CONTENTS
| PAGE | ||
| INTRODUCTION | [XV] | |
| CHAPTER | ||
| I. | THE COUNTRY—ITS FOUR DIVISIONS—THE RIVERS—THE CLIMATE | [1] |
| II. | EARLIEST HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY | [16] |
| III. | THE EUROPEAN CONQUEST | [24] |
| IV. | THE SPANISH DOMINION | [33] |
| V. | THE SPANISH COLONIAL SYSTEM | [49] |
| VI. | THE ENGLISH FAILURE IN ARGENTINA | [65] |
| VII. | THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE | [76] |
| VIII. | ANARCHY AND DESPOTISM—THE WAR WITH PARAGUAY | [87] |
| IX. | MODERN ARGENTINA—SETTLEMENT AND PROGRESS | [99] |
| X. | THE CONSTITUTION—THE ARMY AND NAVY—GENERAL POLITICAL CONDITIONS | [111] |
| XI. | CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE—WAGES AND COST OF LIVING—IMMIGRATION | [125] |
| XII. | BUENOS AIRES | [139] |
| XIII. | ARGENTINE LIFE IN TOWN AND COUNTRY | [152] |
| XIV. | RELIGION—EDUCATION—JOURNALISM AND LITERATURE | [158] |
| XV. | INDUSTRIAL ARGENTINA—RAILWAYS AND MINOR ENTERPRISES | [178] |
| XVI. | THE PASTORAL INDUSTRIES OF ARGENTINA | [196] |
| XVII. | COMMERCE AND FINANCE | [210] |
| XVIII. | AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL PRODUCTS | [225] |
| XIX. | BAHIA BLANCA AND PATAGONIA | [238] |
| XX. | ACROSS THE CONTINENT TO MENDOZA UNDER THE ANDES | [254] |
| XXI. | THE PARANA, ROSARIO, AND SANTA FÉ | [265] |
| XXII. | THE GRAN CHACO AND THE NORTHERN TOWNS | [275] |
| XXIII. | INFORMATION FOR ENGLISH TRAVELLERS | [284] |
| BIBLIOGRAPHY | [295] | |
| INDEX | [303] |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
| PLAZA DE MAYO, BUENOS AIRES | [Frontispiece] |
| Photo kindly lent by the Proprietors of La Argentina | |
| FACING PAGE | |
| PLATELAYERS, BUENOS AIRES CENTRAL RAILWAY | [5] |
| Photo kindly lent by the Buenos Aires Central Railway | |
| ACONCAGUA | [9] |
| Photo kindly lent by the Buenos Aires Pacific Railway | |
| A LONELY SCENE, SIERRA DE LA VENTANA | [12] |
| Photo kindly lent by the Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway | |
| ANDINE PASS | [15] |
| Photo kindly lent by the South American Missionary Society | |
| TROOP OF MARES | [27] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| RIVER LANDING STAGE | [29] |
| Photo kindly lent by Bovril, Ltd. | |
| BULL CALF | [29] |
| Bovril, Ltd. photo | |
| PATAGONIANS | [43] |
| S. A. M. S. photo | |
| THE RIVER URUGUAY | [73] |
| Photo kindly lent by Lemco & Oxo | |
| BOUNDARY LINE IN THE ANDES | [82] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| A SHEEP RUN | [87] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| PASEO AL BOSQUE, LA PLATA (PROVINCIAL CAPITAL) | [101] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| ESTANCIA | [102] |
| B. A. G. S. R. photo | |
| STATUE OF CHRIST | [109] |
| B. A. P. R. photo | |
| RACECOURSE, LA PLATA | [111] |
| B. A. G. S. R. photo | |
| CRUISER, SAN MARTIN | [120] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| THE PERMANENT WAY, BUENOS AIRES CENTRAL RAILWAY | [129] |
| B. A. C. R. photo | |
| PALERMO PARK, BUENOS AIRES | [145] |
| B. A. P. R. photo | |
| IMPORTED STALLION, "CYLLENE," WINNER OF THE ASCOT CUP | [147] |
| Photo kindly lent by Mr. Clarence Hailey, High-street, Newmarket | |
| IMPORTED STALLION, "DIAMOND JUBILEE," LATE PROPERTY OF H.M. KING EDWARD VII | [150] |
| Mr. Clarence Hailey's photo | |
| CATTLE DRINKING | [155] |
| Lemco & Oxo photo | |
| THE PAMPAS | [157] |
| B. A. G. S. R. photo | |
| GOVERNMENT HOUSE, CORDOBA | [162] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| MAR DEL PLATA | [176] |
| B. A. G. S. R. photo | |
| FREIGHT TRAIN FOR ENTRE RIOS CROSSING NEW BRIDGE | [178] |
| B. A. C. R. photo | |
| LOCOMOTIVE, BUENOS AIRES GREAT SOUTHERN RAILWAY | [183] |
| B. A. G. S. R. photo | |
| RAILWAY STATION, BUENOS AIRES GREAT SOUTHERN RAILWAY | [185] |
| B. A. G. S. R. photo | |
| RAILWAY CARRIAGE, BUENOS AIRES CENTRAL RAILWAY | [188] |
| B. A. C. R. photo | |
| ABERDEEN ANGUS CATTLE, SANTA MARIA, ENTRE RIOS | [196] |
| Lemco & Oxo photo | |
| LINCOLN CHAMPION. EXHIBITED BY MR. M. J. COBO | [201] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| AN ESTANCIERO'S HOUSE | [203] |
| B. A. G. S. R. photo | |
| LEMCO AND OXO PREMISES | [205] |
| Lemco & Oxo photo | |
| PURE BRED HEREFORD BULL (OXO) | [207] |
| Lemco & Oxo photo | |
| PEDIGREE COW AND CALF | [208] |
| Lemco and Oxo photo | |
| ESTANCIA SANTA MARIA | [210] |
| Lemco and Oxo photo | |
| GROUP OF HEREFORDS | [210] |
| Lemco & Oxo photo | |
| LA CROZE TRAMWAY, NEAR BUENOS AIRES | [221] |
| B. A. C. R. photo | |
| COUNTRY LIFE IN ARGENTINA | [227] |
| B. A. C. R. photo | |
| THE PRINCIPAL STREET OF MENDOZA | [229] |
| B. A. P. R. photo | |
| A MENDOZA VINEYARD | [229] |
| B. A. P. R. photo | |
| BULLOCK-BREAKING IN JUJUY | [234] |
| S. A. M. S. photo | |
| AN OSTRICH | [234] |
| Bovril, Ltd. photo | |
| LA VENTANA | [238] |
| B. A. G. S. R. photo | |
| TANDIL ROCKING-STONE | [241] |
| B. A. G. S. R. photo | |
| CHUBUT VALLEY | [245] |
| Photo kindly lent by the Chubut Railway | |
| AMONG THE CACTUS | [250] |
| S. A. M. S. photo | |
| ST. DAVID'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, CHUBUT | [250] |
| S. A. M. S. photo | |
| INDIAN CHILD | [250] |
| S. A. M. S. photo | |
| A VIEW OF TIERRA DEL FUEGO | [252] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| GUANACOS IN THE PARK OF MR. HECTOR COBO | [254] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| RIVER MENDOZA | [256] |
| B. A. P. R. photo | |
| THE HOTEL, PUENTE DEL INCA | [258] |
| B. A. P. R. photo | |
| PUENTE DEL INCA | [261] |
| B. A. P. R. photo | |
| VIEW OF MARSHY COUNTRY, BUENOS AIRES CENTRAL RAILWAY | [263] |
| B. A. C. R. photo | |
| QUAY ON THE RIVER URUGUAY | [266] |
| Lemco & Oxo photo | |
| COLON, ENTRE RIOS | [266] |
| Lemco & Oxo photo | |
| ROSARIO, THE LAW COURTS | [268] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| CALLE CORDOBA, ROSARIO | [271] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| THE IGUAZU FALLS | [274] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| CHIRIGUANOS AND MATACOS | [276] |
| S. A. M. S. photo | |
| CAMP TRAVEL | [276] |
| S. A. M. S. photo | |
| TUCUMAN | [282] |
| La Argentina photo | |
| PACKET STEAM NAVIGATION CO.'S ORCOMA | [285] |
| Photo kindly lent by the Pacific Steam Navigation Co. |
INTRODUCTION
The most stupendous achievement ever attained by a nation in so short a time was the discovery, conquest, and settlement of Mexico and South America by Spain within the compass of a century. To fix indelibly and for ever upon the peoples of a vast continent the language, religion, customs, polity, and laws of a nation on the other side of the globe called for qualities which could only be temporarily evoked by an irresistible common sentiment. The sentiment which gave to Spain for a time the potency to carry through simultaneously the tasks of imposing religious orthodoxy upon Christendom and founding her great colonial empire was pride: pride of religion, race, and person, deliberately fostered by rulers for political ends. This origin of the delusive strength that carried the Conquistadores through an untracked continent regardless of perils and sufferings, and made South America Spanish, rendered inevitable that the rewards, national and individual, should disappoint the recipients. For pride and its concomitant covetousness are never satisfied; and the frenzied thirst for rapid riches and distinction that spurred the Spanish explorers and conquerors onward rarely ended in the idle luxurious dignity that was their goal, and it ultimately brought to the mother country nought but penury and degradation.
It was ignorance of economic truth that led Spaniards in the sixteenth century to regard the possession of the precious metals as wealth, regardless of circumstances: and the error coloured the whole domination of Spain in the New World. That the nation and the individual should hope to become permanently powerful and rich by obtaining vast stores of the metallic medium whilst discouraging productive industry appears to modern ideas ridiculous, but to the discoverers of America it was regarded as quite the natural course of events. The effect is seen in the rapid subjection and development of the regions believed to be rich in the precious metals, and the comparative neglect of the vast territories where patience and the labour of man were needed to win nature's abundant bounty from the fertile soil.