While changing horses at the Guardia several people questioned us much
about the army,--I never saw anything like the enthusiasm for Rosas,
and for the success of the "most just of all wars, because against
barbarians." This expression, it must be confessed, is very natural,
for till lately, neither man, woman nor horse, was safe from the
attacks of the Indians. We had a long day's ride over the same rich
green plain, abounding with various flocks, and with here and there a
solitary estancia, and its one _ombu_ tree. In the evening it rained
heavily: on arriving at a posthouse we were told by the owner, that if
we had not a regular passport we must pass on, for there were so many
robbers he would trust no one. When he read, however, my passport,
which began with "El Naturalista Don Carlos," his respect and civility
were as unbounded as his suspicions had been before. What a naturalist
might be, neither he nor his countrymen, I suspect, had any idea; but
probably my title lost nothing of its value from that cause.
September 20th.--We arrived by the middle of the day at Buenos Ayres.
The outskirts of the city looked quite pretty, with the agave hedges,
and groves of olive, peach and willow trees, all just throwing out
their fresh green leaves. I rode to the house of Mr. Lumb, an English
merchant, to whose kindness and hospitality, during my stay in the
country, I was greatly indebted.
The city of Buenos Ayres is large; [10] and I should think one of the
most regular in the world. Every street is at right angles to the one
it crosses, and the parallel ones being equidistant, the houses are
collected into solid squares of equal dimensions, which are called
quadras. On the other hand, the houses themselves are hollow squares;
all the rooms opening into a neat little courtyard. They are generally
only one story high, with flat roofs, which are fitted with seats and
are much frequented by the inhabitants in summer. In the centre of the
town is the Plaza, where the public offices, fortress, cathedral, etc.,
stand. Here also, the old viceroys, before the revolution, had their
palaces. The general assemblage of buildings possesses considerable
architectural beauty, although none individually can boast of any.
The great _corral_, where the animals are kept for slaughter to supply
food to this beef-eating population, is one of the spectacles best
worth seeing. The strength of the horse as compared to that of the
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