IN THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN.
As the journey over the Andes was to be made in the saddle, Frank determined to travel in "light marching order." Manuel was sent to Mendoza immediately to make preliminary arrangements for the saddle and pack animals, while Frank remained in Buenos Ayres to make a few purchases, and to be with his friends until their embarkation on the steamer. They were duly seen on board, and with many affectionate words of farewell, and good wishes expressed on both sides, Frank returned to shore, whence he watched the steamer until watching was no longer practicable.
While Dr. Bronson and Fred are heading southward we will accompany Frank in his journey across the pampas and over the Andes.
In a direct line, as a carrier pigeon might fly, Mendoza is six hundred and ten miles from Buenos Ayres, but by the windings of the carriage-road and the railway it is about seven hundred. By the old post route the journey required from six to nine days, but the railway carries the traveller from one city to the other inside of forty hours. When the line is completed from ocean to ocean the speed will doubtless be accelerated, and through trains will pass from Buenos Ayres to Valparaiso in forty-eight or fifty hours. Travellers who have no desire to spend a fortnight on the steamer, or study the scenery of the Strait of Magellan, will give preference to the railway route, and the cabin passengers of the English or other vessels between Buenos Ayres and Valparaiso, or vice versa, are not likely to be numerous.
The railway ride over the pampas was interesting enough at first, but Frank soon found it monotonous. One mile greatly resembled another mile, as there is not much diversity of scenery on the broad plains, with their carpet of grass and scanty patches of trees. Several times the youth found himself regretting the departure of the old customs, and wished that he could emulate the example of Lieutenant Strain, and gallop across the pampas with the government courier. But the perusal of Strain's narrative, portraying the hardships and difficulties experienced by that gallant officer, brought him to his senses, and he was quite contented to be journeying in a railway carriage.
Frank copied into his note-book the following description, by Sir Francis Head, of the aspect of the plains of Buenos Ayres:
"This region, bordering on the Atlantic, varies with the four seasons of the year in a most remarkable manner. In winter the leaves of the thistles are large and luxuriant, and the whole surface of the country has the rough appearance of a turnip-field. The clover in this season is extremely rich and strong; and the sight of the wild cattle grazing in full liberty on such pasture is very beautiful. In spring the clover has vanished, the leaves of the thistles have extended along the ground, and the country still looks like a rough crop of turnips. In less than a month the change is most extraordinary; the whole region becomes a luxuriant wood of enormous thistles, which have suddenly shot up to a height of ten or eleven feet, and are all in full bloom.
"The road or path is hemmed in on both sides; the view is completely obstructed; not an animal is to be seen; and the stems of the thistles are so close to each other, and so strong, that, independent of the prickles with which they are armed, they form an impenetrable barrier. The sudden growth of these plants is quite astonishing; and though it would be an unusual fortune in military history, yet it is really possible that an invading army, unacquainted with this country, might be imprisoned by these thistles before they had time to escape from them. The summer is not over before the scene undergoes another rapid change, the thistles suddenly lose their sap and verdure, their heads droop, the leaves shrink and fade, the stems become black and dead, and they remain rattling with the breeze one against another until the violence of the pampero, or hurricane, levels them to the ground, whence they rapidly decompose and disappear; the clover rushes up and the scene is again verdant."
Stations were infrequent on the line of the railway, as the country is not densely settled. The rearing of cattle and horses is the principal industry, and occasionally, as Frank looked from the windows of the railway train, he saw the guachos pursuing their herds, which generally manifested an unwillingness to remain in the neighborhood of the snorting, puffing locomotive. Sometimes the engine-drivers added to the fright of the half-wild animals by sounding the whistle, which rarely failed to create a stampede. They did not indulge in this amusement if the guachos were in sight, as the latter are not friendly to the railway, and would greatly prefer the old state of affairs. Naturally they resent the frightening of their herds, and the engine-driver who deliberately blows the whistle and alarms horses or cattle is liable to be roughly handled whenever the guachos can lay hold of him.
Some of the stations were the abiding-places of the guachos, and Frank embraced an opportunity to see the life of these denizens of the pampas. The result of his observation coincided with that of Lieutenant Strain, and he had no desire to remain among them.