d before they are thirteen days old, or,
better still, from the skins of those which have never had an
independent existence. In colour, the animals are a yellowish brown on
the back, and white underneath, and they are so small that when each
skin is split up it produces only two triangular patches, about the
size of one's hand. A number of these are then, with infinite trouble,
sewed neatly together by the Indian women, who use the fine leg-sinews
of the ostrich as thread. Those worn by the caciques, or chiefs, have
generally a pattern in the centre, a brown edging, and spots of red
and blue paint on the part which is worn outwards. Such robes are
particularly difficult to obtain, on account of the labour and time
necessary to produce them. Each cacique keeps several wives constantly
employed in making them, of the best as well as of the ordinary
description. The ostrich rugs, which are made here, are more
ornamental, though not so warm and light as the guanaco robes. They
are made of the entire skin of the ostrich, from which the long
wing-feathers have been pulled out. Mabelle has been given a beautiful
little rug composed of the skins of thirty little ostriches, all from
one nest, killed when they were a fortnight old, each skin resembling
a prettily marked ball of fluff.

At eleven o'clock we went ashore. The Governor had kindly provided
horses for all the party, and while they were being saddled I took
some photographs. There are plenty of horses here, but the only
saddles and bridles to be had are those used by the natives. The
saddles are very cumbrous and clumsy to look at, though rather
picturesque. They are formed of two bits of wood, covered with about a
dozen sheepskins and ponchos; not at all uncomfortable to ride in, and
very suitable for a night's bivouac in the open. 'Plenty of nice soft
rugs to lie upon and cover yourself with, instead of a hard English
saddle for your bed and stirrups for blankets,' as a native once said,
when asked which he preferred. About one o'clock we started,
accompanied by the officers commanding the garrison and two attendant
cavaliers, equipped in Chilian style, with enormous carved modern
stirrups, heavy bits and spurs much bigger than those whose size
struck us so much in the Argentine Republic. We had a pleasant ride,
first across a sandy plain and through one or two small rivers, to a
saw-mill, situated on the edge of an extensive forest, through which
we proceeded for s