The dress of the female children displays equal taste with that of their elders; from which, indeed, there is little difference—the short-sleeved frock, silk stockings, curled hair, and fan. They walk the streets with immense importance—the miniatures of those of maturer age.
The children of Buenos Ayres are handsome; many of the female part, perfect seraphs, bidding fair to fill up the void that time will soon occasion in those whose charms now so much delight us. I sometimes look at these little creatures with a feeling almost bordering upon melancholy, to think that, in a few years, they will replace those who at this period shine forth in all the heaven of beauty, to be themselves replaced, another and another race succeeding. Who can prize life, when our dream of happiness is so short; the vale of coming years so soon casting its blight upon all our ardent, youthful fancies?
The females are really industrious, making their own clothes, and, I am informed, the silk shoes they wear: a British lady is lost without the milliner’s aid. One of that profession might answer here, if it were only for the novelty of the thing.
Travelling.—Not many carriages or coaches are to be seen; but they increase in number. The callé coché, or street coach, is much used; it is drawn by two horses, or mules, with a postillion, and in shape very much resembles our bakers’ carts: the passengers are seated sideways. Some English merchants and Creoles have carriages after the English mode; but the nature of the roads and streets does not afford them a great opportunity to “show off.” Morris, an Englishman, carries on a profitable trade as coach-maker: he is, indeed, the only good one in the town.
The travelling carriages, that convey families to their estates, hundreds of miles distant, are heavy cumbersome machines, in the old Spanish style. A family going to the country is no ordinary sight; the mules and waggons following with the baggage, and the quantity of out-riders, slaves, and servants, in ponchos and little dirty hats, surrounding the carriages containing the ladies and female slaves, appear like a banditti escorting their plunder.
A gentleman travelling has dirty white leather boots, large spurs, poncho, slouching hat, pistols, sword, dagger, and knife; he appears a complete robber captain—in fact, another Rugantino: he has generally one or two slaves to attend him.
There are post-houses on the road, and those leading to Chili are very regular. A constant supply of horses and guides are kept; but persons mostly go on horseback, for the sake of expedition. The journey is thus made to the Andes in about fourteen days. Crossing the mountains, and getting to Santiago, in Chili, will take about three weeks, from Buenos Ayres; but the horse must always be kept at a full gallop. Carriages are expensive, and very dilatory, but they save a great deal of fatigue.
There are persons in Europe who suppose that horses may be obtained in South America for the trouble of catching them: but that is not exactly the case in this province; here they have all owners.