SOUTH AMERlCAe 



amount in the delightful suburbs, which contained a 

 greater population than the town, has been destroyed, 

 and the value of what remains reduced to a mere trifle. 

 It is in fact, nothing but a garrison, with a few starved 

 inhabitants, who are vexed and harrassed by the mil- 

 itary. I am told, that notwithstanding this misery, 

 there is a theatre here, and that the evenings are spent 

 in balls and dances, perhaps for want of other employ- 

 ments; the outward actions are not always the certain 

 index of the heart. When we consider the stagnation 

 of business, the depreciation of property, and the de- 

 ficiency of supplies, we may easily conjecture what 

 must be the condition of the people. There is little 

 doubt, that had this place remained attached to the go- 

 vernment of Buenos Ayres, the Portuguese would not 

 have molested it; but the revolt of Artigas and his dis- 

 organizing system, furnished too fair an opportunity 

 for making themselves masters of a territory they had 

 coveted for more than a century and an half. 



On our return to the hotel, we found Mr. Graham, 

 who had come oh shore, and it was agreed to remain 

 all night. General Carrera proposed to us a ride early 

 the next morning, and politely offered to procure us 

 horses; the proposal was gladly acceded to. Accord- 

 ingly, the next morning, we sallied forth at one of the 

 I gates, to take a view of the country outside of the 

 walls, and within the Portuguese lines, which extend 

 around about three miles. It would not be considered 

 safe to go beyond them, lest we should fall in with the 

 GauchoSf the name by which the people of Artigas are 

 designated, and who might take a fancy to our clothes. 

 The general observed, that with respect to himself, he 

 would have nothing to fear, as he was known to them; 

 vou I. ^ 



