1833.] COLONIA DEL SACRAMIENTO. 137 



lately groat, but, as compared to the plains of St. Fe, real mountains. 

 From these inequalities there is an abundance of small rivulets, and 

 the turf is green and luxuriant. 



November 17th. We crossed the Eozario, which was deep and 

 rapid, and passing the village of Colla, arrived at midday at Colonia 

 del Sacramiento. The distance is twenty leagues, through a country 

 covered with fine grass, but poorly stocked with cattle or inhabi- 

 tants. I was invited to sleep at Colonia, and to accompany on the 

 following day a gentleman to his estancia, where there were some 

 limestone rocks. The town is built on a stony promontory some- 

 thing in the same manner as at Monte Video. It is strongly fortified, 

 but both fortifications and town suffered much in the Brazilian war. 

 It is very ancient ; and the irregularity of the streets, and the sur- 

 rounding groves of old orange and peach trees, gave it a pretty 

 appearance. The church is a curious ruin; it was used as a 

 poAvder-magazine, and was struck by lightning in one of the ten 

 thousand thunder-storms of the Rio Plata. Two-thirds of the 

 building were blown away to the very foundation ; and the rest 

 stands a shattered and curious monument of the united powers of 

 lightning and gunpowder. In the evening I wandered about the 

 half-demolished walls of the town. It was the chief seat of the 

 Brazilian war; a war most injurious to this country, not so 

 much in its immediate effects, as in being the origin of a multitude 

 of generals and all other grades of officers. More generals are 

 numbered (but not paid) in the United Provinces of La Plata than 

 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain. These gentlemen have 

 learned to like power, and do not object to a little skirmishing. 

 Hence there are many always on the watch to create disturbance 

 and to overturn a government which as yet has never rested on any 

 stable foundation. I noticed, however, both here and in othci* 

 places, a very general interest in the ensuing election for the Presi- 

 dent ; and this appears a good sign for the prosperity of this little 

 country. The inhabitants do not require much education in their 

 representatives ; I heard some men discussing the merits of those 

 for Colonia ; and it was said that, " although they were not men of 

 business, they could all sign their names : " with this they seemed 

 to think every reasonable man ought to be satisfied. 



18^. Eode with my host to his estancia, at the Arroyo de San 

 Juan. In the evening we took a ride round the estate : it contained 

 two square leagues and a half, and was situated in what is called a 



