The Pampas
Sarmiento is at his best when describing the vast plains of the pampas. He invokes the desolate, windswept plains, the lone dwellings, the stunted trees, the sand winds. These details conjure up a vivid image of the harsh conditions that foster the savageness of the gauchos.
People of La Rioja
Sarmiento vividly describes the "Arabic"-looking people of La Rioja with their silent faces, full beards, and goat-skins.
Facundo
Sarmiento takes great pains to give readers a vivid picture of Facundo himself: stout and short, with a big coarse beard, and large and expressive head and face. His visage alone makes him seem keen-witted, savage, and powerful.
Tucuman
Sarmiento spends a good amount of time describing the lush, tropical beauty of Tucuman. This allows readers to rue its fall to barbarism.
