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the goods are conveyed upon horses into the interior, where they are 

 carried from house to house for sale or exchange. 



During the old system, so lately as within these four years, a most 

 lucrative trade was here carried on with the Spaniards, who came in 

 numbers, and most eagerly bought up the tobacco, and such of the 

 English manufactures as could be transported on horse-back, at 

 great prices. Thus Rio Grande and its vicinity became very en- 

 viable situations, where considerable fortunes were made in a little 

 time, as the goods bought were much in request, though contraband, 

 and Avere paid for in specie. This trade, so advantageous to each 

 party, is now entirely ruined through the eagerness of our specu- 

 lators in over-stocking the markets, and selling for two what would 

 have been eagerly bought for six. 



The neighbourhood of the capital is an unpleasant place, being 

 surrounded with sand and sand-hills of no inconsiderable size, formed 

 by the wind blowing the sand in heaps in various directions, which 

 become half indurated, and appear stratified. The excessively high 

 winds which frequently prevail blow the sand so as to be very dis* 

 agreeable, as it enters every part of the house. 



The cattle bred in this capitania are very numerous, and large 

 herds are brought hither from the Spanish frontiers. 



The large river Uruguay rises in this capitania, and empties 

 itself into the river Plata, a little above Buenos Ayres : there are 

 numerous others of less consequence, the banks of which are well 

 stored with wood. Some attempts were lately made, by miners sent 

 from Villa Rica, to work gold- washings. In the neighbourhood of 

 the capital they have coal, a specimen of which I have seen. From 

 the same district, a gentleman shevved me a substance which he 

 could not define ; on seeing it, I asked him if he was certain that it 

 came from thence ; he assured me that he was : I then told him it 

 was wolfram ; and stated that this metal strongly indicated tin, of 

 which it is frequently an attendant in Europe, though probably it 

 may not be so in America or Asia. It was amorphous, not rounded 



