370 
CBUISE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGEB. 
discovery no sooner opened the passage round Cape 
Horn than this river lost its original importance. 
In point of magnitude it is the third river of the New 
World. At its mouth it is 100 miles wide, and off 
Monte Video it is 50. The banks for some hundreds 
of miles are the terminations of vast plains, on which 
there is little visible to cheer or enliven the scene, 
and nothing to break the solitude, save extensive and 
numerous herds of cattle. 
Twelve hours’ run up by steamer and Buenos 
Ayres is reached, a fine large city, where many things 
of interest are to be seen. The city of Monte Video 
stands on a strip of land, which forms the eastern 
side of a small bay, on the north bank of the river, 
but with our draught was not approachable within 
two miles from the shallowness of the water ; what 
could be seen of the city from that distance was 
somewhat pleasing ; the towers and domes of the 
cathedral, churches, and public buildings, probably 
appeared all the more charming and picturesque 
coming as w T e did from such a miserable place 
as the Falklands. On landing, I found the city 
laid out in the regular Spanish style, so prevalent 
in South America, that is, in rectangular blocks. 
The streets are wide and clean, intersecting each 
other at right angles. There is a large proportion of 
good dwelling-houses and shops, abounding in every 
necessary and luxury. The Cathedral Square, with 
iU charming gardens and pleasant walks, where the 
