1832. 



INHABITANTS — TRADE. 



301 



warded to the commandant or governor, from Buenos Ayres, 

 desiring that we might have every facility and freedom in our 

 operations ; but the disposition towards us was such, that 

 those letters were not required. 



From the remains of former buildings, and accounts of the 

 old men. Lieutenant Wickham thought that the Spanish settlers 

 must have been far more industrious and ingenious than their 

 Creole descendants, who are idle, indolent, and ignorant. The 

 height of their ambition is to make a show at the Sunday races, 

 where they deceive, drink, wrangle, gamble, and quarrel. 

 These Sabbath occupations are always attended by the female 

 part of the population, who take that opportunity of displaying 

 their finery ; and though seated upon handkerchiefs on the 

 sandy ground, without any defence from sun, wind, dust, or 

 rain, every damsel displays silk stockings and a gaudy dress 

 upon these occasions. The men do not go near them, notwith- 

 standing their attire : they can beat a poor woman almost to 

 death, upon occasion ; but they cannot defer a bet, or risk 

 losing a dollar, for the sake of female society. 



The climate is so healthy, that illness of any kind is scarcely 

 known ; and the inhabitants, in general, live to a good old 

 age. There is a stirring trade carried on in small vessels, be- 

 tween Buenos Ayres and this place. Salt, of excellent quality, 

 hides, peltry, seal or sea-elephant oil, and skins, are the prin- 

 cipal exports, in return for which are received manufactures, 

 sugar, spirits, tobacco, &c. 



The Indians, who live at the outskirts of the town in ' tol- 

 dos,' which are neither wind nor water-tight, load vessels with 

 salt ; but the price of their labour is usually spent in some 

 kind of spirituous liquor, which is made and drugged expressly 

 for them — the publicans often saying, " that it is a sin to give 

 an Indian good spirits." When drunk, the howling of these 

 poor wretches is quite frightful. Some of them are almost 

 skeletons — the result, probably, of drinking. 



Some leagues up the river coal is obtained, I was informed, 

 but I did not see a specimen myself Probably Mr. Darwin 

 had an opportunity of examining its quality. 



