BUENOS AIRES 23 



early in the morning of July 29. Only merchandise being 

 dutiable in Argentine, and our tent, bedding, tools, etc., 

 being considered personal property, we were quickly 

 passed through the customs. Our box of saddles, however, 

 was lacking, having failed to be transferred in Rio Janeiro; 

 and it was three months before we saw them again, during 

 which time we spent almost as much as they originally 

 cost in telegrams, cables, and forwarding charges, before 

 the box was located in Santos and forwarded to us in 

 Patagonia. Baron A. V. Paterson, of the Colonial Oil 

 Company had reserved for us rooms at the Majestic hotel, 

 and loaned us Mr. Marans who, during our stay in Buenos 

 Aires, acted as interpreter and business manager for us. 



We found ourselves in the largest city in South America 

 (about 1,200,000 inhabitants), a city bustling with life and 

 booming with enthusiasm. Through it go all the exports of 

 the Argentine Republic, and the country exports the greater 

 part of what it raises (wheat, wool, meats, hides, and flax) ; 

 while in the other direction is constantly flowing the great 

 mass of imports, for the country imports practically all 

 its manufactured goods. 



The old city, with its narrow streets, its one-story houses 

 built around a court, and its stucco fronts, is being rapidly 

 replaced by the large many-storied European business 

 blocks (the major part of the large business of the country 

 is in the hands of foreigners), and by wide residential streets 

 which, especially in the suburbs, are interspersed with 

 parks and open places. Of natural beauty the city has 

 little to boast, but it has been very progressive in its recent 

 improvements. The numerous parks, parkways, trees 

 and gardens, make a fine impression, while the Avenida 

 de Mayo cut through the heart of the old city and con- 

 necting the new capital building with the water front, 

 is a street any city might well boast of. It is the pride 

 of the city and is bordered with the best hotels and business 

 blocks in the capital. Frontage on it is as expensive as on 



