12 - Some Rapid Journeys Across the Pampas and Among the Andes by Francis Bond Head

Join Sir Frances Head Bond, affectionately nicknamed Galloping Head, on a thrilling adventure through the Argentine pampas and the majestic Andes. In 1825, he journeyed as a mining supervisor for the Rio Plata Mining Association, a group of English speculators with grand but ill-fated ambitions. His vivid Rough Notes capture the essence of a resourceful adventurer, detailing relentless rides across vast landscapes, where horses gallop tirelessly for hours. Experience his harrowing encounters, such as balancing on mules trudging through deep snow and navigating treacherous terrains to inspect silver mines. With humor and grit, he recounts foraging for food in a land of scarcity, even resorting to drastic measures to satisfy his hunger. Later serving as lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada from 1835 to 1837, Bonds tales are a testament to exploration and endurance. (Summary by Sue Anderson)