16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
telling Stephen of a white-muzzled bear he
had once met in a coca-grove and pointing
out a variety of small birds (this country,
though bare, was very far from being the desert
of the coastal plain), but his cheerful face
changed on seeing the flock running away, all
in the same direction. 'Sheep. Well may they
be called sheep,' he said indignantly, and putting
his fingers to his mouth he uttered a piercing
whistle which set them running faster still.
This brought the Indian shepherds out from
behind the rocks and while one, with the dogs,
brought the sheep to order, the others raced
towards the horses, calling out in submissive
tones. But Eduardo rode on, and it was some
minutes before he recovered his gaiety, describing
the lake of Chinchaycocha, no great
way farther to the east, but something of a
climb, being at thirteen thousand feet: it was
surrounded by reed-beds and it had a won-