152 



MONTE VIDEO— BUENOS AYRES. [1824. 



board quarter, and passing Point Brava, about four leagues farther 

 west, until we finally anchored in four fathoms of water, about two 

 miles from the town of Monte Video, which is situated on the north 

 bank of this great river, about sixty miles from its mouth, in lat. 34° 

 54' S., long. 56° 14' W., being about one hundred and twenty miles 

 east of Buenos Ayres. 



Monte Video, which is the capital of a republic bearing the same 

 appellation, extending from Rio de la Plata to the southern boundary 

 of Brazil, derives its name from a mountain in the vicinity of the port, 

 on which is a lighthouse, built on a gentle ascent, and fortified. This 

 city was built by a Spanish colony from Buenos Ayres, and was for 

 a long time a bone of contention between Spain and Portugal. When 

 Buenos Ayres at last threw off the Spanish yoke, the Brazilian gov- 

 ernment seized on that event as a pretext for taking forcible possession 

 of Monte Video. It was recovered by the republicans, in 1814, after 

 a long siege, and again retaken by the Brazilians, in 1821. In 1828 

 it became what it now is, by treaty. 



The streets of the city are wide, straight, and well paved. The 

 houses are generally of one story, with flat roofs ; the principal build- 

 ing of the place being a cathedral. The climate is said to be moist, 

 agitated by frequent storms in the summer ; and the cold is generally 

 severe in the winter months of June, July, and August. It is, how- 

 ever, considered the best port in the La Plata, and an extensive trade 

 is carried on in tallow, ox-hides, and salt beef. Their imports are 

 manufactured goods, coffee, sugar, &c. The population has been va- 

 riously estimated, and is, perhaps, about fifteen thousand ; consisting 

 of Spaniards, Creoles, and slaves. The town has been greatly injured 

 by different sieges and contests. 



The cattle are very abundant in the interior, grazing on the plains 

 of Monte Video, and are of larger size than those in the neighbour- 

 hood of Salamanca, in old Spain, which are said to be the largest in 

 that country. They are as useful to the inhabitants as the reindeer 

 or camel to the Laplanders or Arabs. Independent of their flesh and 

 hides, cups, spoons, combs and pitchers are made of their horns, while 

 soap and candles are obtained from their tallow. The wild oxen are 

 easily tamed, and might become a source of wealth in the hands of a 

 more industrious people. 



From the town of Monte Video, or, as some call it, the city of St. 

 Philip, to Buenos Ayres, the course is from south-west to west-north- 

 west, varying occasionally to accommodate circumstances. The de- 

 scending current runs at the rate of about three miles an hour, though 

 some have reported that they found its velocity to be twice that amount. 

 At the river's mouth, indeed, the current is so rapid as to freshen the 

 water for some distance in the ocean. 



Buenos Ayres was founded in 1535, by Don Pedro Mendoza, who 

 gave it that name on account of the salubrity of its climate. It is 

 built in the middle of a plain, on the south side of the river Plata, about 

 seventy leagues from its mouth, and is in lat. 34° 35' S.,long. 58° 31' 

 W. The situation is very agreeable and healthy, the temperature of 

 the atmosphere being nearly the same throughout the year. It is so 



