142 To the River Plate and Back 



in virtue of their manhood. To-day Argentina is on the 

 highroad of national prosperity, having nothing to 

 fear except the dangers which arise from prosperity 

 itself. After having read everything available, and 

 having with my own eyes seen the results of the long 

 struggles which have taken place, and having had 

 the opportunity to learn from those who are to-day the 

 leaders of public thought and sentiment, what are the 

 aims and ambitions which they cherish, I cannot fail 

 to entertain a deep and sympathetic interest in the 

 people of this growing nation, who are surely unfolding 

 a character which is destined to give them a high place 

 in the future annals of civilization. 



The population of the country is exceedingly com- 

 posite. Argentina, like the United States, has become 

 a melting-pot for the nations. Colonized originally by 

 Basques, many of the names of the older families recall 

 that fact, but all of Spain was ultimately represented 

 upon the soil. During the past century there came into 

 the land not a few people of English, Irish, and Scotch 

 extraction. The Germans are well represented and so 

 are the French. From Southern Russia in quite recent 

 years, there has taken place a large influx. During the 

 past forty years there has been a very great immigration 

 of Italians. It is a curious fact that owing to the 

 cheapness of steerage-passage from Naples and Genoa 

 there occurs every year in Argentina just before the 

 planting time and before harvest, a mighty inflow of 

 Italian laborers, who help to sow and garner the crops, 

 and then quietly take ship again and return to Italy, 

 where they arrive in time to render the same service 

 in their own country. Great groups of laboring men 

 make the annual pilgrimage from southern Italy to 

 the Plate, and sell their services for the busy months 



