1833.] BANDA ORIENTAL AND PATAGONIA. 147 



broken, but that he thought the outside party had justice 

 on their side. On the bare reception of this, the governor, 

 ministers, and part of the military, to the number of some 

 hundreds, fled from the city. The rebels entered, elected 

 a new governor, and were paid for their services to the 

 number of 5500 men. From these proceedings, it was 

 clear that Rosas ultimately would become the dictator : to 

 the term king, the people in this, as in other, republics 

 have a particular dislike. Since leaving South America, 

 we have heard that Rosas has been elected with powers 

 and for a time altogether opposed to the constitutional 

 principles of the republic. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



BANDA ORIENTAL AND PATAGONIA. 



Excursion to Colonia del Sacramiento — Value of an Estancia — 

 Cattle, how counted — Singular Breed of Oxen — Perforated 

 Pebbles — Shepherd Dogs — Horses Broken-in, Gauchos 

 Riding — Character of Inhabitants — Rio Plata — Flocks of 

 Butterflies — Aeronaut Spiders — Phosphorescence of the Sea 

 — Port Desire — Guanaco — Port St. Julian — Geology of 

 Patagonia — Fossil Gigantic Animal — Types of Organization 

 Constant — Change in the Zoology of America — Causes of 

 Extinction. 



Having been delayed for nearly a fortnight in the city, 

 I was glad to escape on board a packet bound for Monte 

 Video. A town in a state of blockade must always be a 

 disagreeable place of residence ; in this case moreover there 

 were constant apprehensions from robbers within. The 

 sentinels were the worst of all ; for, from their office and 

 from having arms in their hands, they robbed with a degree 

 of authority which other men could not imitate. 



Our passage was a very long and tedious one. The 

 Plata looks like a noble estuary on the map ; but is in 

 truth a poor affair. A wide expanse of muddy water has 

 neither grandeur nor beauty. At one time of the day, the 

 two shores, both of which are extremely low, could just be 

 distinguished from the deck. On arrivmg at Monte Video 

 I found that the BenfrJe would not sail for some time, so 

 I prepared for a short excursion in this part of Banda 

 Oriental. Everything which I have said about the country 



