Part 9
This portion of South America, in the summer of 1824-25, was most seriously annoyed by locusts; the memory of the oldest inhabitant cannot recollect such a swarm. The air was darkened, and the ground strewed, with the millions of those devouring insects: a north wind brought them down from the Parana, like a snow-storm. The fruit trees, plants, &c. dreadfully suffered. The inhabitants have an idea, that, by ringing bells, beating tin saucepans, and other noises of this description, locusts can be frightened away. An easterly wind, rain, and cold weather, are, I believe, their only destroyers. The months of December, 1824 and January, 1825, were foggy, dry months, the wind constantly from the north; and, for want of water, a great mortality took place in the country among the cattle.
Mushrooms and water-cresses are not very plentiful: they are more found in the neighbourhood of Ensenada; as are also leeches, for which doctors give a good price.
The flowers reared in this country must likewise yield, in beauty and sweetness, to our own: we do not see the polyanthus, moss rose, and many others that strew their beauties over the British isles.
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POPULATION.--The province of Buenos Ayres, which extends nearly 500 miles in length, with a breadth undefined (perhaps equal to its length), has only a population of about 150,000 souls; and Patagonia, which is under the same government, 1000.
It is estimated, that in the population of Buenos Ayres, there are five females to one male. If this be correct, some ladies are likely to come under the horrid list of old maids. That more female births take place in comparison with those of Europe cannot be doubted. I know families of eight, nine, and ten daughters, and perhaps one son. The causes of such disproportion, I must leave the natural philosophers to develope.
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TRADE and MANUFACTURES.--From its extensive produce, Buenos Ayres will ever command attention in a mercantile point of view.
The exports consist of ox hides of all descriptions, horse hides, horse hair, wool, tallow, nutria skins, horns, chinchilla skins, salted beef, and silver in hard dollars and bars.
The quantity of European goods annually imported is very great: I am surprised how they find vent for them. The cargoes brought from Liverpool, of manufactured goods, of Manchester, Glasgow, &c. are of considerable value, often from 70 to 80, and £100,000.
The following is a list of square-rigged merchant vessels that entered the port of Buenos Ayres in the years 1821, 1822, 1823, and 1824:--
In 1821. In 1822. In 1823. In 1824.
British[24] 128 183 113 110 American 42 75 80 143[25] French 19 21 24 21 Swedish 7 11 6 14 Sardinian 3 7 6 6 Danish 1 1 5 10 Dutch 2 4 6 8
[24] Of the British vessels, the following were from London and Liverpool; the remainder from Gibraltar, Rio Janeiro, the Havannah, &c. &c.
In 1821. In 1822. In 1823. In 1824.
From Liverpool 33 35 23 From London 10 7 8
[25] The number of American vessels in 1824, compared with former years, is very great. They were chiefly laden with flour, which, although now a losing speculation, has, lately, been beneficial.
Under the Portuguese, Brazilian, and Buenos Ayrean flags, brigs and small craft are daily arriving and sailing from and to Rio Janeiro, and all parts of the Brazils, Patagonia, and trading in the River Plate, and up the rivers of the interior.
A number of American vessels are sold, as well as broken up, in Buenos Ayres, which, assuming the flag of the country, trade with Rio Janeiro, Rio Grande, Patagonia, &c. Many of them are under the command of Englishmen and North Americans, who, at no great distance of time will carry the Buenos Ayrean flag to every part of the world. This country must for some time rely upon foreigners for their shipping. The population are not maritimely inclined.
Several persons gain a livelihood by leaving notices, or _avisos_, of vessels arriving, and their cargoes.
A long report upon the trade of this country has been drawn up by a committee of British merchants, and presented to the Consul, extracts from which have appeared in the English newspapers. Great talent has been exhibited in the detail and writing of this report, although I think the picture has been too highly painted.
Should the trade of Paraguay be thrown open to Buenos Ayres, it will be of great advantage. The present Governor, Francia, follows the Jesuits' system; and Pekin is not more secluded from the inspection of strangers. Some unfortunate Englishmen, who ventured there with goods, had both their persons and property detained, and no satisfactory intelligence has been received of them. In February, 1823, a memorial was sent to Sir Thomas Hardy, by their friends in Buenos Ayres, entreating his interference. This memorial has been forwarded to the British government. It is surprising that the people of Paraguay, a country so rich in its natural productions should be quiet under such severe restrictions. One is led to suppose, from their passiveness, that they are content with the system. Francia, however, has lately permitted communication and trade with the Portuguese in Brazil; Itapua, on the frontiers, being the depôt town.
They have no regular exchange for the merchants to meet in, at Buenos Ayres. A new general Commercial Room is about to be established, to which persons of all nations will be allowed to subscribe. Some late regulations of the British Room have given offence; the committee of which, in derision, have been named "the Holy Alliance," and have had several anonymous letters addressed to them, upon their aristocratical notions in a foreign country. The refusal to allow any but British subjects to subscribe to the Commercial Room, has been much commented upon; some years back it might have been advisable, but at this period a more liberal system would perhaps be better.
The Creoles of the country now engage in mercantile pursuits with great avidity; and commerce has spread into so many hands, that money does not roll in quite so fast as formerly.
The competition amongst the store-keepers materially diminishes their profits, and reduces the concern upon a level with English chandlers' shops.
The number of shops in Buenos Ayres is very great; they abound in the streets leading from the Plaza. Every shop and house has a proportion of taxes levied upon it: and there is also a species of property tax upon the English plan. The taxes now imposed considerably diminish the profits they used to make.
The linen-drapers have a choice assortment from all countries, neatly arranged. Their shops are well lighted; and although they fall very short of the splendour of the London ones, yet they are equal to some of those of our best country towns: they are open till nine and ten at night. They call the Buenos Ayreans a lazy people: the shopkeepers, at least, do not merit this epithet.
The shopmen are mostly young men, who appear to have all the persuasive arts of their brethren in London, prevailing upon their fair customers to get rid of their money, and subjecting them to a good scolding from husbands and mammas, for extravagance, leading to pouting and sulks for a week. Those gentlemen of the shop have a great deal to answer for.
Every article of apparel, both for male and female, can be purchased at the retail shops, of which there are many: they have coats, waistcoats, trowsers, &c. hanging in front, in the mode of Monmouth Street. Mr. Niblett was the first Englishman that opened a shop of this description. A great many Englishmen have their clothes sent from England: but the duty and incidental expences make them come as dear as if made here.
Buenos Ayres contains several English tailors, whose work is tolerably well, considering they have not English workmen; although not with that exquisite finish which is to be seen in London. A coat will cost thirty dollars, trowsers twelve; the rest in proportion. The town swarms with Creolian and other tailors.
Manufactories for hats exist in Buenos Ayres: one of them, Varangot's, has a considerable trade, and they are really good, from seven to eight dollars each, far superior to our second-rate hats; the misfortune is, that on the approach of rainy weather they act as a perfect barometer, and get limp.
Of the hats imported into Buenos Ayres the English are preferred; but the heavy duty has brought out those of an inferior description. At present, there are some good ones at ten or twelve dollars each, which at that price meet with a ready sale. The French import a quantity of hats; but the quality of them is much inferior to our's.
English manufactured goods are cheap; the market has been overstocked, and, I fear, does not yield much profit to the adventurers. I have bought English stockings cheaper than I could buy them in London, leather gloves (a good pair) for a dollar. It is cheaper to purchase a stock of linen here than at home. I have purchased good white cotton neckcloths, after the rate of sixpence each. In summer, cotton shirting is preferred.
English saddles and bridles are imported largely; we thus return them their own hides, manufactured into choice and costly goods. Of the many saddlers' shops, several are kept by Englishmen; as also watch-makers, with loads of English watches.
All sorts of hardware, as knives and forks, and scissars, are imported from England, and can be obtained at a cheap rate; also furniture, such as tables, chairs, &c. Of the latter, the North Americans bring great quantities.
India goods are sought after, particularly the China crape shawls.
Articles of stationery arrive from every quarter: Spanish writing-paper from Gibraltar and the Mediterranean, and I think it of better quality than ours, at least more pleasant to write upon.
Barbers' shops are in great abundance.
At the _pulperias_, or grog-shops, they sell almost every article of life; they are, indeed, perfect chandlers' shops.
The pastrycooks neither cut a figure in their shops, nor in the articles they sell; here are no hot buns or tarts on a morning, nor stale pastry for the ragamuffin boys to purchase. Sweetmeats are the order of the day.
A pastrycook's shop in the English style, I am confident, would succeed--with the addition of hot rolls in the morning: none of those luxuries are known here.
A good portrait-painter, I conceive, would meet with encouragement in Buenos Ayres: at any rate they would have a fine field for study. An English artist, named Hervé, practised some months: indisposition forced him to leave.
It had occurred to me, that a pawnbroker would be a good business in Buenos Ayres; but I find every shopkeeper, or monied person acts in that capacity, and that respectable persons do not hesitate to send silver spoons, matté-pots, and other valuables, to pledge from day to day--at what interest (or if any) I know not, though I am apprehensive some of them are guilty of what we should call usury. Poverty is a crime in England; here they dread not exposure: but such is my delicacy in money affairs, I should prefer being under an obligation to the gentlemen with three balls, and to slide in at one of their secret doors, to the publicity practised here.
An Englishman has lately undertaken a speculation which has cost him a considerable sum, to have the exclusive privilege of taking cattle in the Falkland islands--in fact, to be sole proprietor for a term of years. He has forwarded to his new sovereignty a small colony of settlers, servants, &c.; the chances of his success are very doubtful. Buenos Ayres claims the jurisdiction of these islands, and those claims will not cause such a dispute as in the year 1770. The voyage to them from Buenos Ayres is made in about fourteen days.
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CURRENCY, &c.--In the year 1822 silver became so scarce, that, it was impossible to get change of a doubloon without allowing a consideration for it. Foreigners, of course, bore the blame of draining the country of the money. To remedy the evil, small notes were issued; and, shortly after, a large supply of copper coin arrived, that had been contracted for in England. This currency of paper and copper was something so new, that not a few sneers and forebodings took place. The facility that paper money affords to business, however, soon began to be experienced in Buenos Ayres. Previous to its issue, if a person had to receive a hundred dollars, it was necessary to hire a porter to carry it, and for larger quantities a cart; besides the endless trouble of counting thousands of dollars, often in reals and madios, and the detection of bad money: hours and days of valuable time were consumed by it. The collecting clerks are no longer tormented with counting piles of silver, before they take it from the house. Saturdays are the days appropriated for money collecting.
Notes, engraved in England, are now issued on a grand scale, from 5 to 1000 dollars, upon the security of the government and bank; the people are reconciled to it, and begin to find that a currency of gold and silver is not at all times a proof of the credit or riches of a nation.[26]
[26] Englishmen, on their first visit to France, soon after the peace of 1814, were eager to receive French gold; but they soon tired of it, and asked for paper. I was at Peregaux and Lafitte's banking-house at Paris, when an application of that nature was made: the clerk replied, that France must first get credit, before she could venture upon bank-notes.
Besides the above notes, the present currency consists of the doubloon of 17 dollars; the half, quarter, and half-quarter doubloon; the dollar, half dollar, and quarter dollar; with reals, madios, and quartillos. The hard dollars are scarce, being bought up for exportation.
In exporting money, there is a small duty of two per cent. to pay. Being so trifling, it prevents smuggling, which was formerly the case. Making returns in produce, however, is at all times preferred to money, when it can be obtained at any thing like a moderate rate; but it is at times so scarce and dear, that it renders the purchasing ruinous.
The average exchange for the last three years has been forty-five pence the Spanish dollar.
The Bank of Buenos Ayres opened in 1822, the first thing of the sort in this province. Its capital is one million of dollars, in 1000 shares, of 1000 dollars each. The number of directors are ten, _viz._ six Creolian gentlemen, and four British. It has hitherto proved a profitable concern. The Bank shares rose from par to 170, but quickly declined to 90 and 100 per cent. premium, at which price they seem stationary. The last dividend paid on Bank stock was after the rate of 30 per cent.
The reported establishment of a National Bank, has created some alarm, amongst the present Bank proprietors; numerous controversies have taken place in the newspapers, upon the occasion. The affair, however, seems at rest for the present.
The government funds of Buenos Ayres have lately had a considerable rise, from 28 to 100. The bulls carry all before them; and the bears have had to pay pretty handsomely. Who knows but a Stock Exchange may be established here some years hence?
Considerable sums of money have been made by the advance in the public funds in Buenos Ayres; and, from the eagerness of all classes to speculate in them, it is probable that lame ducks will not be confined to Capel Court. Every shopkeeper now dabbles in the funds; and, in a market so confined, the mischief may be very serious.
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EDUCATION, and LITERATURE.--The government expresses the most laudable anxiety to forward education, by patronizing schools upon the Lancasterian system; and the numerous seminaries in this city are a credit to the people.
The College School consists of 125 youths, from the age of 15 to 16 or 17 years of age. In their walks, they wear black clothes, with a light blue ribbon over their coat. Their behaviour is better than that of the boys at our public schools: a person may mix amongst them, without being subject to those insolent remarks so common at home, and which makes a stranger dread to enter their precincts.
At the Buenos Ayres College, pupils are taught every branch of the classics. They have not the advantage of professors, as at Oxford, Cambridge, Eton, Westminster, and the rest of our public schools--professors, whose talents not only confer honour upon their country, but on the human species generally. Some students have elicited considerable talents. A younger branch of the Belgrano family, Manuel, wrote a play founded on _The Virgin of the Sun_, which was performed with success; he has likewise acquired a knowledge of the English language, and is at present employed in the British Consul's office.
In the Merced Church, an academy is held for the instruction of 30 youths in the study of divinity.
Among the numerous seminaries here, is one kept by an English lady, Mrs. Hyne, which receives great encouragement; she has had 70 scholars at a time, who are taught, with other requisites, the English language. From the anxiety expressed by parents, that their children should attain this language, the next generation will become completely anglicised. In placing them under the care of a Protestant lady, they are not so narrow-minded as to fear that their religion will be tampered with. One of the stripling scholars conversed with me the other day in good English, which he had learned in a very short period.
A number of Buenos Ayrean gentlemen speak and write the English language with much fluency and correctness. Don Manuel Sarratea, late a governor of the province, and who resided some time in London as their minister, is a proficient, and a man of talent. To the British he is very attentive, and is much respected by them. Don Miguel Riglos is another instance: this gentleman has made the tour of Great Britain, and speaks English with so little of foreign accent, that, on my introduction to him, I supposed him to be an Englishman: his manners are very prepossessing and amiable. Some self-taught young men have also an excellent idea of it, and others express a great desire to learn it. It has now become a branch of education in their public schools; and, from the continued intercourse they are likely to have with the British and North Americans, and others who speak the English tongue, the utility of learning it will become every day more apparent, and, as regards business, it will be of greater importance than the French.
The prejudices of ages is fast wearing away: the South-Americans, and, Spain herself, no longer view us as renegades, heretics, "God-abandoned." Twenty years back, England and Englishmen were as little known or understood by the Buenos Ayreans, as is the interior of the Chinese empire now to the rest of the world. For centuries past, care was taken to inflame the passions of the Spaniards against us and our country; and it is not strange that a remnant of this animosity yet remains. Their best poets have stigmatised us: I recollect hearing, in Buenos Ayres, that part of Lope de Vegas' popular ballad--
"My brother Don John to England's gone, To kill the Drake, the Queen to take, And the heretics all to destroy; And he shall bring you a Protestant maid To be your slave, &c."
It is gratifying to observe, that those Creolians who have been in England evince the greatest attachment to us.
In the college of Stonyhurst, near Liverpool, are several Buenos Ayrean youths, who have been sent thither to be educated. The British government deserves praise for the countenance given to this establishment; silencing at once the complaints of our own Catholics, in not having a proper place to educate their sons, and bringing the youth of foreign nations in contact with our's, from whence it is natural to expect they will feel an attachment to a country where they have received almost their first impressions. So far from its infecting our population with Catholicism,[27] the reverse would seem more probable. It will give strangers an opportunity of judging, from actual observation, of the institutions of our country, and the advantages arising from a liberal system of government.
[27] A book entitled _A History of the Jesuits_, but which is chiefly filled with attacks upon the Roman Catholic faith, holds out Stonyhurst College as pregnant with danger, asserting that it has already increased the number of Catholics in its immediate vicinity. Lancashire has always been a catholic county, and it is to be expected that people will crowd to a neighbourhood that contains edifices devoted to their manner of worship. I cannot believe that any considerable number of Proselytes has been made: we are too sensible of the happiness enjoyed under our own, to be caught with the glare of another church.
The education bestowed upon females is far from being solid: reading, writing, music, and dancing, are all that is thought necessary. In the two last they are enthusiasts, and some of the proficients; the study of languages, or deep reading, is not thought of consequence. Spanish husbands, they say, have an antipathy to blue-stocking wives: from the natural talent of the females, they would soon be adepts in more abstruse studies.
If the Buenos Ayrean ladies do not possess the higher branches of learning, they have an indescribable sweetness of manners, free from affectation, at once giving confidence to the timid stranger, and delightful to all who have the happiness to know them. They seldom address a person but with a smile, listen attentively to conversation, without that listless indifference, and answering with the monosyllables of _yes_ and _no_, that I have witnessed in some societies.
The time may arrive, when South America may have to boast her Madame de Staels and a host of female literati; and another Corinna may conduct her lover over Southern scenery, the snow-topt Andes, and Imperial Cusco, with as much soft enthusiasm as belongs to her Italian rival. At present, however, their natural talent is thrown into the shade, for want of cultivation.
The letter-writing between female friends is very energetic: I caught a glimpse of one, which ran thus--"Farewell, my idolized and beloved friend! receive the heart of your devoted, constant, faithful, &c." Notwithstanding this fervour, we never hear of those fatal love attachments that end so tragically with us: is it that, south of the line, the female heart is so tenderly moulded, they will not bid the despairing lover die? or, are they convinced, "that men have died, and worms have eaten them, but not for love," and therefore doubt the truth of man's protestations? Alas! I fear that, in this love-inspiring city of Buenos Ayres, it is possible to find Violas and Rosalinds, but not many Juliets, and of the other sex still fewer Werters.
The Spanish language is certainly delightful; its very sounds bring to recollection the Don Guzmans and Don Antonios of chivalric days. I wish they would make it the fashionable study in England, as in good queen Elizabeth's reign, instead of the trifling French. From the great changes in the Spanish world, and our South-American connections, it must ever be an object of importance.