Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

1832. GROTESaUE GROUP SUSPICIONS. 103 charmed with them. A dark visaged Quixotic character, partly in uniform, mounted on a large lean horse, and attended by several wild looking, but gaily dressed gauchos,* was nearest to us. Behind him, a little on one side, were a few irregular soldiers, variously armed, and no two dressed alike, but well mounted, and desperate-looking fellows ; while on the other side, a group of almost naked Indian prisoners sat devouring the remains of a half roasted horse ; and as they scowled at us savagely, still holding the large bones they had been gnawing, with their rough hair and scanty substitutes for clothing blown about by the wind, I thought I had never beheld a more sin- gular group. The tall man in uniform was the Commandant of the settle- ment, or fortress, called Argentina : he and his soldiers had arrived to welcome us, svipposing that we were bringing sup- plies from Buenos Ayres for the needy colony. The Indian prisoners had been brought to work, and assist in carrying the supplies which were expected. Finding that we were neither Buenos Ayreans, nor traders from any other place, it was supposed that we must be spies sent to reconnoitre the place previous to a hostile attack. Neither the explanations nor assertions of Mr. Harris had any weight, for as he was our countryman, they naturally concluded he was in league with us ; yet, as the commandant had some idea that we might, by possibility, be what we maintained we were, he disregarded the whispers and suggestions of his people, and offered to carry us to the settlement for a night's lodging. Leaving the boat''s crew to bivouac, as usual, I accepted a horse offered to me, and took the purser up behind ; Mr. Darwin and Harris being also mounted behind two gaucho soldiers, away we went across a flat plain to the settlement., Mr. Darwin was carried off before the rest of the party, to be cross-questioned by an old major, who seemed to be considered the wisest man of the detachment, and he, poor old soul, • Countrymen, employed in keeping and killing cattle, breeding and training horses, hunting, war, &c.