The News of the Lost Captain

           NEXTday,the22dofOctober,ateighto’clockinthemorning,Thalcavegavethesignalfordeparture.Betweenthe22dand42ddegreestheArgentinesoilslopeseastward,andallthetravelershadtodowastofollowthesloperightdowntothesea.

           GlenarvanhadsupposedThalcave’srefusalofahorsewasthathepreferredwalking,assomeguidesdo,buthewasmistaken,forjustastheywereready,thePatagoniangaveapeculiarwhistle,andimmediatelyamagnificentsteedofthepureArgentinebreedcameboundingoutofagrovecloseby,athismaster’scall.Bothinformandcolortheanimalwasofperfectbeauty.TheMajor,whowasathoroughjudgeofallthegoodpointsofahorse,wasloudinadmirationofthissampleofthePampasbreed,andconsideredthat,inmanyrespects,hegreatlyresembledanEnglishhunter.Thissplendidcreaturewascalled"Thaouka,"awordinPatagoniawhichmeansbird,andhewelldeservedthename.

           Thalcavewasaconsummatehorseman,andtoseehimonhisprancingsteedwasasightworthlookingat.ThesaddlewasadaptedtothetwohuntingweaponsincommonuseontheArgentineplains—theBOLASandtheLAZO.TheBOLASconsistsofthreeballsfastenedtogetherbyastrapofleather,attachedtothefrontoftheRECADO.TheIndiansflingthemoftenatthedistanceofahundredfeetfromtheanimalorenemyofwhichtheyareinpursuit,andwithsuchprecisionthattheycatchroundtheirlegsandthrowthemdowninaninstant.Itisaformidableweaponintheirhands,andonetheyhandlewithsurprisingskill.