Brazilian war;--a war most injurious to this country, not so much in
its immediate effects, as in being the origin of a multitude of
generals and all other grades of officers. More generals are numbered
(but not paid) in the United Provinces of La Plata than in the United
Kingdom of Great Britain. These gentlemen have learned to like power,
and do not object to a little skirmishing. Hence there are many always
on the watch to create disturbance and to overturn a government which
as yet has never rested on any staple foundation. I noticed, however,
both here and in other places, a very general interest in the ensuing
election for the President; and this appears a good sign for the
prosperity of this little country. The inhabitants do not require much
education in their representatives; I heard some men discussing the
merits of those for Colonia; and it was said that, "although they were
not men of business, they could all sign their names:" with this they
seemed to think every reasonable man ought to be satisfied.
18th.--Rode with my host to his estancia, at the Arroyo de San Juan. In
the evening we took a ride round the estate: it contained two square
leagues and a half, and was situated in what is called a rincon; that
is, one side was fronted by the Plata, and the two others guarded by
impassable brooks. There was an excellent port for little vessels, and
an abundance of small wood, which is valuable as supplying fuel to
Buenos Ayres. I was curious to know the value of so complete an
estancia. Of cattle there were 3000, and it would well support three
or four times that number; of mares 800, together with 150 broken-in
horses, and 600 sheep. There was plenty of water and limestone, a
rough house, excellent corrals, and a peach orchard. For all this he
had been offered 2000 Pounds, and he only wanted 500 Pounds additional,
and probably would sell it for less. The chief trouble with an
estancia is driving the cattle twice a week to a central spot, in order
to make them tame, and to count them. This latter operation would be
thought difficult, where there are ten or fifteen thousand head
together. It is managed on the principle that the cattle invariably
divide themselves into little troops of from forty to one hundred. Each
troop is recognized by a few peculiarly marked animals, and its number
is known: so that, one being lost out of ten thousand, it is perceived
by its absence from one of the tropillas. During a stormy night the
cattle all mingle together; but the next morning the tropillas separate
as before; so that each animal must know its fellow out of ten thousand
others.
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