes of the family, ESPERANZA.

Then Lewis and Tom marked out a large square behind the hut: this they surrounded with poles of eight feet in height, which they cut down and brought from the wood. Between these they interwove the lopped branches till they formed a wall, which they finally daubed, within and without, with mud. In this dry climate a few days hardened the mud, and they had a firm and solid wall. Into this wall, while still wet, they fixed a number of stout wooden pegs, on some of which they designed to rest shelves, and the remainder were intended to hold their arms, or to be appropriated to other useful purposes. The roof was completed, like that of the hut, under the direction of Almagro; and at the end of a fortnight they had a large room, with a trellised window, and an aperture in the root for the smoke.

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The fire-place was merely a circle of rough stones, for they had not the means of hewing them; and on one side of the fire-place, Jack's long-promised oven was begun. But though Jack was the willing laborer in this important construction, it was to the information and retentive memory of Tom, that he was indebted for the plan; and it was Tom's judgment that pointed out the best mode of completing it. It was a simple contrivance, being merely a hole dog in the ground, and lined with smooth, flat stones from the river. A single broad, flat stone formed the cover. When wanted, a fire was made in the oven till the stones were sufficiently heated; the ashes were then swept out; the meat placed on the hot stones; the flag was placed over the oven, and upon it a fire was kept up till the meat was thoroughly cooked. Nanny was so much delighted with the baked beef--her first experiment--that she proposed, without delay, to commence baking pies, puddings, and even bread.

And this undertaking, after laborious preparations, was successfully accomplished. The labor of pounding the maize was chiefly done by Jack and Dr. Lewis; the flour thus produced was by no means fine, but mixed with rich cream, it made excellent puddings and cakes; they had also peach-pies, and parrot-pies, which had raised walls of paste, for unluckily they could not contrive any baking-dishes.

"And now, said Jack, "just look round and confess that we have almost everything we can want at Esperanza. We have bread and milk, fruit, potatoes, beef in plenty, and fish when we will take the trouble to draw the nets these clever girls have made. We are as happy as kings and queens; and you, dear mamma, are so well, and can be so useful now in the kitchen and dairy, that after all it was a good thing those knaves put us out of the ship. And look out, mamma, at the two beautiful young horses, which Almagro has trained to he as gentle as lambs. We are going to mount them to-day, and make another hunting expedition and depend on it, we shall bing home something new."

Mrs. Merton felt some trepidation when she saw the procession move off. Lewis and Jack were mounted on their lately-acquired prizes, Charles on Niger, and Almagro on the mule, all accoutred properly with saddles and bridles, neatly made from the hide of the large bullock they had killed; | | 163 they had even spurs of the thorns of the cactus. As Tom could not have been mounted, except on a llama, a distinction which he declined, he remained at home to look after the fishery. The housekeepers wished him to go to the river and bring a large supply, as with the abundance of fat obtained from the bullock, they wished to bake and preserve as much as possible, before the frosts, which they anticipated in the winter, should close up their resources in the river.

Leaving Tom at the weir, accompanied by Nanny, who was groaning as she washed her linen in the water, at the pitiless devastation of time, the proud cavalry rode on, booted and spurred like gallant knights. They penetrated the wood directly east, instead of ascending the valley, and reached the Pampas at a considerable distance south of their last expedition They rode forward some distance from the mountains, and spurred on their noble steeds over the wide plains, with a freedom and enjoyment little known to men who ride over the beaten roads of civilized countries.

The mornings were already keen and frosty, and the air brought a rich odor from the pines. The sun shone brightly on the variegated foliage which clothed the mountain side, and glittered on the distant snowy pinnacles which seemed to pierce the clouds. For some time they pursued their way on the Pampas, seeing nothing but the agouti, bounding from its bush retreat or a solitary guanaco, the sentinel of the herd, perched on some little eminence, to watch and warn his friends, if their enemy, the puma, appeared in sight.

"Shall we go after the guanacoes?" asked Jack. "But, it is already too late, the sentinel is neighing out his signal of alarm, and see what a mighty herd are cantering off to the shelter of the next hill. Well, after all, we have meat enough for months; but the girls might have liked the wool to spin. We know their haunts now, and when we want fresh meat we will pay them another visit. But look here, Almagro! look at these monstrous eggs, scattered about. Surely there must be the nest of an ostrich near."

"There can be no doubt of it," said Almagro, "for these scattered eggs are the huachoes; they are never hatched; but are reserved, it is supposed, for the food of the young birds. Let us draw behind these trees and watch. Ah! observe that noble creature marching from yon hillock of sand; it is the | | 164 male bird, and the young ones are following him. Make ready your bolas, and start at once; we must surround them, and shall certainly take some."

The whole party dashed forward at once towards the astonished bird, which appeared for a few moments bewildered; then uttering a deep hissing cry, it spread its sail-like wings, and fled with the swiftness of the wind, pursued by Almagro and Lewis. In the mean time Charles and Jack spurred their steeds after the young ones, which were following their parent, but less fleet in their movements than the old bird; the youths overtook and flung their bolas round the legs of two birds, which fell perfectly entangled in the snare.

"We will take them home alive, for I have always promised to give Maria an osrich to tame, and this is a capital chance for me," said Jack.

"But, my good fellow," replied Charles, "how can we possibly lead or carry these great stupid, ugly birds! They are scarcely even worth killing, for they have not a feather handsome enough to adorn our caps."

"I would certainly never place a feather in my cap," said Jack. "It would only entangle me in the branches of the trees; but I do wish for a bird to give to Maria, and I think we might disable these troublesome fluttering wings."

Lewis and Almagro just then returned from their unsuccessful chase; and Lewis, seeing their captives, said,--

"Well done, my brave lads, you have had better luck than we, for the swift racer distanced us. What do you propose to do with those large, struggling creatures?"

Jack explained his wishes, and begged assistance to subdue them. Almagro quickly drew his knife and mutilated their wings, an operation that made Jack shudder, and almost wish be had destroyed them at once, rather than subjected them to this pain; but Almagro assuring them that the wounds would soon heal, he was reconciled, and thought only of the pleasure his offering would give. The legs of the birds were released, and lassoes placed round their necks; these lassoes were attached to the saddles of the two conquerors, who thus led their captives in triumph.

They were considering the advantages of returning at once, for little more could be accomplished with such inconvenient appendages; but a herd of wild horses appearing in view, the | | 165 two disengaged horsemen set out at full speed after them. More fortunate than in their first adventure, they succeeded in capturing a young colt, which Almagro mounted, as he had done in the ease of Pampero, and brought him up to the party tolerably subdued. Jack was much gratified, as his brother could now accompany them in their hunting parties.

"This is glorious work," said he; "now let us off home, and begin to build a poultry-yard."

They all laughed at Jsck's notion of confining a breed of ostriches in a poultry-yard; but Dr. Lewis assured him, as the birds were so young, they might be readily tamed and, if properly trained, he might be able some time to go out hunting on an ostrich.

They were now at a considerable distance from the mountains, when Dr. Lewis stopped to examine some tall, ragged, dry stalks growing on the plain.

"It is one of the Linaceæ, the useful flax," said he. "If we do settle in this solitary spot, we must try to cultivate the flax, that we may escape one of the evils of savage life--the want of linen. Fill the game-bag, Jack, with the seeds; the very sight of which will raise up before the delighted eyes of Nanny a vision of the hoards of linen she pines for. But much must be done before these seeds are transformed into garments for our use. We will, however, collect as many of the yellow stalks as we can conveniently carry away, that we may at once commence making some experiments in the useful manufacture."

"This was more glorious work" for the active Jack; and though Charles, whose large portmanteau still contained a good store of linen, ridiculed the idea of their setting up a "spinning-mill," Lewis and Jack were not deterred from their task and Almagro, who had never known the luxury of wearing linen, kindly assisted them in making a scanty collection of the withered stalks, in binding them together, and tying them together on the back of the patient mule. They were preparing to remount, and Almagro was releasing the captive colt, which he had tied to a tree, when they were all startled by a rushing sound, and looking up, saw a herd of deer bounding over the plains, about fifty yards from them. None of the party were mounted but Charles, who, forgetting his unfortuuate captive, spurred his horse, and galloped after | | 166 them. The young ostrich, unable or unwilling to follow the pace of Niger, would certainly have been strangled but for the warning cries of Lewis, which arrested the course of the young hunter in time to save its life.

In the mean time the swift deer had fled beyond pursuit, and Charles was inconsolable. "Only conceive," said he, "for the sake of this ugly, awkward biped, to lose such a magnificent chase, and the haunches of venison into the bargain."

But Charles was laughed out of his vexation, and a promise given that they would return to this deer-haunted spot at a more convenient opportunity, and carry home, if possible, the haunches of venison. Now it was absolutely necessary to return with the troublesome captives.