A Cruising Voyage Around the World

by Woodes Rogers

Irala who was his Deputy, and left at Buenos-Ayres, contracted a Friendship with some of the Natives call’d Guaranians. In 1538. he built Assumption in their Country, which is now the Metropolis of Paraguay, and left Buenos-Ayres for a time. Assumption lies on the Banks of the River Paraguay, in S. Lat. 25. 240 Leagues from the Sea, and 40 from the Mouth of the River Paraguay, where it falls into La Plata, These Rivers after they join continue their natural Colour for several miles, La Plata being clear, and Paraguay muddy. The latter is by much the most considerable River, and the adjacent Country abounds with Mines of Gold and Silver, and is navigable above 200 Leagues. The River Uruquay falls into Paraguay on the right side, and runs a Course of 300 Leagues, according to Sepp the Jesuit, who in his Voyage says ’tis as big as the Danube at Vienna. In short, as to this River La Plata, Authors are not agreed. Some of the Jesuits who are Missionaries in those Countries think it to be the same with that call’d Paraguay higher up in the Country, and that it has a Communication with the North-East Coast of Brazile by the River St. Meary, which rises out of the same Lake, and runs N E. as Paraguay or Plata runs S. and afterwards to the S E. when it falls into the Sea. Be that how it will, here are many Rivers which fall into the same Channel on both sides. But that which is commonly call’d La Plata, begins near the Town of that Name about S. Lat. 19. and after running N. a little way, takes its Course S E. till it join the River Paraguay. So that I chuse rather to trust to the Account given us by Mr. White our Linguist, who having dwelt long in that Country, told me this River derives its Name from the Town of La Plata, a sort of Metropolis to which there lies an Appeal from other Jurisdictions. He adds, that ’tis a pretty Town, has fourteen Churches with a Cathedral, and four Nunneries, and lies North-west from Buenos-Ayres about 500 Leagues, which requires commonly two months and a half’s Travel.

All are agreed that La Plata is very large at the Mouth, where some account it 50, and others 30 Leagues broad. The Mouth of it is dangerous because of Sands, and therefore requires Pilots. Knivet,[109] in his Description of the West-Indies, says, the best way to avoid those Sands is to keep near the North Shore till you come to a high Mountain white at top; and then to sail 4 Ls. South, to another small Hill on the North side, near which you must sail. This brings you into a fair Bay, where you must still keep along shore: and after passing the West Point of this Bay, you come to the River Maroer, and then there are no more Shoals between that and Buenos-Ayres.

La Plata runs into the Sea about S. Lat. 35. and sometimes overflows the Country for several miles, when the Natives put their Goods into Canoes, and float about till the Inundation assuages, and then they return to their Habitations. Ovalle gives the following Account of this River, viz. That it runs with such a mighty Stream into the Sea, as makes it fresh for a great way: That the Water of this River is very sweet, clears the Voice and Lungs, and is good against all Rheums and Defluxions: That the People who dwell about it have excellent Voices, and are all inclin’d to Musick: That it petrifies the Branches of Trees, and other things which fall into it; and that Vessels are naturally form’d of its Sand, which are of various Figures, look as if they were polish’d by Art, and keep Water very cool. It breeds great store of excellent Fish of divers sorts, and most beautiful Birds of all kinds are seen on its Banks. Sepp informs us, that this River and Uraguay abound so with Fish, that the Natives catch great numbers of them without any other Instrument than their Hands: one of the choicest, call’d the Kings-Fish, is small without Bones, and taken only in Winter. Our Author, says he never saw any European Fish in this latter, except one that the Spaniards call Bocado; and that the Fish are larger here than ours, of a dark or yellow colour, and well tasted; which he ascribes to the nature of

Account of the River La Plata.

the Water, that tho drunk in great quantities even after raw Fruit, helps Digestion, and never does any hurt. The Plains about this River are so large and even, without any Obstruction to the Sight, that the Sun seems to rise and set in them. Their way of travelling in those Plains is by high Carts cover’d with Hoops and Cows-Hides like our Waggons, with Conveniency for Travellers to sleep in the bottom; which is so much the better, because they travel most by night to avoid the Heat. They are drawn by Oxen, which are frequently so pinch’d by Drought, that when they come towards any Water, which they smell at a great distance, they run furiously to it, and drink up the very Mud which they raise with their Feet. This obliges Travellers to furnish themselves with Water and other Provisions for their Journy; there being no Water to be had, except by Rain: so that Travellers are frequently as much distress’d for want of Water as the Oxen, and can scarce get any that’s clear at the Watering-places, tho they send before-hand, because the Oxen run with so much haste to it that they make it all in a puddle: Ovalle says, that in this case Travellers are forc’d to stop their Noses and shut their Eyes when they drink it. The Journy thro these Plains is at least 14 or 20 days, without any place of shelter, or any Firing to dress their Victuals but the dry’d Dung of Cattle. Yet there are several Lakes and Ponds where Inns might be fix’d, but ’tis neglected because there’s no settled Trade that way.

It remains to give some account of the Towns upon the River Plata and on the Road to Potosi. 1. Buenos-Ayres lies upon the River 50 Leagues from the Sea, about Lat. 36. Our Linguist inform’d me that ’tis the Residence of a Spanish Governour, is defended by a Stone Fort mounted with 40 Guns, and is generally garison’d by 4 or 500 Men. The Harbour is pretty good, but troublesom in a N W. and W. Wind. The River is 7 Ls. broad there, and navigable by Ships 60 Ls. above the Town, but no further, because of a great Cataract. The Town has one Cathedral, and five other Churches: The Portuguese had a Settlement over against this Town, but were dislodg’d by the Spaniards at the beginning of this War; since which time the French drive a Guinea Trade hither for Negroes, who are sent over Land to Peru and Chili, and yield them vast Profit. The Trade from hence to Spain is in Hides and Tallow, Silver from Peru, and Gold and Silver from Chili. All European Goods yield a good Price here. They have plenty of Fruit-Trees about the Town of all kinds, both of the hot and cold Climates; and have store of Wheat and other European Grain, besides Indian Corn. Thousands of Cattel of all sorts run wild in the Neighbourhood, and they furnish Peru with 50000 Mules per ann. In short, this place lies very convenient for Commerce in Silver and Gold, and the other Commodities of Peru and Chili, which the French have now begun to engross. They sent three Ships to those parts and the South-Sea, under M. de Beauchesne Gouin[110] of St. Malo in 1698, of whose Progress I shall give a further account from a Copy of his Journal, as I go on with my Description of the Coasts. Their Winter here is in May, June, and July, when ’tis cold by night, but warm enough by day, the Frost never being violent, nor the Snow considerable in those parts.

Father Sepp,[111] who was here in 1691. tells us in his Voyage from Spain to Paraquaria or Paraguay, that Buenos-Ayres has only two Streets built crosswise; that there are four Convents, one of which belongs to the Jesuits; that their Houses and Churches are built of Clay, and not above one Story high; that the Jesuits have taught them of late to burn Lime, and make Tiles and Bricks, with which they now begin to build. The Castle is likewise of Clay, encompass’d with an earthen Wall and a deep Trench, and defended by 900 Spaniards; tho in case of necessity above 30000 Indian Horse might be arm’d out of the several Cantons, where they have been train’d by the Jesuits: But this boasting Account I can’t believe. They have in the Neighbourhood whole Woods of Peach, Almond, and Fig-Trees, which they propagate by putting the Kernels in the Ground: they grow so fast as to produce Fruit the first Year, and their Timber is us’d for Fewel. The adjacent Pastures are so fat and large, that many thousands of Beeves feed together; so that any one when he pleases goes into the Field, throws a Rope about their Horns, brings ’em home and kills ’em. They are very large, generally white, and being so numerous, are valu’d only for their Hides, Tallow, and Tongues; the rest being expos’d to the Birds and Beasts of Prey, which are very numerous, and frequently destroy the Calves. The Natives feed most on Beef half-raw without Bread or Salt, and in such quantities that they throw Account of the River La Plata. themselves naked into cold Water, that they may retain the natural Heat within their Entrails to help Digestion; and sometimes they lie down with their Stomachs in hot Sand: but their Gluttony in devouring so much raw Flesh fills them so with Worms, that they seldom live till 50 Years old. There are such numbers of Partridges here, and so tame, that they knock them down with sticks as they walk in the fields. The Missionaries, who are absolute Masters of the Natives in the neighbouring Cantons of Paraguay, &c. suffer none of ’em to come nearer Buenos-Ayres than two or three Leagues, on pretence that they would be corrupted by the ill Example of the Spaniards; and under that same pretence they won’t suffer the Spaniards to settle in their Missions, which extend above 200 Leagues up the River; nor do they allow Merchants who trade thither to stay above a few days; the true cause of which is, they are not willing that the Laity should be privy to the Wealth they heap up there, in a Country which abounds with Gold, nor be Witnesses to their splendid, or rather luxurious way of living. Sometimes Complaints of this Procedure of the Jesuits have been made to the Spanish Governours, but they find a way to bribe them to silence. This I was inform’d of by those who have been among them, and am confirm’d in it by Father Sepp: He does not dissemble that the Missionaries have a Despotical Power over the Natives, tho he gives it another Turn, and pretends that ’tis necessary in order to convert and force them to work. He says the Jesuits are Captains, teach them the Use of Arms, and how to draw up into Squadrons and Battallions; which he boasts they can do as well as the Europeans. The Jesuits obtain’d this Power, on the specious Pretence of reducing those Indians to the Obedience of the Spaniards, which they would not submit to till within these few Years. This Management is so much the more easily carry’d on, because the Ecclesiastical Government there is lodg’d in the hands of one Bishop only and three Canons; and the Missionaries being compos’d of all Nations, few of them have any natural Affection to the Spanish Government. This is the more to be observ’d, because the Jesuits being an intriguing Society, and generally in the French Interest, it would seem to be the Concern of the Allies to recover the Trade of those Countries from the House of Bourbon with all possible speed, left by making themselves Masters of the vast Treasures of Peru and Chili, they be enabled at last to compleat their Design of an Universal Monarchy. Father Sepp says, that Silver in 1691. was cheaper here than Iron; that for a Twopenny Knife one may have a Crown, for a Hat of two Shillings 10 or 12 Crowns, and for a Gun of ten or twelve Shillings 30 Crowns; that Provisions are so plenty here, that a fat Cow may be bought for the Value of 10 d. or 12 d. a good Ox for a few Needles, a stout Horse for about 2 s. that he has seen two given for a Knife not worth 6 d. and that he and his Company had 20 Horses for a few Trifles that did not cost them a Crown; being only a few Needles, Fish-Hooks, sorry Knives, Tobacco, and a little Bread. He mentions a Cataract in the River Uruquay, which he says Providence has plac’d here for the advantage of the poor Indians against the Avarice of the Spaniards; who not being able to go further with their Vessels, have been hitherto confin’d to Buenos-Ayres, and could not settle in those Cantons, tho very inviting, because of the vast Profit they might draw from them. This he reckons a great Happiness to the Natives, who being a simple People, would not only be soon infected with the Vices of the Spaniards, but enslav’d by ’em: for, says he, they make no difference betwixt Pagan and Christian Natives, but treat them promiscuously like Dogs. He adds, that this Province of Paraquaria or Paraguay exceeds in bigness Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands put together; (wherein I doubt he exceeds:) That they have no Cities, and are govern’d by 80 Colleges of Jesuits, in which there are no more than 160 Persons; and that these Colleges are from 100 to 600 Miles distant from one another. There’s one Plain of 200 Leagues long betwixt Buenos-Ayres and Corduba in Tucuman, without so much as a Tree or Cottage, and yet it contains the best Pastures in the World, fill’d with Cattel of all sorts which have no Owners.

Account of the River La Plata.