1828.] Facundo Quiroga, Governor of La Rioja. 597 
out the gaucho who had struck him. Quiroga addressed the gaucho as 
follows: “ I shall punish you for two reasons ; first, for the injustice you 
have done to this poor man ; and, secondly, for not having used your 
sabre more dexterously than in the infliction of a mere flesh-wound, 
which is a disgrace toa soldier of mine.” He then snatched a sabre from 
the man who stood next to him ; and the gaucho, fearing what was about 
to take place, lifted his arm to protect himself—when Quiroga severed 
his arm from his body at a blow, and it fell powerless on the floor.— 
“ Take him out,” he added, as the man was bleeding to death, “ and 
let the rest of you learn, from my example, how to strike.” The inflic- 
tion of such a blow from a small spare man like Quiroga, appeared to the 
men like the effect of magic, and they conveyed their dying comrade out 
of the apartment without a word. 
- Like most South American landholders, Quiroga does not despise any 
means of gain, however small; and, therefore, he keeps a shop at one end 
of his house, supplied with all the articles in request amongst the 
gauchos—as Manchester prints, men’s coarse clothing, shirts, jackets, 
drawers, ponchos, red baize for making them, brandy, wine, Yerva de Para- 
gauy, sugar, dried meat, bread, salt, red pepper, lard, tallow, candles, 
died fruits, knives, flints and steels, tinder-boxes, tobacco, paper, small 
common prints of the Virgin and saints, shoes, bridle-bitts, stirrups, 
hide-reins, lazos, balls, and every other article in request. Of course, all 
the gauchos who wish to stand in favour with him purchase their neces-: 
saries at his shop, in which one of his relations serves. By this means, 
he has a constant supply of ready money to pay his workmen, and the 
people about him ; and his profits are about cent. per cent. He kills one 
or two bullocks every day, and all the superabundant meat is sold in the 
shop. On one occasion, a poor man who had been to the shop passed 
by, with a very discontented air, the front of the house where Quiroga 
was sitting. The latter called him, and asked what was the matter ; he 
replied that the Capataz (bailiff) had refused to sell him a medio’s-worth 
(23d.) of beef. “ Where is your money?” replied Quiroga ; and the 
man gave it him. He was then ordered to throw his lazo over the horns of 
a fine fat ox in the corral, worth seventeen dollars ; he did so, and brought 
the animal to Quiroga, who said, “ Take him home, and kill him, that 
you may eat beef.” The poor man in astonishment replied, “ But, my 
patron, how shall I ever be able to pay for it ?”—~ Why,” replied his 
patron, “I have got your medio, and you have got my ox ; if you are 
_ satisfied, I am ; if not, I will return the money.” The man went away, 
and spread the story of Quiroga’s generosity far and near, who was more 
than repaid for his outlay in the popularity it procured him. 
Such apparently generous acts as these, occasionally performed, enable 
Quiroga to rule, as an absolute and merciless tyrant, withimpunity. No one 
dares to steal any of hisherds, which wander unmolested through the plains ; 
but if, by chance, such a thing occurs, the offender is instantly brought 
to his house, and shot without mercy, frequently upon the bare allega- 
tion of a spiteful neighbour. But, as a compensation for this, the country 
people are allowed to plunder any of the other estate-holders (estancieros ) 
whenever they can, with impunity. Quiroga is also a perfect adept in 
gambling, and constantly contrives to have some of the militia officers 
in his house to enable him to follow this pursuit, which he also turns 
to profit, and wins the whole of their money ; after which he lends them 
more, only to follow the same road ; and thus he contrives to keep them 
