de la Merced, and one de Belermitas. The three first are what are called casas grandes, that is, have a certain jurisdiction over other monasteries, according to the peculiar monastic divisions or provinces in South America; for there are what may be called monastic as well as ecclesiastic and civil divisions.* The casas grandes of Buenos Ayres have jurisdiction over four ecclesiastical provinces. The monks are about twenty-five or thirty in number in each, and are supported by rents from their real property, from funds at interest, and other property; they have enough to live upon, but are not rich. There are two convents, that of San Catalina, and of San Juan. The first is possessed of sufficient funds for the comfortable subsistence of thirty or forty nuns; in the other, they support themselves by their own industry, with some occasional pious donations; they also undertake the education of young ladies, as at New Orleans. Cordova contains four monasteries and two convents, and about the same number of monks and nuns as at Buenos Ayres; the people of Cordova are said to be the greatest devotees in the United Provinces, as Buenos Ayres is the most liberal. Santiago del Estero, Tucuman, Catarmarca, Salta, and Jujuy, have eleven monasteries, but the monks support themselves with difficulty in the present state of things. The revolution has fallen very heavily on this class of people every where.

Potosi contains six monasteries and two convents. They were formerly richly endowed, but on account

* An ecclesiastical province means nothing more than a bishopric; the jurisdiction of the casas grandes is arbitrary.

of the rapid decay of the city, their revenues are barely sufficient to support them; but they find an inexhaustible fund in the superstition of the Peruvians. Chuquisaca (or Charcas) has five monasteries and three convents; all richly endowed, and enjoying extensive revenues, as these are derived from cultivated lands. Cochabamba has five monasteries and four convents, one of them in Misque, and another in Clisa; they are all rich. teries which are poor. Oruro has four, but all extremely poor. The province of La Paz, has by far the greatest number, and with revenues nearly equal to all the rest put together. It will be seen by the foregoing statement, that there is a surprising difference between the religious establishments of the lower pwvinces, and those on the heads of La Plata.

Santa Cruz has four monas

During our stay, the festival of Corpus Christi acurred. For a whole week the inhabitants abstained from all labor, the shops were shut up, the churches constantly crowded with people, while a great nunber of ladies were continually seen going to and from the different churches; and as they have a prescribed number of ave marias to say, they mutter them as they pass along. Some of them go to nine or ten churches, and are never accompanied by gentlemen, but move along in family groups, the children going before, preceded by a black servant carrying a small carpet to kneel upon, the mother following the flock. I vas struck with the uncommon neatness of their dress, generally black, with silk stockings, of which they are passionately fond. The last day of the festival was closed by pompous processions, carrying saints, and chaunting at all the different corners of the streets.

So many authors have described these magnificent processions, that I shall not trouble the reader with a minute account of them. They prove that veneration for their religion has not ceased as it did in the revolution of France, although the attention of the people has been diverted to a variety of other objects.

I am aware that in the course of this work, I have seen things in a more favorable light than most others, perhaps from a natural inclination to be pleased instead of finding fault. There is no doubt that much might be said of the faults discoverable on the reverse of the medal. Favorable accounts of countries, without any of the counterbalancing disadvantages, are very apt to deceive; aware of my natural inclination, and warm feelings in favor of the success of the cause, I have endeavored to guard against too favorable a representation, and perhaps may in some particulars, have from this caution, done them injustice. On the whole, I do nct know that even if I could reconcile it to my feelings to expatriate myself for any country on earth, I should like to settle at present in the United Provinces, and still less in the dominions of Artigas; and I do not know that I would advise any friend to do so, no matter what his occupation might be. I am writing for my own country, and not for others. Although Buenos Ayres cannot be said to be toto devisos ab orbe, yet it is very far removed from the civilized world. The difference in the municipal laws, the remains of Spanish despotism, the want of that feeling of comfort and security in private life, perhaps known only among us, and the present unsettled state of affairs, are serious objections. There is no certainty that some faction will not league with the military and overturn the

government. The savage character of the population of the plains, the gloominess of the colonial catholic faith, the low state of literature and the arts, compared to other civilized countries, and in fact, the newness of all the arts of civilization, are serious considerations. The feverish state of the public mind from the doubt still hanging over them as to the result of the contest-one day depressed, and the next extravagantly elated-distrusts sown among them, a thousand warring interests, jealousies, hatreds, envies, shew themselves when we look at the counterpart of the picture. THERE IS BUT ONE AMERICA LIKE

OURS.

Towards the latter part of our stay the affairs of the country wore a most gloomy aspect. Accounts were daily received that the Spanish army was continually advancing towards Santiago. The uneasiness of the public mind cannot well be conceived. But when the news arrived of the dispersion of the army of San.. Martin at Talca, the effect was such as to produce a kind of settled gloom over the city. The streets were almost deserted, and an anxiety prevailed among all classes which could not have been greater if their own fate had been at issue. The enemies of San Martin were busily at work; placards were stuck up, it was supposed by the old Spaniards, and the friends of Carrera experienced a secret satisfaction, which they could with difficulty conceal. Before this they represented San Martin as a deep designing man, who made a tool of O'Higgins, they now spoke of him as an imbecile pretender; and one of them observed to me, "if he can get out of this scrape, I will acknowledge that he is a clever fellow." They told me that

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he had resigned the command of the army to general Brayere, on finding himself entirely incompetent to the task, and had resolved to fight at the head of his cavalry.* If true, the fact only proved, that he was actuated by a higher motive than selfish pride. A few days, however, brought the account of the splendid victory of Maipu. I shall not attempt to describe the sensation produced in the city by this important event, and which greatly surpassed all expression of popular feeling I had ever witnessed. "The capital," says Funes, "from its extreme depression was now elevated to the highest pitch of joy. The streets, before silent and fearful, were suddenly filled by the inhabitants; like the blood, which after some moments of deep suspense, and anxious fear, rushes again from the heart to the extremities of the body. The scenes which ensued, can only be conceived by those who have witnessed the sublime effusion of popular feeling, when each thinks his own happiness that of his posterity, his friends, and his country are entirely involved. There was a general and almost universal exclamation, 'AT LAST WE ARE INDEPENDENT!" While San Martin was hailed as the genius of the revolution."

* Brayere left the army after the affair of Talca in disgrace.