BUENOS A Y R E S. 



57 



BlIflHlS 



ndor. 



jet able 

 luc- 



raguay 



Commerce 

 The pre- 

 ciou* me- 

 tals the 

 principal 

 exports. 



Buenos Ayres. It is nearly six feet high, and runs 

 with such rapidity, that the fleetest dogs are out- 

 stripped in the pursuit. What is most singular in 

 this bird is, that several of the females deposite their 

 eggs in the same neat ; and that a single male takes 

 the charge of hatching them, and of leading out, and 

 protecting the young. The condor chiefly inhabits 

 the elevated pinnacles of the Cordilleras. It is com- 

 monly referred to the vulture species, though its 

 great strength and vivacity are supposed to give it 

 some claim to rank with that of the eagle. No bird 

 that flies can be put in competition with it, either 

 for size, for rapacity, or for rapidity in flight. It 

 measures across the wings from 12 to 13 feet ; and the 

 Indians assert, that it will carry off a deer or a calf in 

 its talons with as much ease as an eagle would a hare or 

 a rabbit. Its beak is so strong as to pierce the body 

 of an ox, and two condors are capable of devouring 

 that animal. All the birds of this region, according 

 to Azara, may, in general, be said to be insccttfer- 

 OM.V, as even the birds of prey feed more upon in- 

 sects, frogs, toads, vipers, &c. than upon quadrupeds 

 and other birds ; and those birds whose form an- 

 nounce them to be graniverous, eat more insects 

 than any other kind of food, which, however, may 

 arise from the scarcity of grain in this uncultivated 

 country. 



The profusion of vegetable productions in this 

 viceroyalty is commensurate with its extent and the 

 diversity of its climate ; and it would be impossible, 

 within the bounds of one article, to give any ade- 

 quate idea of their variety. Its trees are suited for 

 every purpose of naval or domestic architecture, and 

 many of them are extremely valuable for their beauty 

 and duration. Various medicinal gums exude from 

 their stems ; and their fruit constitutes a consi- 

 derable proportion of the food of the natives. Vale- 

 rian, meum, salsaparilla, an aromatic and pungent 

 root called schynant, ginger, and many others of 

 spontaneous growth abound in this country ; and ex- 

 tensive forests of trees, producing the Jesuits bark, 

 are found in the province of Los Charcas. The 

 herb of Paraguay, a species of tea, which is chiefly 

 cultivated in the eastern part of that province, and in 

 the vallies among the mountains of Maracayu, is in 

 great request over all the southern continent of A- 

 merica. The Creoles drink it at every meal, and 

 never travel without a sufficient supply of this fa- 

 vourite beverage. Its use, however, is most univer- 

 sal in the mine countries, as the Spaniards suppose 

 that wine there is prejudicial to the health. Like 

 opium, it gives sleep to the restless, and stimulates 

 the spirits of the torpid ; but, when taken to excess, 

 brings on similar disorders to those which are pro- 

 duced by the immoderate use of strong liquors. The 

 profits arising from the cultivation of this plant be- 

 longed formerly to the Jesuits, but since their ex- 

 pulsion have fallen into the hands of the crown, 

 and are estimated at the annual amount of 500,000 

 piastres. 



At the first establishment of the colony of Bu- 

 enos Ayres, the precious metals constituted the 

 principal exports of Spanish America. Allured by 

 the prospects of immediate wealth, the Spaniards 

 disdained to dissipate their industry on objects of in- 



r imp:>rt:uu .- ; and the only productions of the 

 climate, which they raised, were such as, from their 

 rarity and value, were in great demand in the mother 

 country. Commodities no less valuable, and of 

 greater utility, were neglected and despised. The 

 culture eren of the vine and the olive ; and the esta- 

 blishment of several kinds of manufacture, .were pro- 

 hibited under the severest penalties. Their luxuries, 

 their cloths, their furniture, even their instrument! 

 of labour, and a considerable quantity of their pro- 

 visions, were imported from Spain ; for which they 

 gave in exchange the produce of their mines and 

 plantations. This traffic was carried on exclusively 

 in Spanish bottoms, and confined entirely to the 

 ports of Porto Bello and Vera Cruz, in the Gulf 

 of Mexico. No vessel belonging to the colonies 

 was allowed to trade with Europe ; and even the 

 commercial intercourse between each other was either 

 entirely prohibited, or fettered with the most jealous 

 restrictions. In this state of things, Buenos Ayres 

 languished in obscurity. She had become the object 

 of jealousy and distrust to the mother country, on 

 account of her appropriate situation for an extensive 

 trade ; and the Spaniards, fearing lest European 

 commodities should be introduced into Peru and the 

 other provinces through this channel, obtained a de- 

 cree from government, prohibiting every kind of 

 commerce by the river La Plata. This measure ex- 

 cited great discontent in the southern colonies, who 

 were thus deprived of every spur to industry and 

 agriculture ; and were reduced to a state of inaction, 

 very ilrsuited to their important station, and territorial 

 resources. It was not, however, until often repeated 

 applications had been made to the Spanish govern- 

 ment, that the offensive prohibition was withdrawn, 

 in 1602, and they received permission to export in 

 their own vessels, and on their own account, 2,000,000 

 fanegas of flour, 500 quintals of dried meat, and 

 the same quantity of tallow. But this stinted grant, 

 which was to continue in force only for six years, was 

 loaded with restrictions. The destination of their 

 vessels was confined to Portuguese Brazil and the 

 coast of Guinea ; and it was from these countries 

 alone that they were allowed to import such com- 

 modities as were merely necessary for their own con- 

 sumption. At the expiry of this period, these co- 

 lonies demanded that the permission should extend 

 to every kind of merchandize, and that they should 

 also be allowed a direct communication with Spain. 

 This demand, however, was violently opposed by 

 the consulates of Lima and Seville ; and it was con- 

 sequently restricted to two vessels, not exceeding 

 100 tons each. But such was their dread of any 

 contraband traffic between this settlement and the 

 other provinces, that a custom-house was established 

 at Cordova-del-Tucuman, which prevented the in- 

 troduction of all imported commodities into the in- 

 terior of Peru, under a duty of fifty per cent. ; and 

 also the drawing of gold and silver from Peru for 

 Buenos Ayres, even for the payment of the mules 

 which the latter place annually furnished to the for- 

 mer. Notwithstanding, however, the numerous re- 

 strictions and barriers of fiscal regulation, a consi- 

 derable contraband trade was carried on with ^the 

 Portuguese of St Sacramento ; which, though o.ten 



Commer- 

 cial restric- 

 tion* preju- 

 dicial to the 

 country. 



Partly re- 

 moved in 

 1608. 



Contra- 

 land trace 

 with the 

 Portu- 



gue-c. 



VOL. v. PART I. 



