30 Cruise of the "Alert" 



rodon, Toxodon, Mylodon, and other fossils ; its beautiful speci- 

 mens of the Chlamydophorus retusas (a mole-like armadillo), the 

 leathery turtle (Sphargis coriacea), the epiodon, etc. The Pro- 

 fessor pointed with great pride to a recent specimen of armadillo, 

 with the young one attached to its hind -quarters in a peculiar 

 manner. 



On the same day we inspected the Anthropological Museum, 

 which is in a large building in the Plaza Victoria, opposite the 

 old market, where we saw a fine collection of Tehuelche and 

 Araucanian skulls, recently made by Seiior Moreno in his travels 

 through Patagonia. Among others was the skull of "Sam Slick," 

 a son of the celebrated Casimiro, the Patagonian cacique, so well 

 known for many years in the vicinity of Magellan Straits. We 

 also saw a mummified specimen of a Patagonian, recently found 

 in a cave at Punta Walichii, near the head waters of the Santa 

 Cruz river. 



In the course of the day we called upon Mr. Mulhall, the 

 enterprising and courteous editor of the Buenos Ayrcan Standard^ 

 and from him we acquired much valuable information as to the 

 condition of the country. On taking up the Standard next 

 morning, we found ourselves treated to an editorial notice chro- 

 nicling our visit to the Argentine capital, and referring to the 

 past and present services of H.M.S. Alert. 



Coming fresh from so neat and trim a town as Monte Video, 

 Buenos Ayres was not to be expected to impress one very 

 favourably. It seemed, indeed, to be a great straggling town that, 

 having arrived at a certain degree of civilization, had now for 

 some years back considered itself entitled to rest on its laurels, 

 and gradually fall into decay. Streets, plazas, and tramways were 

 in a wretched state of neglect; and such were the great ruts which 

 time and traffic had made in the streets, that baggage-carts 

 might be seen brought to a dead lock, even in the principal 

 thoroughfares. Buenos Ayres can boast of several fine old 

 public buildings, among which the cathedral, with its classic 



