CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
Introduction	Page [iii].
DIVISIONS AND PRESENT STATE OF THE REPUBLIC.
Extent, Divisions, and General Government of the Provinces of La Plata. Jurisdiction of the old Viceroyalties:—Necessity of dividing and subdividing such vast Governments:—Embarrassments arising out of this necessity. The backwardness in the Political organization of these Provinces, common to all the new Republics of South America; and attributable to the same cause; the Colonial system of the Mother Country. Mistake in comparing the condition of the Creoles with that of the British Colonists of North America. Natural ascendency of Military Power in the new States. Their progress in the last twenty-five years compared with their previous condition	Page [1]
CHAPTER II.
RIVER PLATE.
The River Plate—why so called. Its immensity. Arrival off Buenos Ayres. Passengers carted on shore. Want of a better landing-place, for goods especially. Navigation of the River not so perilous as was supposed in former times	Page [12]
CHAPTER III.
CITY OF BUENOS AYRES.
First Impressions of Buenos Ayres. Date of the Foundation, and insignificance of the Colony for a long period. Contraband Trade carried on through it a grievance to the Mother Country. Erected into a distinct Viceroyalty in 1776, and its trade opened in consequence of the modified system adopted by Spain about the same time. The advantages of this to Buenos Ayres.	Page [18]
CHAPTER IV.
POPULATION OF BUENOS AYRES.
Statistics of the Population. Its great increase in the last fifty years. Castes into which it was formerly divided now disappearing. Numbers of Foreigners established there, especially British. Their influence on the habits of the Natives. The Ladies of Buenos Ayres; the Men and their occupations.	Page [22]
CHAPTER V.
CITY OF BUENOS AYRES.
Great extent of the City. Public Buildings. Inconvenient Arrangement and want of Comfort in the Dwellings of the Natives a few years ago. Prejudice against Chimneys. Subsequent Improvements introduced by Foreigners. Iron gratings at the windows necessary. Water scarce and dear. That of the River Plate excellent, and capable of being kept a very long time. Pavement of Buenos Ayres	Page [36]
CHAPTER VI.
CLIMATE OF BUENOS AYRES AND ITS EFFECTS.
Climate of Buenos Ayres, liable to sudden changes. Influence of the North Wind. Case of Garcia. Effects of a Pampero. Dust-Storms and Showers of Mud. The Natives free from Epidemics, but liable to peculiar affections from the state of the atmosphere. Lockjaw of very common occurrence. The Smallpox stopped by Vaccination. Introduced in 1805, and preserved by an individual. Its first introduction amongst the Native Indians by General Rosas. Cases of Longevity, of frequent occurrence	Page [44]
CHAPTER VII.
HISTORY OF THE SPANISH SETTLEMENTS ON THE COAST OF PATAGONIA.
Little known of Patagonia till the appearance of Falkner's work in 1774. It stimulates the Spanish Government to send out an expedition under Piedra in 1778, to form settlements upon the coast. He discovers the Bay of San Joseph's. Francisco Viedma forms a settlement on the River Negro. Antonio, his brother, explores the southern part of the coast, and forms another at San Julian's. His account of the Indians he found there. The New Settlements abandoned in 1783, with the exception of that on the River Negro. Villariño ascends that river, as far as the Cordillera opposite Valdivia. A dispute with the Araucanian Indians prevents his communication with the Spaniards of Chile, and obliges him to return. Piedra succeeds Viedma, attacks the Pampa Tribes, and is defeated. Don Ortiz de Rosas, father of the present Governor of Buenos Ayres, is taken prisoner by them, and succeeds in bringing about a general pacification. Subsequent neglect of the settlement on the Rio Negro. Its population in 1825, and coasting-trade with Buenos Ayres	Page [58]
CHAPTER VIII.
SURVEYS AND DISCOVERIES IN THE INTERIOR.
Malaspina. Surveys the Shores of the Rio de la Plata in 1789. Bauza maps the Road to Mendoza: De Souillac that to Cordova. Azara, and other Officers, in 1796, fix the positions of all the Forts and Towns in the Province of Buenos Ayres. Don Luis de la Cruz crosses the Pampas, from the frontiers of Conception in Chile to Buenos Ayres, in 1806. Attempt at a mew delineation of the Rivers of the Pampas from his Journal. His account of the Volcanic appearances along the Eastern Andes. Sulphur, Coal, and Salt found there, also Fossil Marine Remains. The Indians of Araucanian origin: Habits and Customs of the Pehuenches	Page [96]
CHAPTER IX.
PROGRESS OF INLAND DISCOVERY.
Ignorance of the Buenos Ayreans respecting the lands south of the Salado previously to their Independence. Colonel Garcia's expedition to the Salt Lakes in 1810. The Government of Buenos Ayres endeavours to bring about an arrangement with the Indians for a new boundary. Their warlike demonstrations render futile this attempt. March of an army to the Tandil, and erection of a Fort there. Some account of that part of the country. The coast as far as Bahia Blanca examined, and extension of the frontier-line as far as that point. The hostility of the Indians makes it necessary to carry the war into the heart of their Territories. General Rosas rescues from them 1500 Christian captives. Detachments of his army occupy the Choleechel, and follow the courses of the River Negro and of the Colorado till in sight of the Cordillera	Page [117]
CHAPTER X.
GEOLOGY OF THE PAMPAS.
Geological Features of the Southern compared with those of the Northern Shore of the Plata. The Pampa Formation, probably derived from the Alluvial Process now going on, as exhibited in the Beds of the Plata itself and other Rivers. Fossil remains of land Animals found in it, above Marine Shells. Such Shells where met with, and of what Species. Mr. Bland's Theory of the Upheaval of the Pampas from the Sea, founded on the Deposits of Salt in them:—The presence of such Salt may be otherwise accounted for. Account of the Discovery of the Gigantic Fossil remains sent to England by the Author.—	Page [163]
Additional Note on the Glyptodon, another fossil monster recently discovered in the Pampa formation	Page [178]b
CHAPTER XI.
OF THE RIVERS PARAGUAY, PARANA, AND URUGUAY.
Importance of the rivers of the United Provinces. The Paraguay and its tributaries. The Pilcomayo. The Vermejo. Soria's expedition down it from Oran, proving it navigable thence to Assumption. Periodical inundations of the Paranã, similar to those of the Nile. The Uruguay and its affluents. Surveys by the Commissioners appointed to determine the Boundaries laid down by the Treaty between Spain and Portugal of 1777. Original Maps obtained	Page [179]
CHAPTER XII.
THE LITTORINE PROVINCES.
SANTA FÉ—ENTRE RIOS—CORRIENTES—THE OLD JESUIT MISSIONS—PARAGUAY UNDER DR. FRANCIA.
De Garay founds Santa Fé, and meets with Spaniards from Peru. His subsequent Deeds and Death. The Government of the Rio de la Plata separated from that of Paraguay, and Santa Fé annexed to Buenos Ayres. Its former prosperity, and great capabilities, especially for Steam Navigation. The Entre Rios—constituted a Province in 1814, its Extent, Government, and Population—chiefly a grazing Country. Corrientes—its valuable natural Productions—mistaken ideas of the people as to Foreign Trade. The Lake Ybera—Pigmies, Ants, Ant-Eaters, Locusts, and Beetles. The Missions now depopulated—their happy and flourishing state under the Jesuits. Paraguay—some Account of its former Prosperity and Trade, and the establishment of the tyrannical rule of Dr. Francia	Page [195]
CHAPTER XIII.
THE CENTRAL PROVINCES.
CORDOVA, LA RIOJA, SANTIAGO, TUCUMAN, CATAMARCA, SALTA.
Cordova. Government. Pastoral Habits of the People. Productions. La Rioja. Population, &c. Famatina Mines. Evils arising from the present subdivision of the Provincial Governments. Santiago del Estero. The Sandy Desert or Traversia. Quichua Language. Productions, &c. The Salado navigable to the Paranã. The Chaco. Mass of native Iron found there. Theory of its Meteoric Origin questionable. Account of the native Iron from Atacama. Tucuman. Delightful Climate. Mines—little worked. Richness of the Vegetation. Declaration of Independence of the Provinces made there in 1816. Catamarca. Population, &c. Original Inhabitants—their long Wars with the Spaniards. Salta. Divisions, Population, Government, Climate, Rivers. The Vermejo, and its Affluents from Tarija and Jujuy. Valuable Productions of this Province. Labour of the Mataco Indians obtainable, and preferable to that of Europeans in such Latitudes. Importance of inland Steam Navigation urged	Page [238]
CHAPTER XIV.
PROVINCES OF CUYO.
SAN LUIS, MENDOZA, SAN JUAN.
The towns of Cuyo formerly attached to Cordova. Value of the old municipal institutions. San Luis, wretched state of the population. The miserable weakness of the Government exposes the whole southern frontier of the Republic to the Indians. Aconcagua seen from the town. Mines of Carolina. Account of a journey over the Pampas in a carriage. Mendoza, extent, rivers, artificial irrigation, productions. Mines not worth working by English companies. Ancient Peruvian road. City of Mendoza, and salubrity of the Climate. San Juan. The productions similar to those of Mendoza, Wine, Brandy, and Corn—Quantity of Corn produced yearly. Mines of Jachal Character of the people. Passes across the Andes. Dr. Gillies' account of an excursion by those of the Planchon and Las Damas. Singular animal found in the provinces of Cuyo named the Chlamyphorus, described by Mr. Yarrell	Page [294]
CHAPTER XV.
TRADE.
Advantages of the situation of Buenos Ayres in a commercial point of view. Amount of Imports into Buenos Ayres in peaceable times. From what Countries. Great proportion of the whole British Manufactures. Articles introduced from other parts of the World. The Trade checked by the Brazilian War, and subsequent Civil Disturbances. Recovering since 1831. Proportion of it taken off by Monte Video since its independence. Comparative view of Exports. Scarcity of Returns. Capabilities of the Country. Advantage of encouraging Foreigners. The Wool Trade becoming of importance owing to their exertions. Other useful productions which may be cultivated in the interior. Account of the origin and increase of the Horses and Cattle in the Pampas	Page [333]
CHAPTER XVI.
PUBLIC DEBT.
Origin of the Funded Debt of Buenos Ayres. Receipts and Expenditure from 1822 to 1825, during peace. Loan raised in England. War with Brazil, and stoppage of all Revenue from the Customhouse for three years. Pecuniary difficulties in consequence. The Provincial Bank of Buenos Ayres converted into a National one. The Government interferes with it, and, by forcing it to increase its issues, destroys its credit. Debt at the close of the war at the end of 1828. Hopes founded on the peace destroyed by the mutiny of the Army;—deplorable consequences of that event. Depreciation of the Currency. Deficit in the Revenue, and increase of the Funded Debt:—its amount in 1834, and further increase in 1837. General Account of the Liabilities of the Government up to that year;—increased by subsequent war with Bolivia, and French Blockade	Page [374]
APPENDIX.
No. 1.—Declaration of Independence of the United Provinces of South America, in 1816	Page [392]
No. 2.—Estimated Population of the Provinces of the Rio de la Plata, 1836-7	Page [393]
No. 3.—Statistics of British Residents at Buenos Ayres, in 1831—	Page [394]
No. 4.—Treaty between Great Britain and the United Provinces of Rio de la Plata No. 5.—Copy, in the Guarani language, of the Memorial addressed by the People of the Mission of San Luis, praying that the Jesuits might be allowed to remain with them. Dated 28th February, 1768	Page [396]
No. 5.—Copy, in the Guarani language, of the Memorial addressed by the People of the Mission of San Luis, praying that the Jesuits might be allowed to remain with them. Dated 28th February, 1768	Page [404]
No. 6.—Meteorological Observations in Buenos Ayres during 1822 and 1823 (from the Registro Estadistico)	Page [406]
No. 7.—Some Fixed Points in the Provinces of Rio de la Plata	Page [407]
No. 8.—Return of Foreign Shipping arrived at Buenos Ayres from 1821 to 1837 inclusive	Page [411]
No. 9.—A Statement of the Quantities and Declared Value of British and Irish Produce and Manufactures exported from the United Kingdom to the States of the Rio de la Plata, in each year, from 1830 to 1837 (from Returns laid before Parliament)—	Page [412]
No. 10.—Trade of Monte Video	Page [414]
No. 11.—Comparative Value (declared) of British and Irish Produce and Manufactures exported from Great Britain to the River Plate, Mexico, Columbia, Chile, and Peru, from 1829 to 1837, and to Spain in the same years	Page [415]