4fl5 



ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION. 



ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION. 



many places covered with salt. In the neighbourhood of the Cerro 

 Nevado, the rills of water which descend from the mountains form 

 small rivers, which run to the plains, and supply the means of 

 irrigation. As the soil of these parts is clayey and retentive of 

 moisture, many tracts of moderate extent are cultivated, and produce 

 Indian corn, peas, and trefoil clover ; and several culinary plants, as 

 artichokes, cauliflowers, and cabbages, and excellent pumpkins. The 

 hamlets are surrounded by vines, fig, peach, and orange-trees. The 

 potato is indigenous in the Famatina mountains. Wine is annually 

 exported to some extent from this valley to Rioja, and thence to the 

 other provinces of the republic. The climate of this valley is rather 

 hot in summer ; from December to February the thermometer in the 

 hottest part of the day varies between 80 and 106, and in winter 

 (June and July) it probably does not descend below 50, as no snow 

 falls on the Sierra Velasco, which is 3000 feet above the valley. Heavy 

 rain is uncommon, but snow is frequent, and at all seasons, on the 

 Sierra Famatina. Thunder-storms also are common, and accompanied 

 by very large hailstones. In winter, a wind from the north, called 

 ttmdti, sometimes blows with great force, and produces the effect of 

 eo ; it raises the thermometer to 90. 



North of 28 S. lat, the Andes cover an immense extent of country 

 east of the high range which runs parallel to the Pacific. The 

 south-' astern edge of this mountain region follows a line beginning 

 at the northern extremity of the Sierra Velasco, and running in a 

 north-eastern direction to a place on the Rio Vermejo, about 50 miles 

 below the confluence of the two rivers Lavayen and Rio de Tarija, its 

 two principal branches. Between 24 and 21 S.lat, the eastern border 

 is near 62 W. long. The northern part of the mountain region 

 is without the countries that belong to the Argentine Confederation, 

 and included in Bolivia, where the snow-capped Alturas de Lipez form 

 its northern border. The descent of the Andes towards the Pacific 

 terminates it on the west. The highest part of this extensive region, 

 which lies between 65 and 68 W. long., and between 25 and 22 

 N. lat., is very properly called El Despoblado, or the uninhabited 

 country. Its elevation has not been determined, but it is very 

 probable that it rather exceeds than falls short of 13,000 feet above 

 the sea. The surface of this tract presents no great variety of level, 

 and is crossed by a road which leads from the town of Salta to 

 Atacama in Bolivia. Though the whole region rises to so great an 

 elevation, no part of it is covered with perpetual snow. 



The countries which surround the Despoblado on the south and 

 east vary greatly in their level. From the southern border of the 

 Despoblado, between 67 and 68 W. long., a range branches off, 

 which runs south-south-east, and is called Sierra Ambato and Sierra 

 Ancaata. It terminates north of 28 S. lat., nearly in the parallel of 

 the northern extremity of the Sierra Velasco, but about 100 miles 

 east of it. The country between this lateral range and the principal 

 range of the Andes is traversed by another chain in all its length, 

 which however does not appear to rise to such an elevation as the 

 Sierra Ambato. The valleys which lie between those chains are 

 imperfectly known, but their climate is described as hot and sultry, 

 and this is apparent from the staple articles consisting of very good 

 cotton and red pepper. The inhabitants cultivate wheat, and 

 have herds of cattle, which find good pasture on the adjacent 

 mountains. 



From the eastern declivity of the Sierra Ambato, near 26 45', the 

 Sierra de Aconquija extends in an east-north-east direction to the 

 Rio Salado, on the banks of which it terminates at a point called El 

 Passage (near 23 S. lat.), where the river runs southward. This 

 range is very high in the vicinity of the Sierra Ambato, where a 

 portion of it is always covered with snow ; but farther east it sinks 

 much lower, though it perhaps never falls below 10,000 feet above 

 the sea level. Opposite its eastern extremity, and on the left bank 

 of the Rio Salado, there begins another range, which may be 

 considered ita continuation, as it runs in the same direction, and 

 preserves the same general elevation. This range, which is called 

 Sierra Lumbre, or Santa Barbara, terminates in some hills on the 

 banks of the Rio Vermejo, several miles below the confluence of its 

 two principal branches, the Rio Lavayen and the Rio de Tarija. A 

 third range branches off from the eastern border of the Despoblado, 

 near 22 40' S. lat. : it has at first the form of an elevated and wide 

 range, and is called Abra de Cortaderas. Farther east it forms a 

 table-land of great extent, called the Table-land of Yavi. Neither 

 the range nor the table-land rises above the snow-line, but their general 

 level can hardly be less than 12,000 feet above the sea, as both rise 

 above the line of trees. The table-land, though a complete level, is 

 destitute even of bushes, and severe frost is experienced on it in 

 the month of June. It is only inhabited by guanacoes and vicunas : 

 it terminates with a steep descent on the Rio de Tarija, near 22 

 S. lat. 



The countries inclosed between the eastern border of the Despo- 

 blado and the Abra de Cortaderas and the Table-land of Yavi on the 

 north, and the Sierra do Aconquija and Lumbro on the south-east, 

 consist chiefly of high table-lands. This elevated mountain region 

 is furrowed by a few deep, wide, and very long valleys, which, being 

 much depressed below the general level of the region, are comparatively 

 well-cultivated and populous. The longest of these valleys is- that 

 which is watered by the Rio Quachipas or the upper course of the 



QEOO. DIV. VOL. I. 



Rio Salado. It begins at its upper extremity, on a depression of tho 

 Despoblado itself, near the small town of Acay, in the vicinity of 

 which are some silver-mines, and it extends nearly 100 miles south- 

 ward, when it meets the Sierra de Aconquija, and the valley and the 

 river turn to the north-east by east. Near the Despoblado -the vale 

 is too high to be fit for agriculture, and in these parts it is very 

 narrow. But before it turns to the north-east it widens considerably, 

 and the cultivation of the European cerealia begins. Large quantities 

 of maize and wheat are grown, and the quantity of these articles 

 exported to the other valleys is considerable. The rich pastures on 

 the adjacent mountains support great numbers of cattle, horses, and 

 mules. There are also extensive plantations of European trees, and 

 much common wine is made, which finds a ready sale in the neigh- 

 bouring districts. 



The Vale of the Rio Guachipas terminates in the Plain of Salta, 

 which extends about 20 miles in every direction. Another valley 

 runs northward from this plain to the Abra de Cortaderas, a distance 

 of about 150 miles. Through this valley lies the road which leads 

 from Salta to Potosi, and it has excited the admiration of all travellers 

 on account of its great length, its comparatively small width, and the 

 steepness with which the rocks rise on both sides. In many places 

 the valley is hardly a furlong wide. This valley may be called the 

 Valley of Jujuy, as the town of that name is situated nearly at equal 

 distances from both extremities of it. The wide valley of the Rio 

 Lavayen, or Rio de Jujuy, branches off from the Valley of Jujuy, and 

 extends more than 100 miles between the Sierra Lumbre and an 

 elevated table-land to the north of it. It is much wider than tho 

 Valley of Jujuy, and the settlements are much more numerous here 

 than in the other valleys. In these valleys tropical vegetation appears 

 in all its luxuriance. Forests of large trees cover the banks of tho 

 rivers and ascend the hills to a considerable elevation. Besides maize, 

 large quantities -of sugar-cane are grown and exported. In the lower 

 parts the coca (Erythroxylon Coca) grows, whose leaves are chewed 

 by the natives, and the mate, or Paraguay tea-plant, is indigenous. 



Along the south-eastern declivity of the Sierra de Aconquija and 

 Sierra Lumbre there is a tract of considerable width, called the Plain 

 of Tucuman, which is very fertile, and has a pleasant and healthy 

 climate. The surface is furrowed by numerous small rivers, which 

 originate on the declivity and at the foot of the ranges, and descend 

 in a south-eastern direction to the lower country, which is farther 

 east. This region is an inclined plain, which sinks to the south-east 

 with an almost imperceptible slope. Having a hot but dry and 

 healthy climate, and abundance of water for irrigation, it is the most 

 fertile tract of the Argentine Confederation, and is thence called tho 

 Garden of the Rio de la Plata. Its width south of the Rio Salado 

 exceeds 70 miles, but between that river and the Rio Vermejo it is 

 much less. The population of this plain, which is very great, is mostly 

 occupied in raising corn, rice, maize, and tobacco. Much tobacco is 

 exported. The sugar-cane is said to grow naturally in the low-lauds. 

 The base and slope of the mountains are covered with tall trees, and 

 supply pasture for cattle. 



II. Plaint. The plains occupy about five-sixths of the surface of 

 the provinces of La Plata. The most northern part of them, which 

 is known under the name of El Gran Chaco, extends on the east of 

 the mountain region as far as the banks of the Rio Paraguay, and 

 from the northern boundary of the republic to the confluence of the 

 Rio Salado with the Parana, occupying all the tract between these 

 rivers. This immense country, which is about one-sixth of the wholo 

 Argentine Confederation, or 120,000 square miles, is very little known, 

 there being only a few families, and those mostly of Indian origin, 

 settled on the banks of the rivers. The interior is possessed by 

 several aboriginal tribes, who wander about in the woods, and live 

 on the produce of the chace and wild fruits. The most northern 

 part of the desert appears to have annual rains, and the country is 

 accordingly pretty well wooded. In this part, which lies between 

 the Rio Vermejo and the Rio Paraguay on both sides of the Rio 

 Pilcomayo, and which is called the Llanos de Manso, there is a 

 considerable number of independent tribes, though the several families 

 are generally small. The southern portion of the Gran Chaco, 

 between 26 and 30 S. lat., is a complete desert for want of rain 

 and water. The general character of the soil is sandy, and in many 

 places it is covered with incrustations of salt ; in others it is inter- 

 spersed with small salt-swamps. No part of it produces grass, but 

 some tracts are covered with stunted prickly trees. It is uninhabited, 

 except on the banks of the Rio Salado, where a few families havo 

 settled. 



The country which lies west of the southern portion of the Chaco, 

 and extends to the bonks of the Rio Dulce, though not considered as 

 forming a part of it, does not materially differ from it in features, soil, 

 and vegetation, except along the banks of the Rio Dulce, the water of 

 which being sweet can bo used for irrigation, and is in many places 

 applied for that purpose. 



West of the Rio Dulce and between 28 30' and 30 S. lat., a 

 desert extends as far west as the neighbourhood of the Sierra Velasco, 

 from which it is separated by a fertile tract, called La Costa, hardly 

 20 miles wide. Where the desert is traversed by the rood between 

 Cordova and Santiago del Estcro, near its eastern extremity, it is about 

 60 miles wide, but farther west it growa much wider. The surface is 



SB 



