Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cousin, the colour of skin, coarse black hair, high cheekbones and dark slit eyes being identic-
al. Many whites are proud of claiming a splash of Indian in their blood, but when one puts
aside fiction, and considers historical facts, there is very little to be proud of, for the North
American Indian was much inferior to his Mexican and South American kin of days gone by.
For some of these, like the Mayas, the Aztecs, and the Incas were highly civilised and ad-
vanced in various sciences and arts; whereas the North American Indian was merely a nomad
hunter and a savage, as the Indians of the pampas and further south of the South American
continent used to be, and they, like the North American Redskin, have left nothing to show
that they ever existed but a few flint-stone arrow-heads and other primitive stone implements
and weapons.
Alongside the rushing traffic I felt like a snail moving along, but at the same time I had
ample time to observe things I should otherwise have missed.
The majority of motorists in the States seem to have no consideration for anybody along
theroad,andthistomymindshowsasadlackofeducationandwantofgentlemanlyinstincts.
I had a great deal of trouble with 'road hogs' who seemed to outnumber the relatively few
whose character qualifies them to drive a car, and many a time did they deliberately drive
across the road to 'shave' my horses, obviously not even realising that they were endangering
theirownlivesasmuchasours.Offandondifferentobjectswerethrownatus,andonceeven
an empty bottle, whilst shouting: 'Ride'm, cowboy!'
Taking all in all, I was as disappointed with the farms as I was with the general level of
culture in the States. True, I met the most charming and refined people, but on the other hand,
Ifoundthelowerclassestobeveryignorantandcommon,especially northoftheMississippi.
As to the farms, I expected to find them to be models in every way, but the wooden barns
and pools of stagnant and muddy water, and the general appearance of the places left much to
bedesired.Onthewhole,Ifoundthefarmerstobeignorant,lackingeventhemostelementary
knowledge, and not knowing the world beyond the small radius in which they live.
TheaverageArgentine
estancia
isfarsuperiortothebestIhaveseeninAmerica, thequal-
ity ofstock, installations, and even the machinery used being better.IfIdescribed some ofthe
leading
estancia
with their modern homes that are veritable palaces in some cases, the sur-
rounding parks, flower-gardens, swimming pools, polo pony stables, etc., I am afraid I might
be disbelieved. I visited some fat stock shows in the States, and when I was told one of them
was the 'finest in the world', even though I am no expert, I could not help smiling to myself.
Near most farmhouses in Oklahoma, cyclone cellars are built, in which people take refuge
in case of danger, rather as people did in Europe during the World War when enemy aircraft
maderaids.WhilstIwasonmywaythroughthosepartsacyclonesweptastripofthecountry,
andIcouldseetheincredibledevastationitcaused,everythinghavingbeensweptawaywhere
it had passed. I tried to avoid staying in towns whenever this was possible, for outside, along
the highway some of the farms make a side income by taking in tourists, posters outside the
gates of such establishments advertising the fact. If there was no stable available, there was
