In Search of the Castaways Book One Chapter XX - Strange Signs

In which the travellers, having quenched their thirst beside the Guamini, press onward across the varied and often deserted plains of the Argentine Pampas, observing curious natural phenomena and noting the strange absence of the native tribes they expected to encounter. Guided by the thoughtful counsel of their Patagonian companion, they resolve to reach Fort Independence, hopeful that this stronghold may shed light on the puzzling silence of the Indian peoples and the fate of their missing friend.