one degree further removed from civilization. His mode of life is something like that of the Arab`or Tartar. They are either of a mixed breed, or full blooded Indians, and are remarkably stout and athletic. Those I saw had a most uncouth appearance; their coarse black and bushy hair, caused the head to look three times as big as itself. The missions established on the Parana, especially those of the Jesuits, have contributed to supply the plains with this singular population. If they have any religion at all, it is nothing more than some of its most gross superstitions, and scarcely sufficient to place them under any moral restraint. The neglect of schools, and the absence of all religious instruction, must prepare the way for their final destruction; like all savages, they must, in the end, yield to the more civilized and enlightened, just as the savage tribes have, at last, yielded to the Europeans. Under the Spanish government, the control over them was very little greater, than that which they themselves hold over their roaming herds.

The character of these people given by Azara, with some deductions for the disposition which he seems to manifest, of making rather an unfavorable representation of all classes of Americans, is in the main correct. He relates a number of anecdotes, which exhibit them in a curious light; and differing, in many respects, very materially, from the herdsmen in other parts of South America. These accounts are confirmed by Mawe, who resided six months amongst them, and had, therefore, a fair opportunity of forming a correct opinion. It is true, he begins by representing them, for the most part, as "an honest and harmless race, though equally as liable, from the circumstances of their condition, to 29

VOL. I.

acquire habits of gambling and intoxication, as the higher classes of the people, numbers of whom fall victims to those seductive vices;" but he afterwards proceeds to give them a very different character, and in a note, relates the following anecdote: "I once observed a party playing in the neighborhood of a chapel, after mass had been said, when the clergyman came and kicked away the cards, in order to put an end to the game. On this, one of the peons rose up, and retiring a few paces, thus accosted the intruder: Father, I will obey you, as a priest, but (drawing his knife) you must beware how you molest our diversions. The clergyman knew the desperate character of these men too well to remonstrate, and retired very hastily, not a little chagrined." He observes again, that the state of society among them, weakens those ties which natu-rally attach men to the soil on which they are accustomed to subsist. He also relates a plan which had been concerted between two of the peons, to rob and murder him, under a pretext of assisting him to make his escape, but the plan was fortunately discovered by the person under whose charge and protection he had been placed. In fact, from all the information I could collect, from persons who had a perfect acquaintance with these peons, or gauchos, there seemed to be no difference of opinion, as to their leading characteristics. And when we consider their origin, and mode of life, it would only be surprising that they should be otherwise. We must reflect, that this is a vast country, almost as thinly inhabited as the extensive plains of the Missouri, in which criminals and fugitives from justice, and deserters from the service, were considered so perfectly safe, that it was, thought

almost useless to make any attempt to arrest them. The writer just quoted, informs us, "that even in case of murder, the criminal has little to fear, if he can escape to the distance of twenty or thirty leagues; he there lives in obscurity probably for the remainder of his life, without ever being brought to justice." The gauchos are, for the greater part, loose fish who have wandered from the missions, and especially from those of the Jesuits. After the expulsion of the society, their neophytes, who had been placed under the direction of the Franciscans, gradually relapsed towards their former state, and rapidly diminished in numbers. Many withdrew to the neighboring missions and Spanish settlements, while their intercourse with the Spaniards, introduced amongst them all the vices of the lower classes of the people. Many of them wandered into the plains, where they could enjoy unbounded liberty, and indulge their propensities. When they chose to engage in any honest occupation, it was that of peons, or herdsmen, whose chief employment was to attend the cattle, and to slaughter them. There were numbers, however, who would engage in no regular occupation, or hire themselves to any one. These sometimes formed themselves into bands, and infested the country, or were employed to assist in smuggling. Some writers speak of a people resembling gypsies, in this country; an idea, which originated, no doubt, from some imperfect account of the gauchos.

One circumstance must have had an important influence on their characters, which is the number of males in proportion to that of females, not less than ten to one; few of them having any families; it is natural to expect that they should be in some measure insen

sible to the softer affections.* Azara relates curious anecdotes of their stealing women, and Mawe tells us, "that a person may travel in these parts for days together, without seeing or hearing of a single female in the course of his journey. To this circumstance may be attributed the total absence of comfort in the dwellings of these wretched men, and the gloomy apathy observed in their dispositions and habits. It is true that the mistress of an estate, may occasionally visit it for a few months, but she is obliged during her stay to live in great seclusion, on account of the dreadful consequences to be apprehended from being so exposed." As to religion, if it possesses any influence over them at all, it is probably more injurious than useful. present they are freed from all restraints, excepting such as are imposed by their leaders, whose inclinations and habits are pretty much the same. Their ideas beyond what relates to their immediate wants and employments are few; and these are a passion for liberty, as it is understood by them, that is an unbounded licentiousness, with the most absolute submission to their chiefs, and which contradictory as it may seem, depends on popularity. The qualifications necessary for the leader of a banditti, are by no means common. But without a leader of this description, the banditti must soon disperse. That there should have been such a leader as Artigas, is probably the

At

* See an interesting narrative of a shipwreck in the Boston Athæneum, No. 42. I do not recollect of having ever met with a more horrible and inhuman ferocity than was exhibited by the gauchos on this occasion. A consolatory contrast is there exhibited between the kindness and charity of the agricultural peasantry and these monsters.

greatest misfortune that could have happened. Such is the people against whom the Portuguese and the people of Buenos Ayres are at war.* Possessing this effective force at his command, he is enabled to set at defiance the wishes of the sober and settled inhabitants residing in villages, or cultivating the soil, who are far from being satisfied with the prostration of all law and government, excepting that which emanates from the will of this despot. When it is said that the

* I make the following extract from the report of Mr. Bland. "Nothing is easier, than to make a fine partisan soldier of a gaucho; those of the plains of the Banda Oriental under Artigas, and those of Salta, under Guemes, are proofs how readily those peaceful herdsmen can be made terrible in war; they are a class of people, who have a predisposition to an unrestrained roving life. To lead them to independence, therefore, an enterprising, spirited leader was all that was necessary. And if the gauchos of the pampas, shall, like those of the Banda Oriental, find a bold leader who shall inspire them with a resolution to insist on having their voice heard through their lawful representatives, the city of Buenos Ayres itself may then soon be, what Monte Video now is, a place where commerce once was. The peace and commerce of Buenos Ayres have a happy and continually improving effect upon the neighboring inhabitants of the pampas. With such an example, how misguided, how cruel was the policy which converted the city of Santa Fee from a new and flourishing seat of commerce, exciting industry, diffusing information, the arts of peace, and innumerable benefits all around, into the strong hold of bands of hardy and warlike gauchos. The evils of these distractions, and civil wars, as regards the fruits, productions, and resources of the country are obvious. It is acknowledged, that they have not merely prevented the increase of husbandry, but have diminished its amount; many fine chacaras, or grain farms, have been totally neglected or destroyed. And the stocks of cattle, which furnish the great staple commodities of all the plains, have been every where very much diminished."