They pulled the wet saddles off the horses and hobbled them and walked off in separate directions through the chaparral to stand spraddle legged clutching their knees and vomiting. The browsing horses jerked their heads up. It was no sound they'd ever heard before. In the grey twilight those retchings seemed to echo like the calls of some rude provisional species loosed upon that waste. A thing smirking deep in the eyes of grace itself like a gorgon in an autumn pool.
The passage describes a scene in which characters remove soggy saddles from their horses and, overwhelmed, they stumble into the brush to vomit. This moment strikes a contrast between the human experience and the reactions of the horses, who are startled by the unfamiliar sounds. The imagery suggests a deep, unsettling connection to the wildness of nature, serving as a backdrop for the characters' struggles.
The description evokes a primal and raw atmosphere, reflecting a sense of desperation and disconnection. The comparison to a "gorgon" signifies something grotesque lurking beneath the surface of beauty, hinting at the darker aspects of existence that the characters are confronting in their journey. McCarthy's language creates a vivid sense of unease and the primordial relationship between humans and their environment.
