Part 1

A FIVE YEARS' RESIDENCE IN BUENOS AYRES,

DURING THE YEARS 1820 to 1825:

CONTAINING REMARKS ON THE COUNTRY AND INHABITANTS; AND A VISIT TO COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO.

BY AN ENGLISHMAN.

_WITH AN APPENDIX_, CONTAINING RULES AND POLICE OF THE PORT OF BUENOS AYRES, NAVIGATION OF THE RIVER PLATE, &c. &c.

_SECOND EDITION._

LONDON: PUBLISHED BY G. HEBERT, 88, CHEAPSIDE.

1827.

LONDON Stirling, Printer, 20 Ironmonger Lane, Cheapside.

PREFACE.

At a time when the rich and fertile provinces of South America are daily becoming increased objects of commercial consideration--when their riches and advantages are constantly forming the bases of fresh speculations--and when, under the security offered to person and property by the liberal institutions of a free and independent government, communication with them is every hour becoming more extended,--an illustration of their local affairs, customs, manners, and people, cannot but be interesting.

Of these provinces, the one which forms the subject of the following Remarks is far from being the least important. Without adverting to the fertility of the soil, and the general healthiness of the climate, the prospects which Buenos Ayres presents in a mercantile point of view, forming, as she does, from her situation, the medium of communication with the whole interior of this vast continent, must ever render her an object of considerable importance to a commercial nation like England. Nor is she less a source of interest to the politician and the philanthropist. To Buenos Ayres is due the credit of setting the noble example to the other provinces, of bursting asunder the shackles of a despotic mother-country, whose selfish policy had long immured them under the deepest veil of ignorance and degradation, debarring them from any communication with the rest of the world, in order that she might reap the exclusive advantage of those treasures with which Nature had enriched them. Nor has Buenos Ayres confined herself to example merely, but, from the moment of having secured her own independence, she has never ceased to encourage and assist the other states in throwing off the same degrading yoke.

It is true, that preceding works have thrown much light on these countries, and the subjects I have here handled have been treated by abler pens than mine; but, besides the expensiveness of those works, which renders them inaccessible to a great class of readers, the subject is so new, and embraces such a wide field of research, that an abundant harvest still remains for fresh labourers. Having confined myself to one portion of this vast territory, I have been able to enter into a minuter detail of many things that have been cursorily passed over by preceding writers; and, finally, having resided in the country which is the subject of these Remarks during the last five years, my means of observation have been neither few nor limited.

CONTENTS.

PAGE The Port--Custom-House Regulations 1 Visit of the Health Boat 2 Outer and Inner Roads 3 Pilots 4 Port of Ensenada -- Barraccas -- Navigation of the River Plate -- _Balandras_, or lighters, for lading and unlading vessels -- Carts used for embarking and disembarking --

Packets between Buenos Ayres and Monte Video 5

Climate 6

Diseases 9

Environs of the City --

Alameda, or Public Walk 10

The Beach, crowded with Sailors --

Coffee-Houses and Hotels 11

Public Buildings: The Fort--Consulado--Cabildo--Bank--House of Representatives--Custom-House--Public Library--Botanical Museum--Retiro--Residencia 14 to 16

Squares and Streets 16

Houses 17

Churches 18

Theatre 22

Circus 33

FOREIGN RESIDENTS.

British: Merchants, Shopkeepers, Medical Men, &c. 33 to 35 British Commercial Subscription-Room 37 Establishment of Packets from Falmouth 39 Dispute between Captain Willis and the Government 41 Treaty with England 43 English Females at Buenos Ayres 44 Many Englishmen have married Buenos-Ayrean Wives 45 Death of Mr. Dallas, and of Mr. Rowcroft 47 Death of Jack Hall -- Irish Yankies 48

North-American Residents 49 Death of Mr. Rodney 51

Frenchmen 52

Portuguese 53

Germans, Italians, Prussians, &c. 54

NATIVE (OR CREOLE) AND SPANISH INHABITANTS.

Persons, Dispositions, and Manners 55 Compliments of Salutation 57 Practice of giving Flowers to Visitors -- Smoking Segars -- Politeness 58 Yerba, or Tea of Paraguay 59 Time of Meals -- _Siesta_, or Afternoon Nap -- _Tertulias_, or Public Dances 60 Sweetmeats much eaten 61 Etiquette, when walking in public, and in the ball-room -- Dancing 62 Music -- Consulado Musical School-Room 63 Philharmonics, a Musical Subscription Society 64 Mothers watch their Daughters with great strictness -- Marriages take place early 65 Washerwomen on the Beach 66 Treatment of Slaves 67 Superstition of the Negroes 68 Orderly conduct of the lower orders -- Beggars very annoying 69 Savings Bank -- Propensity to Gaming 70 Bathing practised by all Classes --

Dress 71 Females make their own Clothes 74

Travelling -- Value and description of the Horses 75 Arrival of some English Horses in the _Rhoda_ -- Country Waggons 77

Sports and Amusements:--Horse-racing--Sailing-- Cock-fighting--Hunting--Shooting--Fishing 78 Throwing the Lasso -- Annual Fair near the Recolator 79

Provisions: Beef--Mutton--Poultry--Wines--Beer 81 to 85 Vegetables -- Fruit 86 Other Animal and Vegetable Productions --

Population 89

Trade and Manufactures -- Exports 89 Imports--List of Vessels that arrived in 1821, 2, 3, 4 90 Shops in Buenos Ayres very numerous 92 English Manufactures very cheap 93

Currency, &c.--Notes engraved in England 95 Average of Exchange 96 Bank of Buenos Ayres--Funds --

Education and Literature 97 College School--Academy in the Merced Church -- Mrs. Hyne's Seminary -- Many Buenos Ayreans speak and write English 98 College of Stonyhurst, near Liverpool 99 Education of Females -- Variedades et Mensagero de Londres 100 Newspapers published in Buenos Ayres 101 Printing Offices --

Religion 102 Contrast of the Catholic and Protestant faith -- Reception of an Archbishop, who arrived in 1824 -- Times of Public Worship 103 Oration-Time 104 Music of the Masses -- Confession 105 Figures of the Virgin Mary kept in glass cases 106 Priesthood not illiberal -- Friars 107 Suppression of the Monasteries -- Convents for Nuns 111 Religious Processions: St. Rosario, and St. Nicholas 113 Feast of Corpus Christi 113 Observances during Lent--Passion Week--Holy Thursday--Good Friday--Burning of Judas 113 to 114 Procession of the Holy Ghost 117

Funeral Ceremonies 119 Masses for the repose of the Soul -- Protestant Burying-Ground 120

Police, &c. 121 Assassination very frequent among the lower orders 122 Thieves ingenious 123 Boys about the Theatre-door great thieves 124 Modes of Punishment: Shooting--Public Whipping-- Imprisonment--Working in the Streets, ironed 126 A great increase of crime in 1824 -- First execution for forgery 126 Committals before Trial 127 Law proceedings expensive and tardy -- Passports required to leave Buenos Ayres 128

Army--Punishment of flogging resorted to 130 Bands of Music -- Custom to fire the Fort Guns on the 4th of July, the Anniversary of Whitelock's Defeat 131

Government, and Public Events 133 Governor and Public Officers--Junta, or Senate 134 Æra of the Independence of Buenos Ayres--Celebration of its Anniversary--Sports of the day 135 Frequent Political Revolutions in 1820--Rodriguez appointed Governor 138 Administration of Rivadavia 139 Two persons shot for state offences, in October, 1820 141 Attempt at another Revolution--Execution of Garcia -- Execution of Colonel Peralto and Urien 142 Carrera shot at Mendoza 143 San Martin embarked for England 144 A day set apart for the Funereal Rites of Gen. Belgrano -- Visit of a New-Zealand Chief 145 Dinner on St. Andrew's Day 146 Camden Packet took home the treaty with England 146 Rejoicings for the Victory of Ayacucho -- Arrival of a Brazilian Frigate 148 Opinion of Foreigners with regard to his Majesty George IV. of England 148 Mr. Canning popular in Buenos Ayres 149 A Triumphal Car paraded through the streets 152

Concluding Remarks -- Great want of population, and consequent insecurity of the country -- Ravages of the Indians--Four officers detained and murdered by them, in 1822--Description of the Indians 154 Very little employment for Clerks in Buenos Ayres -- Mechanics and Labourers sure of employment 155 Farming not a profitable concern -- Grazing farms more beneficial -- Emigrants will not find the same comfort as at home 156 French faction at Buenos Ayres -- Contrast between Frenchmen and Englishmen -- Inducements to Emigration 158

Colonia del Sacramento 159

Appendix.--Rules of the Port 167 Anchorage Dues 168 Police of the Port -- Penalties to which those are subject who destroy the line of Buoys established by Government 169 Instructions for sailing from Buenos Ayres to Monte Video 170 ---- ---- ---- from Monte Video to Buenos Ayres 172 Variation of Depth of Water between the Banks Ortiz and Chico 174 Positions of the Ten Buoys in the River Plate 175

REMARKS DURING _A FIVE YEARS' RESIDENCE_ IN BUENOS AYRES.

The city of Buenos Ayres, when viewed from the outer roads at a distance of about eight miles, has an imposing appearance. The domes of the numerous churches, the public buildings, &c. give it an air of grandeur, which a nearer approach diminishes. On landing, the dilapidated mole (destroyed by the storm of the 21st August, 1820) and the mean streets near the beach, do not augur well for the beauty of the town: it requires an inspection rightly to appreciate it, for there are edifices worthy of attention. When I landed, in October, 1820, two cannons, forty-two-pounders, in very good condition, were mounted on the mole: they had the Spanish royal arms engraven on them, and inscriptions, purporting, that one was cast at Seville, and the other at Lima, some sixty years since.

A passenger is not exposed to any particular custom-house obstructions when he comes on shore. Should he bring his trunks with him, he is simply requested to open them, and a slight examination takes place. Several obnoxious customs have lately been abolished. Formerly, a sentinel was posted, to prevent any one passing to the water-side at the mole without first asking permission at the guard-house on the beach. The system of vessels being obliged to wait, upon their arrival, in the outer roads, for the visit of the health boat from shore, has also undergone reform. Masters may now leave their vessels immediately. It is necessary to go on board the gun-brig, which is now stationed in the inner roads, and there await the visit of the health boat, which comes off by a signal from this brig, and very little delay occurs. Upon the old plan, vessels often remained, through bad weather or neglect, four or five days before they were visited; during which time no communication was allowed with the shore. A manifest of the cargo, the ship's papers,[1] letters, &c. are given to the visiting officer, provided no consul or agent of the nation whose flag the vessel bears resides in Buenos Ayres.

[1] The unsettled state of the country formerly deterred masters of vessels from giving up their registers, fearing they might be lost; and various shifts were resorted to as substitutes, such as rendering Mediterranean passes, apprentice indentures, any thing in the shape of parchment or printing--all went current. Some years since, Matthews, an adjutant of the port, who had been aid-de-camp to Admiral Gravina, at the battle of Trafalgar, detected a trick of this sort, the parties not being aware that he understood English. Matthews was a Spaniard born, but educated in London.

The removal of the brig of war from the outer roads has taken away the occasion of much offence. Disputes were continually occurring, from her firing at vessels and boats to bring them to. The boat of the Countess of Chichester, the first packet that arrived from Falmouth, had two shots fired at her, when going on shore with Mr. Pousset, the vice-consul. Captain Little, who was on board the packet at the time, not knowing what to make of this firing, ordered the guns to be double-shotted, and the crew to get under arms. A representation was made, and an apology promptly given. Serious misunderstandings, however, I am persuaded, must, some time or other, have occurred, had the brig continued outside, and pursued the same system.

It is only since October, 1821, that the health boat has been regularly established. The enforcement of the quarantine laws, and the prevention of smuggling, were the reasons assigned for it; but there were probably other motives, one of which might be, to prevent the boats of British men-of-war from boarding vessels of their own nation before their visit boat. It would, however, be difficult, strictly to enforce the quarantine laws at Buenos Ayres. Vessels have frequently arrived at night, or in a fog, and the captains have come on shore without being visited, not being aware of the regulations.

The outer and inner roads are, in fact, open roadsteads; neither of them possessing good anchorage. A strong wind from the E. or S.E. blowing almost direct on land, is always dangerous; and vessels often drive. In the storm of the 21st August, 1820, in which sixty vessels of all descriptions were lost, the wind was at S.E. The winter season is much better for shipping than the summer; as in the latter, the wind blows fresh nearly every afternoon from the eastward. Good anchors and cables are very necessary in the river Plate; chain cables particularly.

In the outer roads, the average depth of water is 18 feet, in the inner roads, 18: at high tides, there is 25 feet in the outer, and 13 in the inner roads. A Pampero wind, blowing off the land from the W. or W.S.W. causes at times a very low river, leaving not more than 5 feet water in the inner, and 8 in the outer roads. The banks that divide the roads are then dry, and people ride on horseback upon them. This extreme low tide does not often happen. The brig Candidate, salt-laden from the Cape de Verds, was lost, on the 13th June, 1823, near the Ortiz bank, from an occurrence of this sort: the water having suddenly left her, she foundered at her anchors. The state of the tide sometimes causes great delay to vessels leaving the inner roads; days, and even a week, being lost at some periods.

Pilots, appointed and paid by the government, conduct vessels to and from the outer and inner roads: two of them are Englishmen, Lee and Robinson; the others are Portuguese and Creolian, who speak a little English. The charge for pilotage is about 10 dollars each way. Masters piloting their own vessels, which is now and then the case, do not thereby save the charges.

The port of Ensenada, situated 30 miles S.E. from Buenos Ayres, has good anchorage; and for vessels drawing much water, it is preferable to go thither. They incur more experience of lighterage, if they require to be hove down; but it is the only place appertaining to Buenos Ayres in which it can be done, and the charge is great. Ensenada is only a small, dull village. Mules are shipped with greater facility there, than at Buenos Ayres.

The Barraccas is a creek on the south of the town, in which schooners and small craft repair their defects.

The river Plate may well be called the "hell of navigators:" a survey of it was made by Captain Heywood, in H.M.S. Nereus, and his chart, though not exactly correct, is considered to be the best. Buoys have been lately placed by the government upon the Ortiz and Chico banks;[2] and they have long had in agitation, the building of a mole, a dock for shipping, and other extensive works. In addition to a French engineer, a Quaker gentleman, named Bevans, is engaged. He arrived from London, with his family, in October, 1822; but, for want of means, nothing of importance has yet been done. Raising moles and docks is no trifling undertaking, in a country so destitute of labourers. To remedy the latter defect, 200 Irishmen, it is said, are coming out under the care of Colonel O'Brien, one of San Martin's officers. Mr. Bevans has been traveling about the country, for the purpose of collecting information of the requisites necessary for his undertaking: he has, however, to encounter many obstacles. A trifling tax on shipping would be cheerfully agreed to for an undertaking so important.

[2] For Instructions for navigating the river Plate, see _Appendix_; where also will be found the Rules of the Port, Dues to be paid by Vessels, &c.

Several pilot boats cruise about the river Plate, from which pilots may be obtained.

In addition to the difficulty of large vessels getting up the river, an adequate freight cannot be procured for them in Buenos Ayres. The Lord Lynedoch, a ship of 550 tons, with a numerous crew of Lascars, remained sixteen months and at last took a cargo of mules to the Isle of France. Vessels of 150 to 200 tons burthen are the most likely to get employed.

Vessels discharge and take in their cargoes by means of lighters, called _balandras_. An English gentleman, Mr. Cope, has several in his employ, and does the chief part of the English and American business. Should there be the least swell upon the water, these lighters cannot lie alongside; it is only in fine weather that work can be performed.

Boat-hire is dear: to the outer roads, 8 dollars 4 reals, to the inner, in proportion. The boatmen are mostly Englishmen, strong, active fellows.