ESTABLISHMENT DELUSION. 



267 



Brisbane, and others ; in the evening we had music and 

 dancing. In the room was a grand piano-forte ; Mrs. Vernet, 

 a Buenos Ayrean lady, gave us some excellent singing, which 

 sounded not a little strange at the Falkland Isles, where we 

 expected to find only a few sealers. 



" Mr. Vernet's establishment consisted of about fifteen slaves, 

 bought by him from the Buenos Ayrean Government, on the 

 condition of teaching them some useful employment, and having 

 their services for a certain number of years, after which they 

 were to be freed. They seemed generally to be from fifteen to 

 twenty years of age, and appeared contented and happy. 



The total number of persons on the island consisted of 

 about one hundred, including twenty-five gauchos and five 

 Indians. There were two Dutch families (the women of which 

 milked the cows and made butter) ; two or three Englishmen ; 

 a German family ; and the remainder were Spaniards and Por- 

 tuguese, pretending to follow some trade, but doing little or 

 nothing. The gauchos were chiefly Buenos Ayreans ; but 

 their capataz or leader was a Frenchman." 



Such was the state of Vernefs settlement a few months 

 before the Lexington's visit ; and there was then every reason 

 for the settlers to anticipate success, as they, poor deluded 

 people, never dreamed of having no business there without 

 having obtained the permission of the British Government. 

 They thought, naturally enough, that the Buenos Ayrean 

 Government could not have sold the islands to Mr. Vernet, 

 unless the state of La Plata had a right to them ; they believed 

 that the purchase-money had been paid but they were not 

 aware that the British Government had protested formally 

 against the pretended claim of Buenos Ayres, so quiet was 

 that fact kept by the Argentine Government, although the 

 solemn protest was made by Mr. Parish, the British consul- 

 general, in November 1829. 



* It is said that officers in the Buenos Ayrean army, relations of Mrs, 

 Vernet, had claims upon their Government, which they agreed should be 

 liquidated by receiving certain sums of money from Mr. Vernet; in con- 

 sideration of which the Government made over to him their pretended 

 right of property in the Falklands and Staten Land. 



