he company of the
departing Tovas; and to him now regarding the tracks, it is only a
question as to whether he were a _white_ man, or Indian. Everything is
against his having been the former, travelling in a district tabooed to
the palefaces, other than Halberger and his--everything, save the fact
of his being on the back of a _shod_ horse; while this alone hinders the
supposition of the animal being bestridden by an Indian.

For a long while the hunter-naturalist, with Francesca by his side, sits
in his saddle contemplating the shod hoof-prints in a reverie of
reflection. He at length thinks of crossing the tributary stream, to
see if these continue on with the Indian trail, and has given his horse
the spur, with a word to his daughter to do likewise, when voices reach
his ear from the opposite side, warning him to pull in again. Along
with loud words and ejaculations there is laughter; as of boys at play,
only not stationary in one place, but apparently moving onward, and
drawing nearer to him.

On both sides of the branch stream, as also along the banks of the
river, is a dense growth of tropical vegetation--mostly underwood, with
here and there a tall _moriche_ palm towering above the humbler shrubs.
Through this they who travel so gleefully are making their way; but
cannot yet be seen from the spot where Halberger has halted. But just
on the opposite bank, where the trail goes up from the ford, is a bit of
treeless sward, several acres in extent, in all likelihood, kept clear
of undergrowth by the wild horses and other animals on their way to the
water to drink. It runs back like an embayment into the close-growing
scrub, and as the trail can be distinguished debouching at its upper
end, the naturalist has no doubt that these joyous gentry are
approaching in that direction.

And so are they--a singular cavalcade, consisting of some thirty
individuals on horseback; for all are mounted. Two are riding side by
side, some little way ahead of the others, who follow also in twos--the
trail being sufficiently wide to admit of the double formation. For the
Indians of _pampa_ and prairie--unlike their brethren of the forest, do
not always travel "single file." On horseback it would string them out
too far for either convenience or safety. Indeed, these horse Indians
not unfrequently march in column, and in line.

With the exception of the pair spoken of as being in the advance, all
the others are costumed, and