DESCRIPTIVE OUTLINE 



The difference between the atmosphere of Men- 

 doza, St. Lewis, and Buenos Aires, which are all 

 nearly under the same latitude, is very extraordi- 

 nary : in the two former, or in the regions of wood 

 and grass, the air is extremely dry ; there is no dew 

 at night; in the hottest weather there is apparently 

 very little perspiration, and the dead animals lie on 

 the plain dried up in their skins, so that occasion- 

 ally I have at first scarcely been able to determine 

 whether they were alive or dead. But in the pro- 

 vince of Buenos Aires, or in the region of thistles 

 and clover, vegetation clearly announces the humi- 

 dity of the climate. In sleeping out at night I 

 have found my poncho (or rug) nearly wet through 

 with the dew, and my boots so damp that I could 

 scarcely draw them on. The dead animals on the 

 plain are in a rapid state of putrefaction. On arriv- 

 ing at Buenos Aires, the walls of the houses are so 

 damp that it is cheerless to enter them ; and sugar, 

 as also all deliquescent salts, are there found nearly 

 dissolved. This dampness, however, does not ap- 

 pear to be unhealthy. The Gauchcs and even tra- 

 vellers sleep on the ground, and the inhabitants of 

 Buenos Aires live in their damp houses without 



