All the rooms being on the ground-floor, it is almost impossible
entirely to exclude intruders of this description. I admired very much
what I took to be two fine ponchos, of a delicate fawn-colour, used as
tablecloths, but upon a closer examination I found that they were made
of the finest silk, and learned afterwards that they were imported
from England. I don't know why the same material should not be
employed for a similar purpose at home; but I believe that those
manufactured hitherto have been designed expressly for the South
American market, to which they are exported in considerable
quantities.
_Thursday, September 21st_.--At five o'clock, when I awoke, it was so
misty that I could only see about half-way across the yard. By six,
the hour at which we were to have started on our hunting expedition,
matters had improved a little; but it was still considered unsafe to
venture out, for fear of being lost on the vast plains which
surrounded us. An hour later, however, it was reported that the fog
was clearing off, and a little before eight o'clock we started.
Horses, riders, and dogs, all appeared to be in the highest spirits,
the former jumping and frisking about, hardly deigning to touch the
ground, the latter tearing after one another and barking at every
stray bird they met.
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