with light "cirrus" cloud, but the air was fresh and cool, so it was not too hot; just the day, indeed, for everyone to enjoy a holiday. News of the race, of course, got about, and I was told that some natives who were interested in racing were coming to look on, probably inspired by curiosity to see how the Englishmen managed it. As Gordon and I rode quietly down, soon after half-past two o'clock, to the starting point, there seemed quite a little crowd gathering where the finish was to take place. Two friends of Gordon came with us to see us off. The start was quickly made, neither horse giving the slightest trouble. The bay took the lead from the first, and made the running throughout, the "saino" being in close attendance. When, however, we were about three hundred yards from the finish, and I fancied the bay seemed flagging a little, for I saw that Gordon was using his whip, I also made a call upon the "saino" which he immediately answered, and stretching himself out, shot forward like an arrow from a bow, winning easily by a couple of lengths. The natives at once came to inspect the winner, and one, who seemed somewhat of a principal man among them, asked me if I would like to part with him, offering me forty dollars for him. I asked him if he was buying him to keep or to sell again, and also if he would be sure and treat him all right. He promised to keep him, and to do this, so we rode back to the estancia. I unsaddled the "saino," the man paid me over the forty dollars, and he then took the horse straight away with him. I knew if I refused the offer, that it would not probably be very long before the old "saino" would be missing, for I had noticed one or two natives present, men who did not look too particular, shewing a somewhat peculiar interest in the horse, now they had seen how he could gallop. As a matter of fact, I had no real fancy for racing, and I thought it better to pass on the "saino" to an owner who did like it, and to a man who evidently appreciated the horse's good qualities, and would therefore be likely to take good care of him. I happened to hear of him again some time later from a man I met casually. He told me the horse had done a good bit of racing in a quiet way, and had been quite successful, and had done well for his new owner, so that he also would probably continue to do well by him. I received many congratulations upon the result of the race, and it seemed to be the general opinion that the native, when he bought the "saino" from me, got very good value for his money. In the middle of January the weather became very hot, and this lasted a little over a fortnight, and then came a succession of thunderstorms, with severe lightning, which rapidly cooled the air. I watched one of these with much interest about 9 p.m. through the windows of my room above the tower. Just an ordinary display of nature's fireworks, but how grand they were! as the vivid flashes shot like