INHABITANTS OE ARGENTINA. 419 



up around him, The national government have an arduous task before them in 

 this direction," * 



The Spaniards axu other European Settlers. 



Even during the early migrations the white intruders in the Platean reo-ions 

 M ere already a strongly mixed race, and interminglings are still going on to a 

 greater extent than in any other land. Certain Arab words which have become 

 obsolete in Spanish reappear in the language of the Argentines. Such are jaguol, 

 a well flush with the surface ; gaadnl, a quagmire, and other terms referring for 

 the most part to life in the wilderness. Some family names, also, such as 

 Alharracin, which have disappeared in Spain, are still met on the Argentine 

 plains. From these examples it would seem probable that during the first period 

 of colonisation the converted Christians of Moorish stock, still harassed by the 

 minions of the Inquisition, emigrated in relatively larger numbers than those of 

 the old Spanish race. 



But however this may be, all non-Spanish elements except the negro slaves were 

 rigorously excluded from the country before the War of Independence, and it is 

 only since 1821 that foreign immigration has been encouraged by the Aro-entine 

 Government. By a treaty concluded with England in 182-5, the country was 

 formally thrown open to settlers of all nationalities. 



The first to avail themselves of the privilege were the Basques, those of the 

 French Pyrenees as well as those of the Iberitn provinces. At Monte Video, 

 Buenos Ay res, and all the inland towns along the banks of the Uruo-uay and 

 Parana rivers, these Basques found empiétement as stevedores, gardeners, brick- 

 makers, tanners, overseers on the estancias or at the saladeros ; in a word, in all 

 pursuits demanding skill, strength, and endurance. In many localities they were 

 grouped in colonies sufficiently populous to preserve the use of their mother 

 tongue, at least for some time. Although they have now for the most part 

 adopted the Spanish language, the multitude of Basque names, recurrino- in every 

 part of Argentina more frequently than in any of the other Hispano-American 

 Ilepublics, shows the great importance taken by this ethnical element in the 

 formation of the Argentine people. Even Indian chiefs bear Basque names, and 

 tradition still preserves the memory of the exploits performed by the Pampean 

 captain, Baigorrita. 



Hecent Immigrants. 



The material progress made by Argentina may be gauged by the development 

 of the immigration movement. Not a single European nation but has its repre- 

 sentatives in this vast Babel of the New World. The French, English, and 

 Germans have settled especially in the large cities, vrhere they control tho 



* Eumbold, op. cit., p. 91. 



