Ch. XV. SOUTH AMERICA. 187 



The city is furroundcd by a fpacious and pleafant 

 country, free from any obftrudion to the fight ; 

 and from thefe delightful fields, the inhabitants are 

 furnifhed with fuch a plenty of cattle, that there is 

 no place in America or Europe where meat is bet- 

 ter or cheaper. It is the ufual cuftom to buy the 

 hides of the beafb, the carcafe being in fome meafure 

 a gratuitous addition ; and the meat is always fac 

 and very palatable. The country to the W. S. and N. 

 of Buenos Ayres, lately abounded fo greatly in cattle 

 ?,nd horfes, that the whole cod confifted in taking 

 them and even then a horfe was fold for a dollar of 

 that money, and the ufual price of a bead, chofen 

 out of a herd of two or three hundred, only four 

 rials. At prelent there is no fcarcity, but they keep 

 at a greater diftance, and are more difficult to be catch- 

 ed, by reafon of the prodigious havock made of them 

 by Spaniards and Portuguefe, merely for the fake of 

 their hides the grand commerce of Buenos Ayrgs. 



All kinds of game and fifh are alfo here in the 

 fame plenty ; feveral forts of the latter being caught* 

 in the river running by it ; but the Pexereyes are 

 very remarkable, fome of them being half a yard or 

 more in length. Both the American and European 

 fruits come to full perfeQion, and are in great plenty. 

 In a word, for the enjoyments of life, efpecialiy v/ith 

 regard to the falubrity of the air, a finer country 

 cannot be imagined. 



This city is iituated about feventy-feven leagues 

 from Cape Santa Maria, which lies on the N. coall: 

 near the entrance of the river de la Plata ; and its 

 little river not having water fufficient for iliips of 

 burden to come up to Buenos Ayres, they anchor 

 in one of the two bays on the fame coaft. That 

 fartheft to the eaftvvard is callt d Mildonado, and is 

 nine leagues from the above cape : the other bay, is, 

 from a m.ountain near ir, nam.ed Monte-video, and is 

 ^bout twenty leagues from. it. 



WlTHIff 



