Blanco y Colorado: Old Days among the Gauchos of UruguayTetley, William C.
History
Blanco y Colorado: Old Days among the Gauchos of Uruguay
Tetley, William C.
Uruguay -- Description and travel; Uruguay -- Social life and customs
portion of the estancia, but all without result. Not a sign could we see
of the missing man. Henriquez "had simply vanished!" On Monday morning
we sent the boy over to the pulperia at Guaycoru with a letter to the
pulpero, asking if he could give us any news. But all in vain; no one
had seen or heard anything of him since he started from his friends'
house on his chestnut horse to return home on that Monday afternoon, now
exactly a week ago. Tuesday passed and nothing came to relieve our
suspense. But on Wednesday morning Bent turned up about eleven o'clock,
and I saw at once by his face that something had happened. Having his
friend with him, he started on his horse to come down to the estancia,
and not wishing to be away longer than he could help, he chose a track
which ran through the centre of the rocks in a diagonal direction, not
usually followed, which came out not more than three-quarters of a mile
from the estancia house itself. Contrary to his custom, "Bob" followed
his master, instead of staying at the puesto, where the sheep were,
until his return. Bent was riding carefully along this track when "Bob"
suddenly began to whine and bark, and turning off on one side
disappeared round a big rock.
Bent whistled and called, but the dog did not return. So he got off his
horse and tied him up to a low bush which happened to be near. He then
took out his revolver and followed on foot in the direction the dog had
gone. He only went about fifty yards just round the edge of the large
rock already mentioned when he found himself in a small open glade, some
thirty yards long, and perhaps fifteen wide, at the far end of which
stood "Bob," close by an object which lay stretched on the ground. Here
was all that remained of poor Henriquez. He was lying slightly on one
side, face downwards; his hat and poncho, and his long boots and silver
spurs, his jacket and waistcoat, belt and revolver all gone! How he ever
came there goodness only knew. Nothing was left but his white shirt, his
black bombachos, and his stockings. It seemed as if the body must have
been either carried or dragged to the place where it lay. His face
looked peaceful, and the only thing to be noticed were signs of a wound
where a bullet had entered just between the shoulders, apparently fired
from behind. There were no signs of bruised or broken grass or horses'
footprints, if indeed a horse could have got round the very narrow space
beside the big rock. Bent covered the face with his pocket handkerchief,
leaving the body lying exactly as it was when he found it, and then
returning to where he had left his horse came on straight to the
estancia. Royd was greatly affected by the sad news which Bent brought
us, as well he might be. However, he said that he and I had better go
back with Bent to the place, taking the native peon and a spade and pick
with us, so that we might dig a grave, and so give the body a decent
burial. Fortunately, we found a spot close by, where the stones and rock
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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