come within the pale of civilization. The Charuas, and some of the smaller tribes leagued with them, are the most formidable. Their combined numbers probably, is less than a thousand, exclusive of the Guaranys, from the Parana to the Portuguese frontier. North of the Entre Rios, comes the celebrated province of Paraguay, containing nearly the same number of square miles as the Banda Oriental. It is bounded on the north by Brazil, and on the other sides by the rivers Paraguay and Parana.

It has been mentioned that the warlike character of the Indians, north of the Parana, especially in the Banda Oriental, opposed great obstacles to the settlement of the country. The city of Monte Video was not founded until the year 1724, and it was even many years afterwards, that the Charuas were so far kept in check as to enable the Spaniards to establish estancias. Instead of directing their attention to raising grain, for which the country is well adapted, vast tracts of land were granted for grazing estates, where cattle were permitted to multiply to such a degree, that they could no longer be kept in a domesticated state; but when the trade was opened in 1798, so many were slaughtered on account of their hides, and they diminished so rapidly, that fears began to be entertained lest they should be exterminated. Measures were taken to prevent the decrease, by restricting the number to be killed. Before the revolution, the number of estancias was estimated at one hundred and twenty, and the cattle at about half a million, which was a great diminution. To every five thousand head, six or seven peons, and a hundred horses, at least, were necessary, to take care of them, to drive them into in

closures, and give them salt occasionally; by this means preventing them from running wild. There were besides, on each estancia, a number of tame cattle, who were greatly superior to the others. A judicious writer observes, that the same space of ground would support at least twice as many of them as of the half wild cattle, owing to their not being subject to continual frights, or destroying so much herbage by trampling it down, as is the case with immense herds moving together. The owner of the estate seldom resided on it; the management of it was entrusted to an overseer, or capitace, with the requisite number of peons. A very important reflection has often occurred to me, in looking at the population of this country; it is the indifferent character of the yeomanry; in this respect, the population is vastly inferior to that of the towns.

By the treaty of 1750, the seven missions established by the Jesuits, towards the head of the Uruguay, were ceded to the Portuguese, but the Indians refused to come under their dominion. The Jesuits have been charged with countenancing the resistance made by them, and on this chiefly rests the accusations of ambitious designs against them. The Indians were, however compelled to yield, and a line of posts was established, as well as a considerable tract of country declared neutral. The Spanish government prohibited any trade with the neighboring provinces, but without effect; great numbers of cattle were driven into the province of Rio Grande, and thence to Rio Janeiro, besides a vast number of horses and mules.* The Portuguese were in the habit of making excursions

* Estimated at fifty thousand annually.

into the Banda Oriental, and robbing the estancias; to repress this practice, is said to have been one of the purposes for which the Spanish government established the provincial corps spoken of. It is generally admitted, that the number of cattle is at present diminishing. There is every reason to believe, that the estancias have been entirely neglected, if not ruined. The peons have had other employments; vast numbers of cattle have no doubt been slaughtered, in the general anarchy and disorganization. The Portuguese would succeed more effectually in their plan of conquest, by destroying the herds, than by making war upon the gauchos; but the country is of too great extent for this.

CHAPTER III.

PASSAGE FROM MONTE VIDEO TO BUENOS AYRES-DESCRIPTION OF BUENOS AYRES-INTERVIEW WITH THE SUPREME DIRECTOR.

CONSIDERABLE difficulties were experienced in procuring a vessel at Monte Video to carry the mission to its place of destination. Several small vessels were examined, and found unsuited to the purpose; the idea of chartering a vessel at this place was therefore given up, and it was perceived too late, that an error had been committed in not stopping for this purpose at St. Catherines. Some trade is carried on with Buenos Ayres, but of very little moment; two or three small sloops suffice for the purpose. Both American and English ships coming to this river, at present, are ex

posed to serious inconvenience from the desertion of their crews to join the privateers, which is as injurious to commerce as it is demoralizing to the seamen. We were fortunate in meeting a young man who was going up in a small brig to Buenos Ayres, and who cheerfully consented to take us as passengers, otherwise, it is probable, we should have been detained here for some time.*

On the evening of the twenty-sixth of February, we got all our baggage on board, and embarked. Our Argo would have caused uneasiness, even to Charon and his ghosts; it was certainly much better suited for crossing the river Styx, than the river La Plata. She was a hermaphrodite brig called the Malacabada, or unfinished; the hand of time, however, had nearly completed what had been left undone by the shipbuilder. The deck had not been swabbed for a year. There had been putrid grain in the hold, which had bred insects and vermin, and sent forth a most disagreeable effluvia; the cabin, which was very small, contained several women, who were going to Buenos Ayres. The sails and rigging corresponded with the rest; by way of ballast, she had several puncheons of water in her hold, which kept a constant dashing and splashing, to our great annoyance. Thus crowded together on deck, with scarcely room to turn round in this crazy vessel, no one would have suspected that the Malacabada carried a mission from the great republic of the north, to the rising republic of the south.

* Captain Hickey arrived at Buenos Ayres several days before us, and announced our coming. We afterwards learned, that it had been in contemplation to send down a government vessel for us, but we arrived before it was made ready to sail.

The owner, a worthy young man, apprehensive that we might feel some uneasiness, lest we should be overtaken by a pampero, gave us the cheering information, that she had been twice overset without any material injury; he was lavish in her praise, as a swift sailor, a sea boat, and as good a piece of stuff as ever breasted the briny surge. She was built in Paraguay, he knew not how many years ago, of the best wood that province could afford, and which is even superior to the wood of Brazil. This young man had spent some years in the United States, spoke very good English, was a native of Monte Video, but his family, whom I afterwards found highly respectable, had removed to Buenos Ayres.* He was a great patriot, and took delight in giving information on a thousand matters necessary to be learned, in order to understand other things of more intrinsic importance. The particulars I drew from him, gave me a more favorable opinion of his countrymen than I had before entertained, for having heard little else than the most unfavorable accounts, my mind was not entirely free from prejudice; slander may soil the purest character, even when it cannot destroy; much greater is the injury that it can do, where there happens to be real defects, susceptible of exaggeration. I collected from him, what I considered the popular opinions of the day. I was pleased with the warmth and zeal with which he spoke; it was precisely as a young American of the north,†

* The population of this province has much increased, and is still increasing, by emigrations from nearly all the other provinces, from Banda Oriental as well as from Peru.

They call us Americans of the north-Americanos del norte; and themselves, Americanos del Suel.