isobvious。AtothertimesIheardofthemarvellouspropertyofcertainrivers，whichhadthepowerofchangingsmallbonesintolarge；or，assomemaintained，thebonesthemselvesgrew。AsfarasIamaware，notoneoftheseanimalsperished，aswasformerlysupposed，inthemarshesormuddyriver-bedsofthepresentland，buttheirboneshavebeenexposedbythestreamsintersectingthesubaqueousdepositinwhichtheywereoriginallyembedded。WemayconcludethatthewholeareaofthePampasisonewidesepulchreoftheseextinctgiganticquadrupeds。
Bythemiddleoftheday，onthe28th，wearrivedatMonteVideo，havingbeentwodaysandahalfontheroad。Thecountryforthewholewaywasofaveryuniformcharacter，somepartsbeingrathermorerockyandhillythannearthePlata。NotfarfromMonteVideowepassedthroughthevillageofLasPietras，sonamedfromsomelargeroundedmassesofsyenite。Itsappearancewasratherpretty。Inthiscountryafewfig-treesroundagroupofhouses，andasiteelevatedahundredfeetabovethegenerallevel，oughtalwaystobecalledpicturesque。
DuringthelastsixmonthsIhavehadanopportunityofseeingalittleofthecharacteroftheinhabitantsoftheseprovinces。TheGauchos，orcountryrmen，areverysuperiortothosewhoresideinthetowns。TheGauchoisinvariablymostobliging，polite，andhospitable：Ididnotmeetwithevenoneinstanceofrudenessorinhospitality。Heismodest，bothrespectinghimselfandcountry，butatthesametimeaspirited，boldfellow。Ontheotherhand，manyrobberiesarecommitted，andthereismuchbloodshed：
thehabitofconstantlywearingtheknifeisthechiefcauseofthelatter。
Itislamentabletohearhowmanylivesarelostintriflingquarrels。