EFFECTS ON THE PLATA. 



89 



Singular fluctuations occur in the river Plata before and after 

 these pamperoes.* For some days previously the river rises, 

 and it is always higher than usual when the south-west wind 

 begins': but, after a few hours, the water falls rapidly, and ves- 

 sels are left aground : indeed instances have been known of the 

 upper parts of the river, near Buenos Ayres, being so much 

 emptied by strong south-westerly, or westerly winds, that men 

 have rode several miles into its bed, to places where ships 

 usually anchor. I have myself known the water fall, in the 

 outer road, off Buenos Ayres, from six to two fathoms, in less 

 than twelve hours, in a place where the usual depth was four 

 fathoms. Such a change as this would not be thought remark- 

 able where tides usually rise several fathoms ; but in the river 

 Plata, where there is very little, if any, tide, where the width of 

 the channel is so great in proportion to its depth, and the confin- 

 ing boundaries are so low, and in many places easily overflowed, 

 a variation of four fathoms cannot take place without causing 

 great difficulties and destruction. In this particular instance,-]- 

 a heavy gale from the eastward dammed up the river for 

 some days ; and then changing, by the south, to the west- 

 ward, emptied it again proportionably. Small craft were 

 left literally scattered about the low country bordering on the 

 river near Buenos Ayres, and many vessels never floated again. 

 By that gale, which blew directly up the river, and raised a 

 heavy sea, every vessel was driven ashore from the inner road 

 of Buenos Ayres, except a schooner. Fourteen English mer- 

 chant vessels lay high and dry upon the shore next day, most 

 of them totally lost. The Owen Glendower, bearing the broad 

 pendant of Sir Thomas Hardy, the Icarus brig, and two or 

 three merchant vessels, anchored in the outer road, weathered 

 it out with topmasts struck ; but all drove considerably, except 

 the frigate, and she brought both anchors ahead, backed by 



• Although generally considered by strangers to refer solely to a squall, 

 or storm, the term pampero is applied by the natives of the country to 

 every south-westerly wind, whether moderate or a hurricane. 



t In the year 1B20. 



