i66 BANDA ORIENTAL chap. 



his nose or eyes ; as is often attested by deep and horrid-look- 

 ing scars. Robberies are a natural consequence of universal 

 gambling, much drinking, and extreme indolence. At Mercedes 

 I asked two men why they did not work. One gravely said 

 the days were too long ; the other that he was too poor. The 

 number of horses and the profusion of food are the destruction 

 of all industry. Moreover, there are so many feast-days ; and 

 again, nothing can succeed without it be begun when the moon 

 is on the increase ; so that half the month is lost from these 

 two causes. 



Police and justice are quite inefficient. If a man who is 

 poor commits murder and is taken, he will be imprisoned, and 

 perhaps even shot ; but if he is rich and has friends, he may 

 rely on it no very severe consequence will ensue. It is curious 

 that the most respectable inhabitants of the country invariably 

 assist a murderer to escape : they seem to think that the 

 individual sins against the government, and not against the 

 people. A traveller has no protection besides his firearms ; 

 and the constant habit of carrying them is the main check to 

 more frequent robberies. 



The character of the higher and more educated classes who 

 reside in the towns, partakes, but perhaps in a lesser degree, of 

 the good parts of the Gaucho, but is, I fear, stained by many 

 vices of which he is free. Sensuality, mockery of all religion, 

 and the grossest corruption, are far from uncommon. Nearly 

 every public officer can be bribed. The head man in the post- 

 office sold forged government franks. The governor and prime 

 minister openly combined to plunder the State. Justice, where 

 gold came into play, was hardly expected by any one. I knew 

 an Englishman who went to the Chief Justice (he told me that, 

 not then understanding the ways of the place, he trembled as 

 he entered the room) and said, " Sir, I have come to offer you 

 two hundred (paper) dollars (value about five pounds sterling) 

 if you will arrest before a certain time a man who has cheated 

 me. I know it is against the law, but my lawyer (naming him) 

 recommended me to take this step." The Chief Justice smiled 

 acquiescence, thanked him, and the man before night was safe in 

 prison. With this entire want of principle in many of the leading 

 men, with the country full of ill-paid turbulent officers, the people 

 yet hope that a democratic form of government can succeed ! 



