6 INTRODUCTION 



people of Argentina, the creators of the greatness of 

 the country. It is true that I have deliberately re- 

 frained from any reference to the political and moral 

 life of the Republic, the national character and its 

 evolution, the stoicism of the gaucho, the industry of 

 the colonist and the merchant, or the patriotism of 

 the Argentinians generally. My work is not a study 

 of the Argentine nation, but a geographical introduction 

 to such a study. 



I began the work during a stay in Argentina which 

 lasted from April 1912 to August 1914. In the course 

 of these two years I was able to visit most parts of 

 the country ; and, as the information I gathered during 

 my travels is one of my chief sources, I give here a 

 summary of my itineraries. 



October-November 1912 : Rosario Region of the colonies of 

 Santa F6 Forestry-industries of the Chaco Santiagueno 

 Bafiados of the Rio Dulce Salta Jujuy Sierra de la Lum- 

 brera. 



November-December 1912 : Tucuman Valley of Tapi Santa 

 Maria to the west of Aconcagua Cafayate (Valley of Calchaqui). 



December 191 2- January 1913 : Catamarca Andalgala Valley 

 of Pucara C6rdoba Villa Maria. 



January-February 1913 : Region of the Pampas (Province 

 of Buenos Aires, south of C6rdoba and of S. Luis, district of 

 the Central Pampa). 



March 1913 : Corrientes Posadas Asunci6n Forest-indus- 

 tries of the Chaco of Santa F<. 



August 1913 : Region of the Pampas (Province of Buenos 

 Aires). 



March 1914 : Lake Nahuel Huapi Valcheta San Antonio 

 The Rio Negro. 



April 1914 : Rioja Sierra de los Llanos San Juan Mendoza. 

 July 1914 ; Entre Rios. 



These journeys, by rail or on well-known roads, 

 were not supposed to be for the purpose of exploration 



