I 



Sept.] CITY OF BUENOS AYRES. 153 



moist, however, that the floors of the rooms exposed to the south are 

 always damp ; and walls, having the same aspect, are covered with 

 moss, and the roofs with grass. This humidity, it seems, is not at 

 all prejudicial to health in that climate. 



There is no harbour at Buenos Ayres, nor even so much as a mole 

 or wharf to facilitate the landing of boats. Ships of any burthen can 

 only approach within eight miles of the town, where they anchor in 

 what is called the outer road. Smaller vessels proceed three or four 

 miles farther, and anchor in the inner road, which is much nearer the 

 city. The cargoes are taken out by lighters or boats, and are con- 

 veyed on shore through a little river or channel called Rio Chuelo, 

 where the merchandise is put into carts, and conveyed to its place of 

 destination. 



When viewed from the anchorage, the city has a stately and even 

 a magnificent appearance ; although it lies low, as the flat on which it 

 is built is only about eighteen feet above the level of the water. The 

 houses too, in general, are very low, many of them having no more 

 than a ground-floor, with a flat roof. They are mostly built of brick 

 or chalk, and plastered on the outside. But the lofty domes of religious 

 edifices, rising in bold relief against the sky, produce a very imposing 

 effect. The most elevated of these are the cathedral, St. Miguel, St. 

 Domingo, St. Francisco, St. Merced, &c. The citadel, which includes 

 the governor's palace, stands upon the shore, or the bank of the river, 

 forming one side of the great square, opposite to which stands the 

 town-hall ; the cathedral and episcopal palace form the other two sides 

 of the square, in the centre of which a public market is held daily. 



The city is built with great regularity, the streets being straight and 

 broad, bordered with raised footpaths on each side, like those of the 

 United States. These footpaths are paved, but owing to the great 

 scarcity of stone, the carriage-ways in the middle are left unpaved. 

 There are several handsome squares which at once adorn the city 

 and promote its health. Most of the houses are furnished with a large 

 court-yard and a garden. Among the public buildings, besides those 

 already mentioned, are four monasteries, two nunneries, two hospitals, 

 royal chapel, college, public library of twenty thousand volumes, 

 academy, eight public schools, and twelve or fifteen churches. Seve- 

 ral of these buildings are large and splendid. 



Many of the inhabitants have country-seats, called quintas, where 

 are produced all kinds of fruit and vegetables ; among which peaches 

 are said to be remarkably abundant. Melons are also plenty and 

 cheap. Among the other fruits are grapes, apples, pears, figs, necta- 

 rines, pomegranates, quinces, apricots, oranges, and lemons. Common 

 garden vegetables, with the exception of potatoes, are sold in the mar- 

 ket, but not very cheap, as the price of labour is high. Generally 

 speaking, the environs of the city are well cultivated, furnishing all the 

 necessaries and many of the luxuries of life in abundance. Their 

 wine has to be brought from Spain or Mendoza ; the latter is a city 

 of Cordova, in the United Provinces of La Plata, at the foot of the 

 Andes, on one of the sources of the Colorado. 



The most expensive article at Buenos Ayres is firewood ; which is 



