AROKNTISR CONKKHKIIATION. 



% TI \K ( 'ON KKDKRATION. 



:, > -. ,.'.- - . 



sd with hillocks, and b for the most part 



covered with a thick salt ettorescence. Henoe the desert has obtained 

 the name of Great Salina. The vegetation b limited to a kind of 

 nIH- from the ashes of which soda b extracted. Thb desert b 

 probably the hottest part of America, the heat during the prevalence 

 of the northern winds in summer being almost insupportable in those 

 place* which are built on the borders of thb desert, as Santiago del 

 Betero. Thb may be attributed mainly to the nature of the soil, but 

 partly to the lowness of the country, it having been ascertained by 

 barometrical observations that the surface of the desert b ouly a few 

 feet above the level of the sea at the town of Buenos Ayres, though it 

 b 700 miles distant from that point 



That part of the plain which lies between 30* and 38* S. bt, 

 exhibit* a different character. Nearly iu the middle of it b the Sierra 

 de Cordova, a system of heights, which in another place would U- 

 called mountains, but in the neighbourhood of the snow-capped Andes 

 can only be called hills. Thb sierra b divided from the Andes by a 

 plain 200 miles wide. The more elevated and mountainous part of 

 thb system b between 30 and 82* 8. lat, and extends more than 120 

 miles from north to south, but the width does not exceed 60 miles. 

 The southern part, between 81* and 82*, b a small table-land, about 

 80 miles wide, and growing narrower towards the south. The declivity 

 b gentle towards the base, but near the top it b steep. The plain b 

 covered with grass, but b entirely devoid of trees. It may be about 

 2500 or 3000 feet elevated above its base, and perhaps 3500 or 4000 

 feet above the sea level In winter it b sprinkled with patches of 

 snow. The short valleys by which the western side b furrowed 

 peoduce abundance of maize and fruits, and thb b also the case with 

 the long valley which runs along the eastern unbroken declivity. 

 Near 32* & Ut the table-land branches off into two ridges, of which 

 the eastern is called the Sierra and the western the Serrazuela. They 

 run north and north-westerly, and at their northern extremity are 

 more than 50 miles from each other. The intervening country b a 

 succession of stony or sandy ridges flat at the top, and alternating 

 with broad pastoral valleys interspersed with plantations of fig and 

 I '. 



The country which extends from the Sierra de Cordova to the Rio 

 Parana' b hilly, or strongly undulating along the base of the heights, 

 and produces good crops of Indian corn in the lower tracts where the 

 fields can be irrigated. This hilly country extends about 30 miles, 

 when the country sinks into somewhat irregular plains. Some parts 

 of these plains are covered with trees, but others are without wood, 

 which becomes more scarce as we proceed farther east, until the woods 

 re-appear at some distance from the banks of the Parana^ These 

 woods chiefly consist of low mimosas or stunted prickly trees. The 

 plains are generally covered with coarse grass, but in some parts, 

 especially in the eastern districts, the soil is impregnated with salt 

 The numerous small streams which flow from the eastern declivity of 

 the Sierra de Cordova, and unite into three rivers, the Primero. 

 Segundo, and Tercero, do not join the Psranii, but are lost in small 

 salt lakes, with the exception of the Tercero, which however in the 

 dry season b very shallow, and has hardly water enough for small 

 boata. The Rio Dulce, a Urge river which rises in the Sierra de 

 Aoonquija, and runs about 400 miles, b likewise lost in an extensive 

 salt lake, called Laguna Saladoa de loe Porongoa. The salt lakes in 

 which these rivers are lost occur between 80* and 32*, and are near the 

 meridian of 62* W. It seems that a deep depression runs along this 

 meridian, and that the country between it and the Rio ParanA and 

 Rio Salado b much more elevated. There are agricultural settlements 

 in this country on the banks of the rivers, and small hamlets, 

 Inhabited by herdsmen, occur on the plains. Though the pasture is 

 indifferent, a considerable number of cattle are reared. The country 

 which surrounds the southern extremity of the Sierra de Cordova, 

 and extends to 83* 8. Ut, resembles in its general character that li i. h 

 b to the east of it, except that it b traversed in several places by 

 narrow ridges of low rocky hills, along the bases of which vegetation 

 b much more vigorous, and the soil more favourable to agriculture 

 than in the wide plains which lie between them. 



The country which lies on the west of the Sierra de Cordova, and 

 extends in that direction for 120 or 130 miles from the range, b 

 nearly altogether bare of grasa Rain b scarce in all the countries of 

 South America south of 24, and thb want of moisture b the chief 

 reason why cultivation extends so slowly in these parts. In the 

 country west of the Sierra de Cordova H never rams, nor b the ground 

 ever refreshed by dew, which falls abundantly in the pampas farther 

 to UM south-east The soil of thb region is composed of a loose and 

 friable clayey loam, and the creator part of H contains stunted trees ; 

 tracta covered with salt incrustations, or with grass, are only. 

 nmaslisuaQy met with, and never occupy a Urge surface. The |jsssj 

 tracts are nxxt numerous near the southern extremity of the 



slasno, where they are called Los Llanos, and supply pasture for 

 niimeriNis herds of itjttle. 



* T*?* Ef* * * P^ "Men -i tends from 83* 8. Ut, to the banks of 

 UM Rio Negro, UM southern boundary of the Argentine Confederation, 

 Is known tinder the nstn. of Pampas. Though generally considered 

 as on- plain, -.tending on a perfect level from the chores of the 

 Atlantic to the base of the Andes, h has been observed that nature 

 has divided H by some tracts of more derated ground into several 



regions, which differ in soil aud fertility. The most remarkable and 

 best known of these elevated grounds begins on the shores of the 

 Atlantic between Cape Corrientes aud Punta Andrea, south of 38* 8. 

 lat, with rocks, which at some distance from the sea rise to the height 

 of hills, having broad summits in the form of a table-land, and steep 

 sides. This range of hills, which i* called the Sierra del Vuulcan 

 (opening), is only a few hundred feet high, and has excellent pasture 

 on its summit About 40 miles from the sea the ridge is intorru|ited 

 by a wide gap or opening (called by the aborigines Vuulcan), un<l n 

 the west of this opening rises another ridge, which has various names, 

 being broken by several other gaps, and extends in a south-eastern 

 and north-western direction about 200 miles from the Atlantic. Where 

 this elevated ground approaches 61* W. Ion;-., it turns to the north, 

 and runs in that direction to 86 S. lat, when it turns more to the 

 west, and may be said to terminate where the parallel of 84 cuts the 

 meridian of 62. This part of the higher ground is a gentle swell, 

 overtopped by low hills, which occur at great distances from i.uo 

 another, and by a few low ridges. Though most travellers describe 

 the country north of 84 in the direction of this swell as a perfect 

 ! . i-l. it is somewhat higher than the plains lying east and west, and it 

 extends to the banks of the Rio Parana; where the river is lined with 

 cliffs nbout 60 feet above its level, between & Nicolas and Rosario. 

 Thin elevated ground separates the eastern portion of the pampas from 

 that farther west All the rivers which water them eastern ]mis 

 have their origin in this elevated tract It is remarkable that the 

 water of most of them b salt, especially in summer, when the volume 

 b much diminished, though they flow through a country which is not 

 impregnated with saline matter. Prom thin it may be inferred that 

 extensive deposits of salt must exist in the high ground on which they 

 originate. 



The Rio Salado, which rises near the jwint where the parallel of 

 84 cuts the meridian of 62, runs in an cant-south-eastern direction 

 about 300 miles, and divides the JEatten Pampat into two nearly 

 equal parts. Though numerous settlement* hare been made in the 

 country north of the Rio Salado, by far the greatest part of it b still 

 in its natural state. It is a continuous level plain, covered with coarse 

 luxuriant grass, growing in tufts and partially mixed with wild oats 

 and trefoil. Extensive tracts are entirely overgrown with thistles 

 from 6 to 8 feet high, which are used for fuel, as the country U 

 entirely devoid of trees and shrubs. Near the dwellings of the 

 inhabitant)*, only single trees are met with. The level plain contains 

 shallow depressions, in which the rain-water u collected and forms 

 pools. This water evaporating in the dry season, these depressions 

 are then covered with rich grass, which supplies pasture during the 

 hot weather. Thus thb country is able to maintain immense herds 

 of cattle and horses ; and it is observed that the coarse grass and the 

 thintle gradually disappear when trodden down by the animals, and 

 are replaced by a fine turf; this b especially observable in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the town of Buenos Ayres. Though the rearing of cattle 

 b still the principal object of agriculture, sheep liave very much 

 increased of late years, and wheat has been more cultivated. Wheat 

 b now grown to such an extent that not only the importation from the 

 United States of North America hag been entirely stopped, but tl.mr 

 and corn have been shipped to Brazil ; and in 1850 a cargo of 3800 

 quarters was shipped to England, but this is understood to have proved 

 an unprofitable venture and is not likely to be noon repeated. Wool 

 also forms an important article of export Though the rivers are 

 dry in summer, except the Rio Salado and the largest of its affluents, 

 whose water cannot be used on account of its saltness, fresh water 

 may be procured at no great depth by digging wells. Along Uie 

 banks of the La Plata and Rio Parana, between Buenos Ayres and 

 Che small town of 8. Pedro, there is a broad belt of low ground, 

 which b annually inundated by the freshets of the Rio Parana for 

 several months, ami I'n-tili.-n-d by the muddy deposit of that river. 



The country south of the Rio Salado b of a somewhat different 

 character. Near the banks of the river it u on a level with the 

 country north of it, which it resembles in every respect ; but about 

 10 miles from the river swamps begin, which extend over a great part 

 of thb region. Towards the sea the swamps are nearly 100 miles 

 wide ; but farther west they grow narrower, until they terminate at 

 the confluence of the Rio Salado with the Km Floras. These swamps 

 are thickly set with tall canes an4. reed", and in many places 

 interspersed with small lakes and ponds. They probably owe their 

 existence to the circumstance !' tlieir surface constituting a perfect 

 level, which receives numerous streams, the waterx <>f which cannot 

 make their way to the Rio Kalado or to the sea. These swamps form 

 a great obstacle to the extension of agricultural settlement* ; for 

 though the country along the base of the Sierra del Vimlcan and tl>. 

 more western ranges of hills appears in no respect to be inf.Ti..r in 

 fertility to the country north of the Rio Salado, no agricultural 

 settlements have been established here. 



North of the Bahia Blanca (near 89* a lat) a mountain ..: 

 iderable elevation rises abruptly over the plain ; it is called Sii-n-i 

 Ventana, and its elevation above the sea level is about 3600 feet Tlii< 

 mountain extends north-west for about 20 miles, but grows lower 

 towards the west, where it b separated by a depression from another 

 and lower ridge that runs in the same direction and b called Ki.-rni 

 Onamini. 80 far thb country b known, but farther west it has not 



