His horse-fittings and
massive stirrups (to say nothing of his enormous spurs) will be of
solid silver, and his arms inlaid with the same metal. He will
sometimes give as much as from 10_l_. to 20_l_. for a pair of stirrups
alone, and the rest of his dress and equipment is proportionately
expensive. The cost of the silver articles is little more than the
value of the metal itself, which is of very pure quality, and is only
roughly worked by the Indians or Gauchos. But as Manchester provides
the ponchos, so does Birmingham the saddlery and fittings, especially
those in use in the neighbourhood of towns.
After inspecting the ponchos, we breakfasted with some friends, and
about noon started in the train for Campana. The line passes at first
through the streets of Buenos Ayres, and thence into the open country,
beautifully green, and undulating like the waves of the sea. Near the
town and the suburb of Belgrano are a great many peach-tree
plantations, the fruit of which is used for fattening pigs while the
wood serves for roasting them. There is also some scrubby brushwood,
and a few large native trees; but these are soon left behind, and are
succeeded by far-spreading rich pasture land, and occasional lagunes.
We saw for the first time the holes of the bizcachas, or prairie-dogs,
outside which the little prairie-owls keep guard.
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