A VOYAGE TO 



Monte Vitleo^ Artigas^ with a peculiar modesty, made 

 a demand of the city, which belonged to him as ^^chief 

 of the Orientals.'' Some troops had been left at this 

 place, under the command of colonels Dorrego and 

 Soler, who carried on an active partisan war for some 

 time, with Artigas, and his gauchos. The cabildo of 

 Buenos Ayres, as they afterwards alleged, by compul- 

 sion of Alvear, issued a proclamation similar to that 

 of Posadas; but the probability is, that Artigas, from 

 his final desertion until the downfal of Alvear, was 

 generally regarded as a traitor, and nothing else. Co- 

 lonel Dorrego having been defeated by Rivera, one of 

 Artigas' generals, the government of Buenos Ayres, 

 ordered Soler to withdraw from Monte Video, with 

 the troops under his command. Possession was soon 

 sifter taken by Artigas, who being now settled in his 

 dominion, and having regulated things according to 

 }iis own wishes, next thought of extending his empire 

 by conquest. He crossed the Uruguay, and in addi- 

 tion to his title of chief of the Orientals, assumed 

 that of ^^protector pf the Entre Bios and Santa Fee/' 

 The herdsmen of these countries would, obviously, 

 incline to his side, and there was every reason to fear 

 that those of the pamp^^s, in the rear of Buenos 

 Ayres, would feel pvery disposition to join a chief of 

 their own stamp, who promised them every indulgence 

 in their wild and licentious life. The people of Bue- 

 nos Ayres became alarmed at the civil war which 

 threatened to burst upon them from every side; they 

 repented of the insulting proclamations, began to 



I have,) his resignation was solemn and formal; in the speech 

 delivered by him, he states his resignation to be on account of his 

 advanced years; and the reply is complimentary and respectful. 



