1821.] Notes written during a late 



.5() seldom do they see one of us wlio is 

 liabitually sober. Dauciug is a com- 

 inou amusement, and gambling is not 

 rare. The theade is a poor affair, but 

 pretty well frequented: the actors are 

 bome old Spaniards and some mulattoes, 

 aud the actresses all mulatto women. 

 At the back of the pit, during the per- 

 formance, is stationed a party of sol- 

 diers, with loaded muskets and fixed 

 bayonets. These people are only to be 

 governed by force ; a constable with 

 his staff' would be despised, and proba- 

 bly stabbed immediately ; soldiers are 

 always employed to apprehend and 

 commit to prison the suspected per- 

 sons. 



Bull-fights are exliibited in a large 

 circular area, inclosed by a wooden 

 building, provided with seats for the 

 spectators, who are generally very nu- 

 merous.' A bull, fed for the purpose, 

 is goaded forth into the open space. 

 Seven or eight fellows, called Dande- 

 rilleros, tease and irritate him by 

 brandishing small flags before his eyes. 

 These he chases to all parts of the ring, 

 and they retreat by narrow openings 

 provideil for the purpose. Small darts, 

 with crackers affixed to them, are 

 thrown into his neck, till the poor ani- 

 mal foams and bellows with pain and 

 rage. The Picador, on horseback, 

 goads him witii a long pole strongly 

 pointed with iron. Next comes the 

 Matador, who, with a straight sword 

 pierces him in the neck repeatedly. 

 Then four jieons come in on horseback, 

 noose him, and drag him ouf, where, 

 il'notdeail, he is killed, and immedi- 

 ately flayed. Tiius I saw ten fine ani- 

 jaals destroyed. To this mean, cruel 

 amusement, a relic of the infamous 

 gladiatorial shews of the Romans, the 

 Spaniards are greatly attached. The 

 detestable practice of cock-fighting is 

 also common. Horse-racing is carried 

 on to a moderate extent. 



The carnival, wliich lasts three days, 

 is devoted to amusement ; the women 

 at the windows aud on the tops of the 

 houses, throw water on all within their 

 reach. Painte<l egg-sheels, stopped at 

 the ends with wax, and filled with wa- 

 ter, are sold by boys in the streets, and 

 are thrown at the women by the young 

 men. This is briskly returned with 

 water, and tlie parties seldom escape 



* MuHtciaas are stationed in a gtillcry 

 the whole time, and play occasionally, 

 and boyn go about selliug cakes and water. 

 The cry is « Aquafrya y panales." 



Residence at Buenos Ayres. 307 



without a good ducking. Any one 

 passing through the streets is sure to 

 get wet to the skin, and it is better to 

 take these things with good humour. 



The 25(h of May, the anniversary of 

 their independence, is a day of great 

 rejoicing. No work is done ; the great 

 square is illuminated at night, trium- 

 phal arches covered with olive branches 

 are erected, emblematic devices are ex- 

 hibited, with music, dances, &c. 



In Europe we have mistaken ideas 

 as to the opulence of the cities of South 

 America. Nature has here done much 

 — man nothing. Buenos Ayres, Rio 

 Janeiro, Lima, or even Mexico cannot 

 compare, in point of wealth, with Li- 

 verpool, Bristol, or Glasgow, — the trad- 

 ing towns of North America,New York, 

 Philadelphia, &c. The Spanish towns 

 contain some wealthy individuals, as a 

 few ecclesiastics and some officers of the 

 Spanish king, who cheat him and op- 

 press the people ; but our towns of the 

 same population, can produce more in- 

 stances of exlraordiiiai-y opulence thrice 

 told, and at least ten times as much 

 wealth in the great body of the people. 

 A country of industry is a country 

 of wealth: this, though by nature ca- 

 pable of any thing, isat present a coun- 

 try of laziness and poverty. A Spa- 

 niard's wealth appears great because it 

 is all displayed : an elegant woman may 

 be seen pacing the streets in silks and 

 scarlets, who, the moment she enters 

 her house, changes her clothes, and sits 

 down to sow or make segars for a live- 

 lihood. 



The stores and shops of the town 

 are full of English goods ; our cotions, 

 woollens,hardware and pottery meet the 

 eye on all sides, in profusion ; our ma- 

 nufacturers, as is their custom, have 

 overstocked the market. 



The Spaniards frequently complain 

 of the bad quality of many articles of 

 British manufacture, but will not pay 

 the price of a good article. As the ge- 

 neral idea is that the Englisli are rich, 

 they are here, as in most foreign parts, 

 regarded as fair game, and cheated ac- 

 cordingly. The Spanish shopkeepers 

 have generally too small capitals, exact 

 enormous profits on their goods, and 

 ask for every article much more than 

 it is w orth, or than they mean to take. 

 There are in the town, British of all 

 classes, and descriptions, as alsoFrench, 

 Italians, and Portuguese. It may be 

 remarked that these last soon mingle 

 with the natives, and are lost in the 

 common mass, whilst tlie British, from 



their 



