As is well known, the bullock is a slow animal, and these never
travel more than two or three miles an hour.
Time with the native is no object. The words, "With patience we win
heaven," are ever on his lips.
The Argentine countryman is decidedly lazy.
Darwin relates that he asked two men the question: "Why don't you
work?" One said: "The days are too long!" Another answered: "I am too
poor."
With these people nothing can succeed unless it is begun when the
moon is on the increase. The result is that little is accomplished.
You cannot make the driver understand your haste, and the bullocks
understand and care still less.
The mosquitoes do their best to eat you up alive, unless your body
has already had all the blood sucked out of it, a humiliating,
painful and disfiguring process. You must carry with you sufficient
food for the journey, or it may happen that, like me, you are only
able to shoot a small ring dove, and with its entrails fish out of
the muddy stream a monster turtle for the evening meal.
If, on the other hand, you pass a solitary house, they will with
pleasure give you a sheep.
