1828.] 



Domestic and Foreign. 



421 



with to England. The consequence was, 

 that about fifty went ashore to remain in 

 the country, and the rest Mr. Beaumont 

 had the mortification to see sail away with 

 the captain. They were safely landed at 

 Plymouth in July after being six months 

 afloat all at the expense of the Asso- 

 ciation. 



The vexation which this unfortunate event gave 

 me (says Mr. B.) was aggravated by the intelli- 

 gence that the Buenos Ayres government had de- 

 ceived us that they would not allow any settle- 

 ment of Englishmen to succeed within their ter- 

 ritory that all they wanted was our money and 

 men ; both of which they would turn to their ac- 

 count that the settlers in the province of Entre 

 Rios were exposed to the greatest hardships 

 that they had been despoiled by their pretended 

 friends the Republicans, even more than by the 

 nominal enemy of the province, the Imperialists 

 and that it was impossible for any settlement in 

 that province to succeed so long as the war con- 

 tinued, for that there was no security for property, 

 or even life. 



The obvious and immediate cause of the 

 failure of this Rio de la Plata Agricultural 

 Association was the war with Brazil, and 

 the blockade of the rivers 



But we much deceive ourselves, adds Mr. B., 

 by attributing the failure wholly to the war and 

 blockade that cause did not operate against a 

 small colony which was sent out from Buenos 

 Ayres to Entre Rios, and who were driven out by 

 the natives, just before the arrival of the Rio 

 Plata Agriculturists nor against the San Pedro 

 settlement nor against the Rio Plata Mining 

 Association nor the numerous other companies 

 which have been raised in Buenos Ayres, or for 

 the objects of Buenos Ayres, all of which have 

 ended in disappointment and immense loss. No ; 

 the predominant and enduring caused of all these 

 failures are the bad faith of the government, and 

 the rapacity and treachery of the leading political 

 people. 



On the arrival of the associated agriculturists, 

 all interests were found to be in array against 

 them. The landholders in the towns, who had 

 land occupied by farmers or gardeners, saw no- 

 thing but loss to themselves in the competition of 

 the new comers ; the working farmers and gar- 

 deners of the country, though very few in num- 

 ber, thought that their occupation was gone ; the 

 bakers at Buenos Ayres, who are likewise mil- 

 lers frequently, were strongly opposed to the agri- 

 cultural settlements ; and the merchants, who had 

 made the importation of corn and flour from dis- 

 tant countries their staple article of commerce, 

 were naturally inimical to the success of an enter- 

 prise, which r-ad for its object the rendering the 

 country independent of foreign supplies of flour ; 

 and the jealous and prejudiced natives, generally, 

 were filled with apprehensions, that the establish* 

 ment of colonies of Englishmen within their ter- 

 ritories would endanger their political indepen- 

 dence. 



When to these apprehensions and feelings 

 against the success of the settlements were added 

 the immediate and personal advantages to be de- 

 rived from the dispersion of the settlers, the par. 

 Jition of their stores and funds, the procuring 



emigrants for soUUers, or nailorB, or artisans, 

 to fight or work for them, and above all, the 

 delight of deceiving and overreaching their con- 

 fiding friends in England, it is perhaps not very 

 much to be wondered at. that the prospective 

 benefits to the country, to be derived from the 

 projected agricultural settlements, were sacrificed 

 to the present gains and gratifications of indi- 

 viduals. 



Here is perhaps something of the tone 

 of disappointment ; but no doubt there was 

 roguery on the one side, as well as credulity 

 on the other At Monte Video, Mr. B, 

 succeeded in getting employment for the 

 fifty emigrants who remained ; and then 

 started over land to Buenos Ayres, to see 

 the actual condition of the Entre Rios set- 

 tlement, and procure, if possible, something 

 like redress from the government. In this 

 journey it was that Mr. B. had the oppor- 

 tunity of contemplating much of the coun- 

 try, and giving the very satisfactory account 

 of it he has done. At Buenos Ayres, the 

 president received him very cavalierly. 

 Though he had received civilities and at- 

 tentions, without number or measure, in 

 England, from Mr. B.'s family, he pre- 

 sently made the young gentleman under- 

 stand that Mr. Rivadavia, in London, and 

 Don Bernardino Rivadavia, president of 

 the Argentine Republic, were not to be 

 considered as one and the same person. 

 He was superciliously referred to the mi- 

 nisters, and from them not the slightest 

 redress could be obtained, and he accord- 

 ingly lost no further time in turning his 

 back upon Buenos Ayres and all emigra- 

 tions, we should suppose for ever. 



^Keeper's Travels in Search of his 

 Master. New Edition. By successive 

 augmentations this very popular little vo- 

 lume, excellently designed to impress upon 

 children the claims of sympathy on the part 

 of dumb animals, and the duty of kindness 

 towards them, must now, not altogether to its 

 advantage, be taken out of the class of chil- 

 dren's books, and referred we scarcely 

 know where ; at all events, it is no longer 

 a child's book, and, therefore, Keeper's 

 Adventures lose their interest, and are of 

 no farther value than as they are occasions, 

 for which any thing else would do as well, 

 - to introduce the author's sentiments sen- 

 timents which are all of the most amiable 

 philosophy, and illustrated by no common 

 communications; and though sometimes 

 quaintly expressed, and unskilfully argued, 

 are amply compensated by the earnestness 

 of the general tone, which shews the whole 

 to come warm from the heart, with the tes- 

 timony of deep-felt conviction. 



Speaking of domestic animals, and espe- 

 cially of cats, and the superstitions relative 

 to cats, he says 



If we are to sum up the whole, it is the share 

 of reason and of sympathy with the human race, 

 and human wants and inclinations, which un- 

 doubtedly belong to the cat, that are at the bot- 



