1828. ] Facundo Quiroga, Governor of La Rioja. 593 
of which are gathered from a personal residence in the province itself, 
over which that individual at present 
* Holds sovereign sway and mastery.” 
Facundo Quiroga is the son of a wealthy estate-holder of those fine 
plains called the Llanos, forming part of the rich province of La Rioja, in 
which are situated the celebrated Famatina mines. Quiroga commenced 
his career of personal independence, by running away from his father, 
and associating himself with a band of vagabonds of all descriptions— 
thieves, deserters, and cattle-stealers. With these companions he led 
a wandering life for the space of three years, at which time the greater 
part of them were taken prisoners, and made soldiers of. As the hue 
and cry followed Quiroga also very closely, he disguised himself as a 
peon, or labourer, and went to Mendoga, where he worked ina vineyard 
for several months. 
Prior to the revolution, every working man was obliged to have a 
letter of licence, certifying his good character, without which he was 
liable to be sent to the army. During Quiroga’s forced sojourn at Men- 
doga, an alcalde, or judge, met him one day in the street, and asked him for 
his licence. Quiroga hesitated at first ; and then, putting his hand under 
his poncho apparently for the purpose of giving the paper, he suddenly 
drew his knife, and stabbed the alcalde, who fell dead on the spot. He 
then instantly made his escape, and wandered for more than four months 
among the wilds to the southward, leading the life of a savage. At 
length, he was tempted to return to the town, and some of his female 
acquaintances betrayed him. 
Amongst the Spaniards and their descendants (for what reason it would 
be difficult to divine), murder is looked upon as a very venial crime ; 
and it is scarcely ever severely punished. On the present occasion, the 
Spanish authorities contented themselves with making a soldier of 
Quiroga. 
About six months after this event, Beresford’s expedition arrived, and 
took possession of Buenos Ayres; when all the king’s troops were col- 
lected together to drive out the invaders, and Quiroga, among the rest, 
was marched to Buenos Ayres. Here he remained some years, when 
an unforeseen circumstance caused him to desert. He was one day placed 
as a centinel at the gate of the quartel (barrack), when an officer came 
up, and asked him some question ; to which he returned an insolent 
reply. The officer immediately drew his sabre, and gave Quiroga a 
blow with the flat of it ; upon which the enraged soldier sprang at his 
superior, disarmed him, and cut him down. By this time, some of the 
soldiers had made their appearance, with the intention of taking him into 
custody ; but his ferocious looks alarmed them, and he was allowed once 
more to make his escape. Having procured a horse, he again took the 
road to Mendoga, dressed as a gaucho, which was literally his own cha- 
racter; for he was capable of any of the feats practised by this 
half-savage class of the South American community: he could break-in 
a wild horse—lazo, hamstring, slaughter, and cut up a wild bull—fight 
with a knife or sabre—and endure hunger and thirst unrepiningly, when 
obliged by necessity. In riding, in particular, he was singularly skilful, 
and might almost be said to “grow upon his horse.” On his road to 
Mendoga, so audacious was he, that he even ventured to enter the town of 
M.M. New Scries—Vou. VI. No. 36. 4G 
