1S33.] THE GREAT DROaOHT. 133 



numbers of animals of all kinds have been embedded together. 

 The period included between the years 1827 and 1830 is called 

 the " gran seco," or the great drought. During this time so 

 little rain fell, that the vegetation, even to the thistles, failed ; 

 the brooks were dried up, and the wliole country assumed the 

 appearance of a dusty high road. This was especially the case 

 in the northern part of the province of Buenos Ayres and the 

 southern part of St. Fe. Very great numbers of birds, wild 

 animals, cattle, and horses perished from the want of food and 

 water. A man told me that the deer* used to come into his 

 courtyard to the w^ell, which he liad been obliged to dig to supply 

 his ou n family with water ; and that the partridges had hardly 

 strength to fly away when pursued. The lowest estimation of 

 the loss of cattle in the province of Buenos Ayres alone, was 

 taken at one million head. A proprietor at San Pedro had pre- 

 viously to these years 20,000 cattle ; at the end not one re-' 

 mained. San Pedro is situated in the middle of the finest 

 country ; and even now abounds again with animals ; yet, during 

 the latter part of the " gran seco," live cattle were brought in 

 vessels for the consumption of the inhabitants. The animals 

 roamed from their estancias, and, wandering far southward, were 

 mingled together in such multitudes, that a government com- 

 mission was sent from Buenos Ayres to settle the disputes of the 

 owners. Sir Woodbine Parish informed me of another and very 

 curious source of dispute ; the ground being so long dry, such 

 quantities of dust were blown about, that in this open country 

 tiie landmarks became obliterated, and people could not tell the 

 limits of their estates. 



I was informed by an eyewitness that the cattle in herds of 

 thousands rushed into the Parana, and being exhausted by hunger 

 they were unable to crawl up the muddy banks, and thus were 



* In Capt. 0^yen's Surveying Voyage (vol. ii. p. 274) there is a curious 

 account of the effects of a drought on the elephants, at Benguela (west coast 

 of Africa). " A number of these animals had some time since entered the 

 town, in a body, to possess themselves of the wells, not being able to procure 

 any water in the country. The inhabitants mustered, when a desperate 

 con diet ensued, which terminated in the ultimate discomfiture of the in- 

 vaders, but not until they had killed one man, and wounded several others." 

 The town is said to have a population of nearly three thousand ! Dr. Mal- 

 colmson informs me, that during a great drought in India the wild animals 

 entered the tents of some troops at EUore. and that a hare drank out of a 

 vessel held by the adjutant of the rej^^iment. 



