bones, bullocks' horns, wool,
carcasses of horses, and other refuse, which induced the travellers to
keep carefully to windward of it. On a slight rising ground, close at
hand, stood the mud hut of the family to which it belonged.

Although living in a state little short of savagery, this family, being
descended from one of the best old families of Spain--at least, so they
believed--maintained much of the dignity, good manners, and ceremony
that characterised the old Spaniards. It comprised several generations,
of whom a great-great-grandfather, blind, deaf, and benignant, formed
the head, and a baby, fat, wide awake, and uproarious, formed the tail.
Between these there was a band of men, women, girls, and boys, whom we
will not even attempt to describe, further than to say that they were
all black-eyed, sunburnt, and more or less pretty and handsome.

The travellers rode up to the door of the mud mansion, and, according to
Pampas etiquette, awaited permission to dismount. This was quickly
given with much urbanity by a handsome middle-aged man, who was the
active head of the household.

The intention of Colonel Marchbanks was to take a hasty meal here, and
push on as far as possible before night. Finding that the Gauchos were
engaged at that time in breaking in some young horses, he ordered his
party to off-saddle, and went with Pedro, Lawrence, and some others
towards the corral while food was being prepared.

Quashy--ever mindful of the welfare of others, and ever thoughtful in
regard to what he esteemed the most important things of life--hung
behind to advise a daughter of the house to prepare a specially tender
fowl for Susan, Manuela, and Mariquita. He even remained a few minutes
to receive from the damsel a lesson in cookery.

This daughter of the Pampas whispered something to a very small brother
beside her, who was remarkable chiefly for the size of his gorgeous eyes
and the scantiness of his costume. With ready obedience the urchin
unhooked a miniature lasso from the wall, and lassoed a large hen. How
the brother and sister executed that hen was not obvious.

It was, however, quickly and effectively done between them. Then the
sister took the bird to a pot of water, which chanced to be boiling at
the time, and put it therein, feathers and all. To civilised people
this might have seemed rather a savage process, but it was not so. The
object was merely to simplify the plucking. After scalding, th