BUENOS AYRES. 



78 



So violent are the gales in this hemisphere 

 during the winter months, that boats are 

 unable to communicate with the shore from 

 the shipping for several days together, and are 

 sometimes lost in the attempt to do so. In fact 

 the river Plata at Buenos Ayres has all the com- 

 mercial disadvantages of an open boisterous 

 sea, without bay or port to protect shipping ; 

 whilst, from the flatness of the coast, and the 

 usual muddy colour of the water, the scenery 

 is any thing but interesting. 



The town contains but few objects worthy 

 of notice. It has an incipient museum; a 

 tolerable library; several ill-constructed, half- 

 finished churches ; streets badly paved, and full 

 of deep muddy holes, called pantanas in Spa- 

 nish; shops numerous enough, and provided 

 with European goods like those of Monte 

 Video ; no lamps at night in the streets ; and a 



VOL. I. / K 



