MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



54d 



Paz, and Puno. Subsequently 

 to the revolution, in the year 

 1814, another division was made, 

 and from the provinces of Cor- 

 dova, Salta, and Buenos Ayres, 

 were taken those of Cuyo or 

 Mendoza, Tucuman, Corientes, 

 Entre Rios, and the Banda 

 Oriental. The others, it is be- 

 lieved, retained their former 

 boundaries, and, with the excep- 

 tion of Paraguay, are generally 

 called " Upper Peru." 



This widely extended country 

 embraces almost every variety of 

 climate and soil, and is capable 

 of almost every variety of pro- 

 duction. A large part of it, 

 however, particularly on the 

 west side of the river La Plata, 

 and southerly towards Cape 

 Horn, is deficient in wood, even 

 for fuel, and in water ; that which 

 is found is generally brackish. 



Although three centuries have 

 passed by, since the Spaniards 

 made their first settlement in 

 this country, and some consider- 

 able towns and cities have grown 

 in it, yet its general improvement 

 and population have by no means 

 kept pace with them ; for the 

 lower provinces have been almost 

 entirely abandoned to the im- 

 mense herds of cattle which 

 graze on their plains, and require 

 only the partial care of a com- 

 paratively few herdsmen ; and 

 the inhabitants of Upper Peru 

 have been engaged more gene- 

 rally in the business of mining 

 than was favourable to improve- 

 ment or population. Certain 

 small districts having peculiar 

 advantages, are said to be well 

 cultivated, and very productive : 

 but agriculture has in general 

 been very much neglected. It 



is, in a great degree, confined to 

 the vicinity of the towns and 

 cities, and may be said to limit 

 its supplies to their demands. 

 This state of things, combined 

 with the regulations of the former 

 government, the influence of 

 climate, and the force of ex- 

 ample, has stamped the cha- 

 racter of indolence upon that 

 class of society usually consi- 

 dered as the labouring class. 

 The same causes have not ope- 

 rated, at least with the same 

 force, upon the other inhabitants 

 of the country : hence they are 

 more industrious, and more ac- 

 tive ; their manners are social, 

 friendly and polite. In native 

 talents they are said to be infe- 

 ferior to no people ; and they have 

 given proofs that they are cap- 

 able of great and persevering 

 efforts ; that they are ardently 

 attached to their country, and 

 warmly enlisted in the cause of 

 its independence. 



It is not necessary for me to 

 enter into a detail of the causes 

 which led to the revolution in 

 1810. The most immediate, 

 perhaps, are to be found in the 

 incidents connected with the 

 two invasions of the country by 

 the British, in the years 1805 and 

 1806, and in the subsequent 

 events in Spain, as they had a 

 direct tendency to show to these 

 people their own strength, and 

 the incapacity of Spain to give 

 them protection or enforce obe- 

 dience. The ground-work was, 

 however, laid in the jealous and 

 oppressive system adopted at a 

 more early period by the kingi 

 of Spain, whose policy it seemed 

 to be to keep within as narrow 

 limits as circumstances would 



permit 



