88 BUENOS AYRESo 



of bargaining for the purchase of the cattle. 

 An English butcher of Buenos Ayres took us 

 under his escort, being known to the officers of 

 the North Star, which he supplies with fresh 

 meat \ and he cautioned us not to interfere, 

 or get into the way of the natives, who are 

 thought to be less inclined towards the Eng- 

 lish^ since our late occupation of the Falkland 

 Islands. He said we had better not go too 

 near them, for they might either insult us, or 

 lasso our horses, half in joke, half in earnest, 

 so as to produce a quarrel, — -in which, as they 

 were all armed with long knives, w T e should 

 come off second best. 



Previous to any further particulars, it may 

 be as well to give here a sketch of the character 

 and habits of this semi-barbarous race of Creole 

 ruffians. The gauchos, or farmers., of the 

 distant plain, are in general more peaceably in- 



