The common dress of the people is such as might be expected from their indolence and poverty. They generally go without shoes and stockings; indeed as they rarely go on foot, they have seldom occasion for shoes. Some of them, particularly the Peons, make a kind of boots from the raw skins of young horses, which they frequently kill for this sole purpose. When the animal is dead, they cut the skin round the thigh, about eighteen inches above the gambrel; having stripped it, they stretch and dress it until it loses the hair and becomes quite white. The lower part, which covered the joint, forms the heel, and the extremity is tied or sewed up to cover the toes. These boots, when newly finished, are of a delicate color, and very generally admired. The rest of their apparel consists of a jacket, which is universally worn by all ranks, and a shirt and drawers made of a coarse cotton cloth brought from Brazil. Children run about with no dress but their shirts until their fifth or sixth year. Their education is very little attended to, and is confined to mere rudiments; a man who is able to read and write, is considered to have all the learning he can desire.
Among the many natural advantages which this district possesses, are the frequent falls in the rivulets and larger streams, which might be converted to various mechanical purposes, if the population were more numerous and better instructed. Some of these streams, as was before stated, join the various branches of the Godoy, and flow into the lake Meni; those on the other side of the mountains in a northerly direction empty themselves principally through the Riachuelo and the St. Lucia, into the Plata.
The want of cultivation in this vast territory may be inferred from the numbers and varieties of wild animals which breed upon it. Tigers, ounces, and lions are common. The former are heavy sluggish animals; their chief prey is the young cattle, which they find in such abundance, that they rarely attack a man. Hence little danger is to be apprehended from them by any person travelling on horseback[7], unless when inadvertently approaching the haunt of a female with young. The ounce has the same character, and the lion is considered less vicious than either. There is an animal of the pig kind, called the pig of the woods, (Pecari),[8] which has an orifice on its back, whence it emits a most intolerable stench when closely pursued. If on killing the animal, the part be instantaneously cut out, the flesh affords good eating, but should that operation be neglected, even for a short period, the taint contaminates the whole carcass. The domestic pigs are by no means good; they feed so much upon beef, that their flesh is very hard and coarse. There is an animal of the opossum kind, about the size of a rabbit, called a zurilla, the skin of which is streaked black and white, and is considered of some value. When attacked, it ejects a fetid liquor, which is of so pungent a nature, that if it falls on any part of the dress of its pursuers, there is no possibility of getting rid of the stench, but by continual exposure to the weather for some months. The zurilla is very fond of eggs and poultry, and sometimes enters a house in quest of its prey; the inhabitants immediately hasten out and leave their unwelcome visitant in quiet possession, as long as she chooses to stay; well aware that the slightest attempt to drive her out, would expose them to an ejectment from the premises for ever. Eagles both of the grey and blue species, as well as other birds of prey, are found in great numbers. Here are also parroquets in immense flocks, pigeons, great red-legged partridges, small partridges, wild ducks, and wild turkies. Ostriches of a large species are very numerous; they are so fleet and active, that even when well mounted I could never get near them but by surprise; the stroke of their wing is said to be inconceivably strong.
Here are considerable herds of small deer, which in this fine country would afford the sportsman excellent diversion; but unfortunately the dogs are good for nothing, as there is no attention paid to the preservation and improvement of the breed. The rivers produce tortoises and other amphibious animals, but they are chiefly noted for a variety of singularly ugly fish, which afford tolerable but by no means good eating.
During a residence of six months in this remote district, as a prisoner at large, or in fact as a welcome guest at the house of a most hospitable man, my life passed away in an equable tenor, uninterrupted by those vicissitudes that elsewhere befel me, and therefore a narrative of it is little calculated to interest the reader. Rather than occupy his attention by relating my various hopes and disappointments, as the prospect of liberation became more or less favorable, I have chosen to present him with the result of some general observations on the country, made during the daily excursions which I enjoyed through the liberality of my friend. The longer I resided in his house, the greater was his kindness to me in allowing me those indulgences, and the more did he and his family strive to render my exile agreeable. An event at length occurred which at once delighted and distressed me; because while it afforded me hopes of immediate deliverance, it destroyed for a time the harmony which had so long subsisted between me and my protector. I allude to the taking of Monte Video by the British troops under Sir Samuel Auchmuty.
On hearing of the surrender of the place, I solicited Mr. Martinez to liberate me, as I thought myself no longer a prisoner. He seemed much astonished at this, and gave me to understand that I continued a prisoner, because, not being actually at Monte Video, I was still in the power and under the jurisdiction of the Viceroy of Buenos Ayres. This worthy man’s mind was so distracted by the fall of the town, and by the disgrace of the Spanish arms, that he secluded himself from society, and avoided all communication with me. In these circumstances I was advised to attempt my escape, but I felt great repugnance at the idea of thus wounding the feelings of a man who had humanely released me from confinement, and had ever treated me as a brother. Averse to such an act of ingratitude, I intreated his amiable wife to intercede for me, and to suggest that, on returning to Monte Video, it might be in my power to be of service to him. But he rejected the proposal in the most vehement manner, and forbade any one to talk to him on the subject. I now thought that my liberty was unreasonably denied me, and as I saw no probability of obtaining it but through my own exertions, I determined at all events to make the attempt. After deliberating for some days, and consulting with two men who had frequently mentioned the subject to me, I decided on my plan of escape, and gave them six ounces of gold to provide horses and every thing necessary. On the appointed night, all was in readiness, the horses were saddled, and the men waiting to escort me. This moment was one of the most melancholy in my life; I reflected with compunction, that, while striving to regain my freedom, I was apparently abusing the confidence of a man of honor, who had done all in his power to merit my friendship. Agitated by these emotions, and oppressed by a sadness which the thick gloom of the night rendered more heavy, I was walking to and fro in the neighbourhood, on the spot appointed for my guides to meet me, when a voice, with which I was familiar, accosted me. The person was very near me, but owing to the extreme darkness I could not see him. He asked me what I was doing there. I replied, “only walking about.” “Don Juan,” said he “you are going to escape to-night.” I answered, “indeed I am not.” He replied, “you are; and the men whom you have chosen for your guides are to murder you, to seize your money, and to bury you in a ravine about a league distant. The man in whom you have most confided has a knife concealed in his saddle, with which he is to give you the fatal blow.” This so staggered me, that I was unable, at the moment, to make any answer. I felt confident that no one knew of my intended departure, except the two men and myself. On asking, “how do you know this?” he replied, “I overheard them talking of it.” He added, “you know they are both gamblers, and one of them killed two men last year.” Ere I had recovered my surprise, so as to speak again, the man went away. While meditating on the choice of evils, namely, whether to run the risk of being murdered and thrown into a ravine, or to abandon my design and remain a prisoner, one of my hired Peons came to inform me that the horses were waiting. I told him I had a violent pressure at my stomach and could not ride. He treated this very lightly, and urged me with great earnestness to mount at all events. Considering at this moment that money was of little value in comparison with my life and liberty, I offered to give him two ounces of gold if he would perform a piece of service for me, which I would explain to him through my room-window at midnight. He still used every argument to persuade me immediately to set out, but finding that I persisted in alleging my indisposition as an excuse, he at length acceded to my proposal. Having reached my chamber, I wrote to a magistrate at Monte Video, who, I knew, would, if he had survived the assault of the town, send an order for my liberation. When I had finished writing, the man appeared at the window according to agreement; I gave him the letter, charged him to convey it to Monte Video, and presenting him with two ounces of gold, promised him another ounce if he should bring me an answer. He departed unknown to any of our good family, and on the fifth day following, in the forenoon, returned, to my inexpressible joy, with a paper signed by Don Francisco Juanico, the magistrate to whom I had written, stating that I was free, and ought immediately to proceed thither. On receiving this welcome intelligence, I hastened to Mr. Martinez, and joyfully embracing him, gave him the paper to read; after examining its contents, he observed, that it was nothing official, but would avail me as a reasonable pretext for going away, to which he cordially acquiesced. He immediately ordered three Peons and a trusty old Creole to accompany me, with twenty-five horses, that we might perform the journey with greater expedition. The best dinner was provided which the time would allow, and while partaking of it I received the sincerest congratulations on my liberation from my worthy host and his amiable lady. I then took an affectionate leave of every branch of this good family, expressing my warm acknowledgments of the many obligations they had conferred on me. Having joined my guides, we each mounted a horse, and, at three in the afternoon, set off at full speed, driving the rest of the cattle before us. My first horse bore me forty miles, and I changed him at ten o’clock. The night was fine, and after a rapid but pleasant journey, we forded the river St. Lucia and halted at two in the morning, half way on the route to Monte Video. At the house, into the corral of which our horses were driven for the purpose of changing them, I procured a slight repast of dried figs, after which we again mounted and travelled tolerably fresh until six in the morning, when we were again obliged to change, having proceeded about one hundred English miles. Our horses now began to lose their generous spirit, and were much distressed. As our progress became slower and our changes more frequent, my anxiety increased, because I was aware there were Spanish parties scouring the country about Monte Video, and stopping the passage of all provisions from the interior. To avoid suspicion, I rode in the dress of a Peon, with the lazo coiled up and hung at my saddle. At eleven o’clock the heat of the day became oppressive, and our horses flagged exceedingly. To add to my distress I had a violent hæmorrhage from the nose, and could obtain no water to drink or wash with, so that, through thirst and the coagulation of the blood, I was nearly suffocated. On arriving within six miles of Monte Video, our horses were nearly worn out; but no rest could be allowed for either them or the men. At noon we reached an English piquet-guard on the out-posts; after the usual questions I was conducted by a soldier to the officer on guard, and having explained some particulars to him, I rode to General Lumley’s tent, and afterwards into the town.
No language can describe my emotions on beholding an English flag on that tower in which I had been so often confined, and, on seeing English soldiers in possession of a place where I had experienced so much injustice and oppression. The joy I felt made me forget my fatigue and the dangers I had passed through. I rode up to my friend’s house; all was barricadoed, and I feared the worst might have happened; but, on advancing to the window, I observed one of the ladies, who instantly recognized me. All the family welcomed me most cordially, and invited me to dinner, after which I went, in my Peon’s disguise, to visit some of my friends. On taking possession of Mr. Martinez’s house, I found my chests, &c. undisturbed, (although the town was taken by storm), and in the same condition as when I left them on going into the country.
[CHAP. III.]
Expedition against Buenos Ayres.—Account of the Population of the Country, and of the various Classes which compose it.