He goes out alone, often for days together, and hunts for whatever game the country produces. Meat and water comprise his entire bill of fare, and with this simple diet and constant exposure he becomes toughened in all his muscles and capable of enduring any amount of fatigue. Guachos have been known to pass thirty or forty hours continuously in the saddle; on long journeys they generally drive a herd of horses before them; when they have wearied out a horse under the saddle they lasso a fresh one from the herd and mount him immediately. A guacho considers it a disgrace to be on foot, and will not walk a hundred yards if a horse is available. Frank was amused, at one of the stations, at seeing a man come out of a house, mount his steed, and ride to another house certainly not fifty yards distant. There he sprang to the ground again and entered the building, without the least thought that he had done anything absurd. In most countries he would have saved himself the trouble of springing into the saddle for a ride of such brevity, but not so the guacho. Frank said afterwards that he was reminded of a certain city in the United States where it is considered improper and undignified to cross a street anywhere except at the corners of the blocks. The most important town on the line of the railway is San Luis, or, to give its full name, San Luis de la Punta. It has a population of six or eight thousand, and is beautifully situated at an elevation of about twenty-five hundred feet above the level of the sea. It was founded by Luis Loyola in 1596, and has a considerable trade in hides, wool, skins, leather, and a few other things of less importance. Frank observed that nearly all the houses were one story in height, built of adobes or sun-dried brick, with earthen or tiled floors, and generally attached to a garden. Since the recent emigration from Europe began a good many Germans and Italians have settled at San Luis, and there are several Scotch and Irish herders living in the neighborhood. [Illustration: A DANCE AT SAN LUIS DE LA PUNTA.] Frank was invited to stop a day and attend a _tertulia_ or dance, but he declined the honor. The dances at San Luis are noticeable more for their vigor than their refinement. The guitar is usually the musical instrument for the occasion, and the dancers whirl rapidly around the room, with very little attempt to keep step, as the shouts and laughter of the assemblage frequently render the music quite inaudible.