44 ROSARIO, AND A VOYAGE TO THE UNITED STATES AND BACK. 



the amiisements incident to civilized life were aiforded to the better class of citizens and visitors ; 

 and in the establishment of agencies to some of the large English and German commercial 

 houses, as well as in the increased size of the town itself. 



There was greater difficulty in obtaining conveyance to Mendoza than I had anticipated. 

 There are no professional arrieros about Eosario, except those who come down with trains from 

 the interior, and all my efforts to find a trust-worthy man who would transport me, with baggage 

 and instruments, at anything like a reasonable rate, were unavailing. The only chance was to 

 buy animals, and hire the men myself; and this might have been the most economical if I had 

 been accustomed to a country life ; but as there was a strong probability of being imijosed on 

 by careless or dishonest men, who would either lose or steal the animals, I did not care to run 

 the risk. I next tried for a carriage ; but the expense was too heavy. Then the idea of buying 

 an ox-cart and three or four pairs of oxen suggested itself ; but this, too, offered so many diffi- 

 culties in the way of time and money, that it was abandoned. At length, after losing several 

 days in fruitless negotiations, I determined to go by post, for one of my objects was to arrive 

 in Mendoza in time to observe the solar eclipse of the 30th of November. 



