J 821.] 



Second Letter on the 



Jammry to reap about 300 fanegas ; 

 uii(ier an improved system it is uot 

 improbable but these returns may be 

 considerably augmented. Having no 

 store-houses or barns, great part of 

 the crops is frequently lost, from a de- 

 ficiency of labourers at the season, to 

 secure it in a proper manner ; even 

 under all the present disadvantages, 

 property in the south increases con- 

 siderably in value every year. The great 

 want in this country, especially to- 

 wards the south, seems to be a nume- 

 rous and industrious peasantiy. Those 

 from the southern country brought in 

 as soldiers by Rodrigiiezou theoth inst. 

 who have not been coHtaminated as in 

 town, by such repeated changes and 

 revolutions and all their accompani- 

 ments, give a very favourable view of 

 the real peasantry. No men could pos« 

 sibly under any circumslar.ces, con- 

 duct themselves with more order and 

 propriety than they did, at a period 

 when every thing lay at their mercy. 



You Mould, I dare say, be surjirised 

 to find so veiy little is known in this 

 place of the country to the south, and 

 any particulars which I have been able 

 to obtain are veiy scantj' and imper- 

 fect, as it is only to be procured at se- 

 condand third hand, and even that often 

 distorted either from design or care- 

 lessness, rendering it difficult to sepa- 

 rate the truth from the incorrect intel- 

 ligence, especially to one who has never 

 been further fiom Buenos Ayres, than 

 a few miles, and who is at the same 

 time imperfectly acquainted with the 

 language. 



It is generally reported here, that 

 two companies in England, have been 

 making jnoposals to this government 

 for grants of laud, on purpose to colo- 

 nize, a measure which seems generally 

 approved of. Tlie expence of carry- 

 ing emigrants to these districts, may be 

 e^isily calculated, the passage being on 

 an average about 70 days ; from thence 

 to the southern districts would incur 

 very little expence, as the country is 

 so level, and the means of transport so 

 accessible. The subsistence of settlers 

 in a country so abounding in cattle 

 would at first neither be difficult nor 

 expensive, and in the course of one 

 year sufficient grain might be raised 

 for their support, as there are no fo- 

 rests to clear as in North America. 



1 shall tak(! an early occasion of 

 writing to you from Chili, where 1 ex- 

 j)cct to arrive about Christmas. I had 

 the misfortune to break my Leslie's 



Slate of Buenos Ayres. 2'2§ 



hygrometer, about the time of my arri- 

 val, a loss I regret, as there is no cir- 

 cumstance in which the climate varies 

 so much as in its degree of moisture 

 and dryness. I have sent for another 

 of the same kind, and one of M. De 

 Luc's. By the register thermometer 

 I liavekept an account of the extremes 

 of heat and cold since I arrival, as also 

 the state of the barometer. A friend 

 of mine at this j)lace, of much intel- 

 ligence, who has the charge of the es- 

 tablishment of the Lancastrian school 

 in this country, is to continue some of 

 these observations, especially the slate 

 of the barometer, to assist me in cal- 

 culating the elevations from thence to 

 Valparaiso from the barometrical obser- 

 vations I make in the journey. 



An eventful crisis for tliis countiy 

 seems on the eve of taking place, 

 as the American Consul, or Commis- 

 sioners, and the French line of battle 

 ship and frigate are in the river; the 

 Prince of Lucca is supposed to be on 

 board the latter, and the Spanish depu- 

 tation from the new government are 

 daily expected from Rio dc Janeiro. 



Amidst all these commotions, it is 

 not a little pleasing, to find that the 

 most important improvements have 

 been taking place in the education of 

 the rising generation, a circumstance 

 more calculated to lead to important re- 

 sults than any other occurrence in this 

 country. The establishment of the 

 Lancastrian school about ten months 

 ago, under the superintendance of my 

 friend Mr. Thomson, has met with the 

 greatest encouragement from all classes, 

 and from none more so than the.clergy. 

 The original school for boys now con- 

 tains upwards of 120, and preparations 

 are making for the establishment of a 

 female school, for which they have al- 

 ready procured a mistress, who has in- 

 troduced some parts of the system into 

 her own school ; the lessons, &c. have 

 all been printed here; the salaries have 

 been regularly paid by the Cabildo, who 

 have given the use of large rooms in 

 the college for the schools, with money 

 to pay the expence of fitting them up 

 in a proper manner, at which they are 

 to commence in a few days. All the 

 other schools under the direction of the 

 Cabildo, are placed under the guidance 

 of Mr. T. and will be gradually fornix 

 ed on the same system. On their being 

 all properly and firmly established 

 here, Mr. T. will be at liberty to visit 

 other parts of the country for similar 

 puriiojcs, from which he has already 

 received 



