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diff --git a/42452.txt b/42452.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 52f97a1..0000000 --- a/42452.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,11978 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Uruguay, by W. H. Koebel - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Uruguay - -Author: W. H. Koebel - -Release Date: April 1, 2013 [EBook #42452] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK URUGUAY *** - - - - -Produced by Adrian Mastronardi, Julia Neufeld and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - - - - - - - - -THE SOUTH AMERICAN SERIES - - - - -URUGUAY - - - - -_BY THE SAME AUTHOR_ - - ARGENTINA, PAST AND PRESENT. - - PORTUGAL: ITS LAND AND PEOPLE. - - MADEIRA OLD AND NEW. - - MODERN ARGENTINA. - - ETC., ETC. - -[Illustration: CATHEDRAL: MONTEVIDEO. -Frontispiece.] - - - - - URUGUAY - - BY - W. H. KOEBEL - - AUTHOR OF - "ARGENTINA, PAST AND PRESENT," "PORTUGAL: ITS LAND AND PEOPLE," - ETC. - - WITH A MAP AND 55 ILLUSTRATIONS - - T. FISHER UNWIN - - LONDON LEIPSIC - - ADELPHI TERRACE INSELSTRASSE 20 - - MCMXI - - - - -(_All rights reserved._) - - - - -INTRODUCTORY NOTE - - -The author has to tender his cordial thanks for the extreme courtesy -and for the invaluable assistance rendered during his stay in the -country by the Uruguayan officials, and by the British Minister -Plenipotentiary, Mr. J. R. Kennedy. - -He is desirous of expressing the obligations under which he has been -placed by Mr. C. E. R. Rowland, British Consul at Montevideo, for -general assistance and information on the seal fisheries; Senor Jose -H. Figueira, for the description of the aboriginal tribes; Senor Ramos -Montero, for the commercial technicalities of the pastoral industry; -and Mr. V. Hinde, for the paper on the British railways in Uruguay. - -Thanks are due to a number of British residents, both in Montevideo -and the Campo, greater than it is possible to enumerate individually. -The author would more especially acknowledge the courtesy of Messrs. -Stapledon, W. J. Maclean, H. Hall-Hall, C. W. Baine, Temple, R. Booth, -Piria, Adams, R. B. Harwar, L. L. Mercer, Warren, and J. Storm. - -Mr. R. A. Bennett, who accompanied the author for the purpose of -photography, displayed an unremitting zeal that must be gratefully -recognised. He is responsible for much of the information on Mercedes, -the Swiss colony, and the frontier town of Rivera. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER I - - PAGE - - SURVEY 27 - - Geographical situation of the Republic--Boundaries and - area--Uruguay as an historical, commercial, and - financial centre--The respective positions of Uruguay - and Paraguay--Disadvantages of a buffer State--A land - of sunshine and shadow--The history of Uruguay--The - blending of industry and warfare--Vitality of the - nation--Instances of self-sacrifice--A South American - Switzerland--A freedom-loving folk--Deeds of arms and - the undercurrents of commerce--Montevideo in the eyes of - the casual traveller--Factors that make for the progress - of the Banda Oriental--Influence of railway--Coming - cessation of the North American beef shipments-- - Temperament of the Uruguayan--Distinction between - Argentine and Uruguayan politics--The clans of the - Banda Oriental--The birthright of party convictions-- - Education in Uruguay--National points of honour--Liberty - accorded the foreigner--The courtesy of officials--An - incident at the customs-house--Popularity of the - English--A gratifying situation--Satisfactory international - relations--The work of Mr. R. J. Kennedy, the British - Minister Plenipotentiary--Uruguay's pacific foreign - policy--Careful finance--Army and navy--General - progress of the nation. - - CHAPTER II - - HISTORY 37 - - The discovery of Uruguay--Reception by the Indians--Juan - de Solis and his fate--Navigation of the River Plate-- - Serrano and Magellanes--Rivalry between Spaniards and - Portuguese--The first settlement in the Banda Oriental-- - Aggressive tactics of the Indians--Forts destroyed by - them--Colonisation under difficulties--The introduction - of cattle--A prophetic move--Intervention of the - missionaries--Jesuit settlements established--Uruguay's - isolation comes to an end--Influence of the livestock-- - Cattle-raiders--The first Portuguese invasion--Victory - of the Spaniards, assisted by native auxiliaries--Treaties - and their attendant troubles--The indecision of old - Spain--Partial extermination of the Indians--The town - of Colonia as a bone of contention--Introduction of the - first negro slaves into the provinces of the River - Plate--Unrest on the Spanish Main--Moreau, the buccaneer-- - The fate of his expedition--Portuguese invaders expelled - by the Spaniards--A fort is constructed on the present - site of Montevideo. - - CHAPTER III - - HISTORY (_continued_) 48 - - Founding of the city of Montevideo--Its first - inhabitants--Inducement offered to colonists--The early - days of the town--Successful rising of the Indians in - the neighbourhood--Victory of the natives--Montevideo - saved by Jesuit intervention--The Portuguese invade the - northern provinces--The first Governor of Montevideo-- - Treaties and territorial cessions--Dissatisfaction of - Jesuit Indians--Their defeat by combined Spanish and - Portuguese forces--Vicissitudes of Colonia--The danger of - hostile residents--A concentration camp of the old - days--Expulsion of the Jesuits--Some incidents of the - wars with the Portuguese--The foundation of urban - centres--The English occupy themselves with the whaling - industry on the coast--Discouragement of the enterprise - by the King of Spain--A corps of "Blandengues" is - created--The British invasion--Political effects of - the occupation--The War of Independence--Montevideo - as the seat of the Spanish viceroyalty--Commencement - of the agitation for freedom in Uruguay. - - CHAPTER IV - - HISTORY (_continued_) 57 - - The advent of Artigas--First revolutionary movements in - Uruguay--The appointment of leaders--First successes of - the Uruguayans--The germs of future jealousies--Montevideo - besieged by the patriot forces--An incident of the - investment--Spain appeals to Portugal for assistance-- - nvasion of Uruguay by the latter--The Buenos Aires - Government concludes a treaty with the Spanish Viceroy-- - Raising of the siege of Montevideo--Position of Uruguay-- - Discontent of the Orientales--The exodus of the nation-- - Incidents of emigration to the Argentine shore--Montevideo - in Spanish hands--The country overrun by Portuguese--Buenos - Aires effects a treaty with the latter--Resumption of the - campaign against the Spaniards--Dispute between the - Argentine and Uruguayan leaders--Montevideo again besieged-- - Some battle incidents--Artigas reappears on the scene-- - Drastic measures towards an ally--A national Congress - convened--Oriental deputies rebuffed by Buenos Aires-- - Artigas withdraws from the siege of Montevideo--Price set - upon his head--War declared between Uruguay and Buenos - Aires--The Argentine littoral provinces adhere to Artigas-- - Fall of Montevideo. - - CHAPTER V - - HISTORY (_continued_) 69 - - Conclusion of Spanish rule--Situation of the victors-- - Rival claims--Alvear defeats a Uruguayan force-- - Montevideo remains in possession of Buenos Aires--Rural - Uruguay supports Artigas--Alliance of the Argentine - littoral provinces with the Orientales--Some intrigues - and battles--Success of the Uruguayans--Departure from - Montevideo of the Buenos Aires garrison--The Uruguayans - enter into possession of their capital--Some crude methods - of government--Trials of the inhabitants--Growth of - Artigas's power--The Buenos Aires directors undertake - a propitiatory measure--A grim human offering--Attitude - of the Uruguayan Protector--Negotiations and their - failure--The civil progress of Uruguay--Formation of - departments--The Portuguese invade the country once - again--Condition of the inhabitants--Fierce resistance - to the invaders--A campaign against heavy odds--The - Portuguese army enters Montevideo--War continued by the - provinces--Invasion of Brazil by the Oriental forces-- - Crushing defeats suffered by the army of invasion--Final - struggles--The flight of Artigas--Uruguay passes under - Portuguese rule. - - CHAPTER VI - - ARTIGAS 78 - - The human product of a turbulent era--Historical verdicts - disagree--Opinions of Uruguayan and foreign historians-- - High-flown tribute--The cleansing of Artigas's fame-- - Prejudices of some local accounts--Uruguay at the time - of Artigas's birth--Surroundings of his youth--Smuggling - as a profession--Growth of his influence--His name becomes - a household word--Artigas enters the Spanish service--The - corps of Blandengues--Efficiency and promotion--Quarrel - with the Spanish General--Artigas throws in his lot with - the patriot forces--His success as a leader of men--Rank - accorded him--Jealousy between Artigas and the Buenos - Aires generals--Conflicting ambitions--The Portuguese - invasion--Artigas leads the Oriental nation to the - Argentine shore--The encampment at Ayui--Scarcity of - arms and provisions--Battles with the Portuguese--The - subalterns of Artigas--Otorgues and Andresito--Crude - governmental procedure--Arbitrary decrees--The sentiments - of Artigas--His love of honesty--Progress of the war-- - Complications of the campaign--Artigas as Protector--The - encampment of Hervidero--Revolting tales--The exaggeration - of history--Artigas refuses honours--His proclamation-- - Simple life of the Commander--Some contemporary - accounts--The national treasury--Final desperate - struggles against the Portuguese--Rebellion of Ramirez-- - Fierce battles--Extraordinary recuperative power of the - Protector--Final defeat of Artigas--Flight to Paraguay-- - The Protector in retirement. - - CHAPTER VII - - HISTORY (_continued_) 97 - - The Spanish colonies as nations--The first-fruits of - freedom--Uruguay beneath the heel of Portugal--The - advent of a second liberator--Juan Antonio Lavalleja-- - The forming of the league of the "thirty-three"--Opening - of the campaign--The patriot force--Rank and its - distribution--The crossing of the River Plate--Commencement - of operations in Uruguay--A first success--Spread of the - movement--Rivera embraces the patriot cause--The march upon - Montevideo--A daring siege--How the army of occupation was - deceived--Timely reinforcements--Lavalleja establishes an - independent Government--Incident at the opening of the - Senate--Argentina comes to the assistance of Uruguay-- - Beginning of the rivalry between Rivera and Lavalleja-- - Dissension in the Uruguayan army--Temporary disgrace of - Rivera--His acquittal--Lavalleja declares himself - dictator--Uruguay's independence acknowledged by Argentina - and Brazil--The national authorities enter Montevideo. - - CHAPTER VIII - - HISTORY (_continued_) 107 - - Foreign war succeeded by internal chaos--Warriors - as statesmen--The dictatorship of Lavalleja--His - methods--The first open breach between Lavalleja and - Rivera--A temporary reconciliation--Establishment of - the Constitution of Uruguay--Lavalleja and Rivera - candidates for the president's chair--Differences - in the temperament of the two--Rivera is elected - first President of Uruguay--Jealousies and intrigues-- - Attack upon Rivera--Narrow escape of the President-- - Lavalleja's party temporarily occupy Montevideo--Defeat - of the insurgent general--His flight into Brazil-- - Intervention of the Argentine dictator Rosas--His - support of Lavalleja--Combined forces beaten by - Rivera--Lavalleja's second attempt proves unsuccessful-- - General Oribe succeeds Rivera as President--Lavalleja's - party again in the ascendant--Rivera heads a revolution-- - Civil war--Intervention of France--Resignation of Oribe-- - Rivera elected President--His alliance with the French - and Corrientinos--Declaration of war against Rosas--Defeat - of the latter--On the withdrawal of the French Rosas - resumes the aggressive--Severe defeat of Rivera and his - allies of the littoral provinces--Oribe besieges - Montevideo--The services of Garibaldi--The Uruguayan - forces decimated--Further incidents of the war--The power - of Rosas broken by Brazil, Uruguay, and Entre Rios. - - CHAPTER IX - - HISTORY (_continued_) 118 - - Condition of Uruguay at the conclusion of the war - against Rosas--Measures for the relief of poverty-- - Juan Francisco Giro elected President--The arising of - antagonistic elements--Giro resigns in favour of - Bernardo Berro--A revolution ends in the formation - of a triumvirate--On the death of Lavalleja and Rivera, - Flores becomes Dictator--Rebellion against his rule-- - Brazil sends an army to the assistance of General - Flores--Further revolutionary movements--Manuel Basilio - Bustamente succeeds Flores--The policy of General - Cesar Diaz--His exile and return at the head of an - army--Defeat and death of Diaz--Two interim Presidents-- - Continuous civil war--General Flores enters the - Republic in command of a strong force and is declared - Dictator--The Paraguayan war--Causes of its outbreak--The - policy and military strength of Paraguay--Strategic - errors--Uruguay's share in the campaign--Flores returns - to Montevideo from the seat of war--His assassination-- - General Lorenzo Batlle elected President--The continuance - of political unrest--Various presidents and dictators-- - The Government of the present day--Don Jose Batlle y - Ordonez--Doctor Claudio Williman--The Uruguayan - battlefields in tabular form--Progress of the land. - - CHAPTER X - - URUGUAYAN MANNERS AND CUSTOMS 128 - - The temperament of the Oriental--Some merits of the - race--The Spanish Main as treated in fiction-- - Distinctions between the villains in print and in - actual life--Civility as a national trait--Courtesy of - officials--The Uruguayan as a sturdy democrat--A - land of equality--Some local mannerisms--Banquets - and general hospitality--Some practical methods of - enjoying life--Simplicity _versus_ ostentation--Some - consequences of prosperity--The cost of living-- - Questions of ways and means--European education and - its results--Some evidences of national pride--The - physique of the Oriental--Sports and games--Football-- - The science of bull-fighting--Eloquence and the - oratorical art--Uruguayan ladies--Local charm of - the sex--South American institutions--Methods by which - they have been improved--The advantages of experiments-- - The Uruguayan army and navy--Some characteristics of the - police--Honesty of the nation--Politics and temperament. - - CHAPTER XI - - ABORIGINAL TRIBES 138 - - The population of Uruguay prior to the Spanish - conquest--Principal tribes--Paucity of information - concerning the early aboriginal life--The Charruas-- - Warlike characteristics of the race--Territory of the - tribe--Stature and physique--Features--The occupations - of war and hunting--Temperament and mannerisms--A - people on the nethermost rung of the social ladder-- - Absence of laws and penalties--Medicine-men--A crude - remedy--The simplicity of the marriage ceremony--Morality - at a low ebb--The prevalence of social equality--Method - of settling private disputes--The Charruas as warriors-- - Tactics employed in warfare--Some grim signals of - victory--Treatment of the prisoners of war--Absence of - a settled plan of campaign--Arms of the Charruas--Primitive - Indian weapons--Household implements--Burial rites--The - mutilation of the living out of respect for the dead--Some - savage ceremonies--Absence of religion--A lowly existence-- - Desolate dwellings--Change of customs effected by the - introduction of horses--Indian appreciation of cattle-- - Improvement in the weapons of the tribe--Formidable - cavalry--The end of the Charruas--Other Uruguayan - tribes--The Yaros--Bohanes--Chanas--Guenoas--Minuanes-- - Arachanes. - - CHAPTER XII - - MONTEVIDEO 151 - - Population--Attributes of the city--Situation of the - Uruguayan capital--The Cerro--A comparison between the - capitals of Argentina and Uruguay--The atmosphere of - Montevideo--A city of restful activity--Comparatively - recent foundation--Its origin an afterthought--Montevideo - in 1727--Homely erections--Progress of the town--Advance - effected within the last thirty years--The Uruguayan - capital at the beginning of the nineteenth century--Some - chronicles of the period--The ubiquity of meat--Dogs - and their food--Some curious accounts of the prevalence - of rats--The streets of old Montevideo--Their perils - and humours--A comparison between the butchers' bills - of the past and of the present--Some unusual uses for - sheep--Methods in which the skulls and horns of cattle - were employed--Modern Montevideo--The National Museum--An - admirable institution--Theatres--Critical Montevidean - audiences--Afternoon tea establishments--The Club - Uruguay--The English Club--British community in the - capital--Its enterprise and philanthropy--The _Montevideo - Times_--A feat in editorship--Hotels--Cabs and public - vehicles--The cost of driving. - - CHAPTER XIII - - MONTEVIDEO 161 - - The surroundings of the capital--Pleasant resorts--The - Prado--A well-endowed park--Colon--Aspects of the - suburbs--Some charming _quintas_--A wealth of flowers - and vegetation--European and tropical blossoms side by - side--Orchards and their fruits--The cottages of the - peasants--An itinerant merchant--School-children--Methods - of education in Uruguay--The choice of a career-- - Equestrian pupils--The tramway route--Aspects of the - village of Colon--Imposing eucalyptus avenues--A country - of blue-gum--Some characteristics of the place--Flowers - and trees--Country houses--The Tea Garden Restaurant-- - Meals amidst pleasant surroundings--An enterprising - establishment--Lunch and its reward--Pocitos and Ramirez-- - Bathing places of the Atlantic--Blue waters compared with - yellow--Sand and rock--Villa del Cerro--The steam ferry - across the bay--A town of mixed buildings--Dwelling-places - and their materials--The ubiquitous football--Aspects of - the Cerro--Turf and rock--A picturesque fort--Panorama - from the summit of the hill--The guardian of the river - mouth--The last and the first of the mountains. - - CHAPTER XIV - - FROM MONTEVIDEO TO THE NORTHERN FRONTIER 172 - - Leaving Montevideo--General aspects of the Campo--The - Rio Negro as a line of demarcation--Growing exuberance - of the scenery--Flor Morala--Blue lupin--Camp flowers--A - sparsely populated countryside--Absence of homesteads--A - soft landscape--Humble ranchos--Cattle and horses--Iguanas - and ostriches--Deer--Cardoso--Influence of climate and - marriage upon the colonists--A cheese-making centre--A - country of table-lands--A Campo road--Some - characteristics of the way--A group of riders--Some - contrasts--A country of rocks--Stone walls--Crude - homesteads--Kerosene tins as building material--Camp - stations--The carpets of blossom--Piedra Sola--Tambores-- - Landscape and nomenclature--Increase in the height of the - table-lands--Scenes at a country station--Aspects of the - inhabitants--Some matters of complexion--The train and - its transformation--Influence of the country upon the - carriages--Northern passengers--Metropolitan and local - costume--Some questions of clothes and figure--Relations - between mistresses and maids--Democratic households--A - patriarchal atmosphere--Things as they seem, and as they - are--Conversation no guide to profession. - - CHAPTER XV - - FROM MONTEVIDEO TO THE NORTHERN FRONTIER (_continued_) 183 - - A remarkable transformation in nature--The Valley of - Eden--The gateway of the garden--An abrupt descent--From - bare plain to sub-tropical forest--Picturesque scenery-- - Eden station--Some curiosities of nomenclature--Beggary - as a profession--The charity of the Latin lands--The - cliffs of the valley--Varied aspects of the vegetation-- - The everlasting sweet-pea--Some characteristics of the - mountains--A land of tobacco--Negro cultivators--Appearance - and dwellings of the coloured population--Some ethics of - climate and costume--Tacuarembo--A centre of importance--A - picturesque town--Scenes at the station--Some specimens of - local humanity--A dandy of the Campo--The northern - landscape--The African population--Nature and the hut--The - tunnel of Banada de Rocha--Paso del Cerro--On the Brazilian - border--Rivera--A frontier town--Santa Ana--The Brazilian - sister-township--A comparison between the two--View from - a neighbouring hill--The rival claims to beauty of the - Uruguayan and Brazilian towns. - - CHAPTER XVI - - HERE AND THERE IN URUGUAY 195 - - Uruguayan roads--A comparison with those of Argentina-- - The benefits of stone--Some fine metalled highways--The - road to San Jose--On the way to Pando--The journey as - effected by motor-car--A smiling landscape--Distant - sand-dunes--A spotless range--The mountains of Minas-- - The town of Pando--A typical minor urban centre--The - ending of the macadamised road--The track beyond--An - abrupt change in the order of going--The bumps of the - Campo--Piriapolis--A budding pleasure resort--Completeness - of the enterprise--Eucalyptus forests--A vehicular wreck - by the way--Unsuccessful Samaritans--The work of Senor - Piria--The Castillo--An imposing home--View from the - spot--The Pan de Azucar--A landscape of mountain, valley, - forest, and sea--Architecture of the Castillo--Piriapolis - Bay--A centre of future bathing--Preparations already - effected--The hotel and casino--A wonderful feat of - private enterprise--Afforestation--Encouragement of the - industry by the Uruguayan Government--The work of Mr. - Henry Burnett--The transformation of arid soil into - fertile land--Commercial success of the venture--The - Maldonodo sand-dunes--Fulgurites--A curiosity of the - sands--Discoveries by Mr. C. E. R. Rowland. - - CHAPTER XVII - - MERCEDES AND THE SWISS COLONY 205 - - The journey to Mercedes--The outskirts of Montevideo-- - Santa Lucia--A pleasant town--Native quince and gorse-- - San Jose--The terminus of a great highway--Some feats - of engineering--The urban importance of San Jose--A - modern flour-mill--Mal Abrigo--Character of the soil--A - country of boulders--Some animals of the Sierra de Mal - Abrigo--The surroundings of Mercedes--A charmingly - situated town--The terminus of the line--Some - characteristics of Mercedes--Urban dwellings--The - delights of the _patio_--The disadvantages of economy in - space--Streets and plazas--The hospital--A well-equipped - institution--View from the building--An island in the Rio - Negro--The Port of Mercedes--River craft--Some local - scenes--An equine passenger--Formidable gutters--The - industries of the town--The Hotel Comercial--Colonia - Suiza--Situation of the Swiss Colony--Uruguayan Campo - dwellings--Method of construction--Simplicity of - household removals--Aspect of deserted huts--The houses - of the Swiss Colony--Habits in general of South American - colonists--The range of nationalities--Liberty accorded-- - Population of the Colonia Suiza--Its industries--A dairy - farming community--An important butter factory--An - instance of a rapid rise from poverty to riches. - - CHAPTER XVIII - - COLONIA 215 - - An historical town--Rarity of mines in the River Plate - countries--Specimens at Colonia--Situation of the town-- - Past antagonism between the capitals of Argentina and - Uruguay--Present aspect of Colonia compared with the - former--A sleepy hollow--Periodical awakenings of the - place--Impressions of the old town--Its colouring and - compactness--Fortifications of the city of discord--A - warlike history--Nations that have warred together at - the spot--The reddest corner in a bloodstained land-- - Surroundings of the town--Crumbling masonry--A medley of - old and new--A Colonia street--Old-times scenes of peace - and war--Some pictures of the past--Cannon as road - posts--The Plaza--An episode in the wars with Portugal-- - The eternity of romance--Real de San Carlo--A modern - watering-place--Its buildings--The bullring--A gigantic - pelota court--Popularity of the spot--A miniature - tramway--Attractions of Real de San Carlo--Vegetation - on the sands--A curious colour scheme--Pleasant - lanes--Buenos Aires as a supplier of tourists. - - CHAPTER XIX - - THE URUGUAY RIVER 225 - - A great waterway--The river compared with the Parana-- - Some questions of navigation--The lower stretch of the - Uruguay--The stream from Montevideo upwards-- - Montevideo--The docks--An imposing array of Mihanovich - craft--Breadth of the river--Aspects of the banks--Various - types of vessels--The materials of their cargoes--The - meeting of sister steamers--The etiquette of salutations-- - Fray Bentos--The Lemco factory and port--A notable spot-- - The Paradise of the eater--The islands of the Uruguay-- - Method of their birth and growth--The responsibility of - leaves and branches--Uncertainty of island life--The - effects of flood and current--Sub-tropical bergs--The - vehicles of wild creatures--A jaguar visitation in - Montevideo--Narrowing of the stream--Paysandu--The - home of ox-tongues--The second commercial town of the - Republic--Some features of the place--Variety of the - landscape--The _Mesa de Artigas_--An historical table-land-- - A monument to the national hero--Salto--A striking town-- - Pleasant landscape--The Salto falls--The ending of the - lower Uruguay--A rocky bed--Some minerals of Salto-- - Alteration in the colour of the water--The beauty of the - upper Uruguay. - - CHAPTER XX - - THE URUGUAYAN CAMPO 237 - - Formation of the land--A survey of the country--Features - of the soil--Types of wild flowers--A land of hill, - valley, and stream--The glamour of the distance--"The - purple land"--Breezes of the Campo--An exhilarating - country--The dearth of homesteads--The Uruguayan Gaucho-- - His physique--The product of the blowy uplands--Matters - of temperament--His comparative joviality--The Gaucho as - worker, player, and fighter--The manipulation of feuds-- - A comparison between Argentina and Uruguay--Warrior - ancestors of the Gaucho--His sense of dignity and honour-- - Conservative habits and customs--Costume and horse gear-- - Strenuous _bailes_--Some homeric feats of dancing-- - Stirring revelry--The Uruguayan landowner--Foreign - elements in the land--Negro inhabitants of the Banda - Oriental--The numerical status of the Africans in the - north and in the south--Absence of a racial question--The - slavery of former days--The employment of black troops in - war--Lenient treatment of negro slaves--Harsh measures - applied to aboriginal Indians--A lesson in human economy-- - Testimony of a contemporary writer--Immigrant colonies. - - CHAPTER XXI - - ESTANCIA LIFE 246 - - Similarities between the farming routine of Uruguay - and of Argentina--The Banda Oriental a pastoral rather - than an agricultural land--Viticulture an asset in - Estancia affairs--Wheat, maize, and linseed--Scarcity - of alfalfa--Excellence of the natural pastures--The - possibilities of private agricultural colonisation-- - Favourable outlook for grazing countries in general-- - Lemco estancias--The estancia San Juan--A comprehensive - enterprise--Cattle, cereals, and viticulture--Stone - quarries--A Campo stretch--The cutting out of a - bullock--A Gaucho meal. - - CHAPTER XXII - - URUGUAY AS A PASTORAL COUNTRY 254 - - Origin of the live stock of the country--Influence - of the climate and pastures upon the first animals - introduced--Live stock census of 1909--Importance - of the breeding industry--Various ramifications-- - Principal items of home consumption--Articles of - export--Quality of the first herds introduced--Type - of original sheep and horses--Goats and pigs--The - introduction of a superior class of animals--The - _criollos_ and the _mestizos_--Breeds imported--Durham, - Hereford, Polled Angus, and Devon cattle--Dutch, - Norman, Flemish, and Swiss cattle--Growth of the - dairy industry--Popular breeds of sheep and horses - and pigs--Principal countries from which the animals - are derived--Growing value of the local-bred live - stock--The manipulation of an _estancia_--Well-found - estates--Uruguayan agricultural societies--Work - effected by these--Government support--The Rural - Association of Uruguay--Financial results of - agricultural shows--Side products--Tallow--Hams-- - Tanning--"La Carolina"--A great dairy farm--The - factory of Breuss and Frey--The _saladeros_, or - meat-curing establishments--Number of animals - slaughtered--Method by which the meat is cured-- - _Tasajo_--Countries to which it is exported--The - frozen-meat trade--"La Frigorifica Uruguaya"-- - Important growth of the new industry--Shipments - of frozen meat. - - CHAPTER XXIII - - DEPARTMENTS, CLIMATE, AND NATURAL HISTORY 265 - - The nineteen divisions of Uruguay--Their populations, - areas, towns, and industries--Canelones--Florida--San - Jose--Durazno--Flores--Colonia--Soriano--Rio Negro-- - Paysandu--Salto--Artigas--Tacuarembo--Rivera--Cerro - Largo--Treinta y Tres--Rocha--Maldonado--Montevideo-- - Climate--Favourable conditions throughout the - Republic--The Atlantic coast line--The summer season-- - Pleasantly tempered heat--A land of cool breezes--Its - attractions as a pleasure resort--Climates of the - interior and of the north--Drought--Locusts--Comparative - immunity of a pastoral country--Uruguayan fauna--Some - common creatures of the Campo--Bird life--The ostrich--Its - value as a commercial asset--The trade in ostrich - feathers--Measures for the protection of the birds. - - CHAPTER XXIV - - INDUSTRIES AND NATURAL WEALTH 276 - - England's financial stake in Uruguay--British capital - invested in the Republic--Its monetary importance - compared with that of other South American nations-- - General commercial development of the country--A - satisfactory outlook--Progress of grazing and - agriculture--Marked increase in commerce--Uruguay's - exports--Cured meat and frozen carcasses--Diminution - of the former trade, increase of the latter--Reasons - for the transformation of industry--An outcome of - Brazilian protection--The breeding of fine cattle for - the European markets--Present situation of the world's - meat market--The British Isles as importers of meat--The - position in the United States--A change from the role of - exporter to that of importer--The increase in River Plate - shipments--Closeness of touch between South American and - English markets--Probable admission of foreign meat into - European countries--Intervention of the United States - Beef Trust--Purchase of _Frigorificos_--Possible effects - of a monopoly upon the producers--South American views - on the subject--Favourable general position of the River - Plate--The balance of power in beef--Extract of meat-- - The Lemco and Oxo Company--Ramifications of the - enterprise--The town of Fray Bentos--Agriculture-- - Wheat--Maize--Barley. - - CHAPTER XXV - - INDUSTRIES AND NATURAL WEALTH (_continued_) 286 - - Minerals--Past obstacles to the proper working of - mines--Gold--Auriferous prospects--Situation of the - goldfields of Uruguay--Past and present workings of - the mines--Influence of politics on labour--The - Corrales mine--Manganese--Districts in which iron ore - is met with--Mineral centres--Minas--Maldonado--Silver-- - Copper--Marble--Gypsum--Slate--Sulphur--Asbestos--Precious - stones--Diamonds and rubies--Jasper--Agate--The amethyst - and topaz--The water-stone--A peculiarity of Uruguay-- - Viticulture--Date of the introduction of the vine-- - Vicissitudes at the start--Consequent rapid progress-- - Vineyard area of the present day--The introduction of - suitable plants--Countries of origin--Production of - grapes and wine--Departments most suitable to the - industry--The seal-fisheries--Originally carried - on by the Indians--Habits of the seals--Development - of the industry--Government grants--Conditions and - concessions--Number of skins obtained since 1873-- - Islands inhabited by the seals--Method of killing - and curing--Waste of seal life--Suggestions for the - improvement of the industry--Scientific measures - necessary--A diplomatic incident in connection with - the seal-fisheries. - - CHAPTER XXVI - - COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMERCE 296 - - British enterprise in South America--The various - industries controlled--The railways of the southern - continent--A remarkable record--The opening up of - new lands--Some possibilities of the future--Sound - basis on which the extension of the lines is founded-- - Products and transport facilities--Probable influence - of communications--Uruguayan railways--A high standard - of enterprise--Comfortable travelling--Some comparisons - between Uruguay and Argentina as railway countries-- - Level country _versus_ hills--Stone _versus_ alluvial - soil--Question of ballast--Importance of the new - ramifications--Railway construction in Uruguay--History - of the lines--Government obligations--Mileage and - capital of the companies--Interest paid on capital-- - Various railway systems--Areas served--The Central - Company--Sketch of lines and extensions--Important - developments--The communication with Brazil--Financial - position of the Company--Midland Uruguay Railway-- - Development and extension of the line--Receipts and - expenses--The North Western of Uruguay and Uruguay - Northern Railway--Montevidean tramways--Local, British, - and German enterprise--Steamer service of the River - Plate--The Mihanovich line--Ocean passenger traffic-- - Montevideo the sole port of call--The Royal Mail Steam - Packet Company--The Pacific Line--The Nelson Line--Other - British companies--Position of British exports--Sound - consular advice. - - CHAPTER XXVII - - POLITICS AND REVOLUTIONS 311 - - The Constitution of Uruguay--Government of the - Republic--Deputies and senators--Their duties--The - civil code--Marriage--Rights of foreigners--Law--The - Commission of Charity and Public Welfare--Hospitals-- - Orphan asylums--Infirmaries--The charity hospital - lottery--The distribution of political parties--The - _Colorados_ and the _Blancos_--Policy of either--Feud - between the parties--Old-standing strife--Explanation - of the nomenclature--Origin of the feud--Rivera and Oribe-- - Inherited views--Attitude of the foreigners--Revolutions-- - Manner of the outbreak--Government precautions--The need - of finance and arms--Some rebellious devices--Rifles as - Manchester goods--The importance of horses--Difficulties - that attend a revolutionary movement--The sweeping up of - horses--Equine concentration camps--A powerful weapon - in the hands of the authorities--First signs of an - outbreak--Sylvan rendezvous--The question of - reinforcements--Some desperate ventures--Their - accustomed end--Chieftains of the north--Effect of - a revolution upon local industries--Needs of the - army--Estancia hands as troopers--Hasty equipment-- - Manner in which actual hostilities are conducted--"The - Purple Land that England lost"--The spirit of Modernism - and the internal struggle--Tendency to localise the - fields of strife--Power of the _Colorado_ party--Whence - the restrictive partisans are drawn--Distinguishing - Insignia--Some necessary precautions on the part of - the foreigner--Adventures derived from colour in - clothes--Some ludicrous episodes--The expense of - revolution. - - INDEX 343 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - CATHEDRAL: MONTEVIDEO _Frontispiece_ - - FACING PAGE - - A RURAL INN 28 - - COUNTRY COACH AT LA SIERRA STATION 28 - - INDIAN MACE HEADS 38 - - INDIAN STONE AXE 38 - - A GAUCHO RACE: THE START 44 - - A GAUCHO RACE: THE FINISH 44 - - RUINED COLONIA 52 - - ARTIGAS' MONUMENT 52 - - MONTEVIDEO AND THE CERRO HILL 88 - - "AFTER CATTLE" 88 - - LAGO DEL PRADO: MONTEVIDEO 124 - - THE PRADO: MONTEVIDEO 124 - - THE PRINCIPAL PLAZA: MONTEVIDEO 130 - - THE HARBOUR: MONTEVIDEO 130 - - ANCIENT STONES EMPLOYED FOR NUT-CRUSHING 140 - - NATIVE "BOLEADORAS" 148 - - SOLIS THEATRE AND NATIONAL MUSEUM 156 - - THE CERRO FORT 156 - - THE BEACH AT PARQUE URBANO 162 - - THE SAN JOSE ROAD BRIDGE 162 - - EUCALYPTUS AVENUE: COLON 166 - - OXEN DRAWING RAILWAY COACH 186 - - BEFORE THE FAIR: TACUAREMBO 186 - - FRONTIER STONE AT RIVERA 192 - - TUNNEL AT BANADA DE ROCHA 192 - - EUCALYPTUS FOREST: PIRIAPOLIS 198 - - THE CASTILLO: PIRIAPOLIS 198 - - THE PAN DE AZUCAR MOUNTAIN 202 - - THE NEW HOTEL: PIRIAPOLIS 202 - - MERCEDES: FROM ACROSS THE RIO NEGRO 208 - - RIO NEGRO BRIDGE 212 - - ON THE RIO NEGRO 212 - - COLONIA: RUINED FORTRESS WALL 218 - - A CAMPO GRAVEYARD 218 - - THE BULL RING 222 - - ON THE URUGUAY RIVER 230 - - A URUGUAYAN STREAM 230 - - CATTLE ON THE ROAD 234 - - A CORNER OF THE FRAY BENTOS FACTORY 234 - - A PASTORAL SCENE 238 - - THE BICHADERO ESTANCIA 246 - - HEREFORD CATTLE ON THE BICHADERO ESTANCIA 246 - - ESTANCIA HOUSE: SAN JUAN 250 - - CHALET AT COLONIA SUIZA 258 - - THE VINTAGE: ESTANCIA SAN JUAN 258 - - STREAM ON THE SAN JUAN ESTANCIA 272 - - THE CATTLE DIP 280 - - DRYING JERKED MEAT 280 - - A SEAL ROOKERY 292 - - BASKING SEALS 292 - - OX WAGON ON THE CAMPO 316 - - CROSS-COUNTRY TRAVELLING 316 - - PEDIGREE CATTLE 320 - - OVEN BIRD'S NEST 320 - - - - -URUGUAY - - - - -CHAPTER I - -SURVEY - - Geographical situation of the Republic--Boundaries and - area--Uruguay as an historical, commercial, and financial - centre--The respective positions of Uruguay and - Paraguay--Disadvantages of a buffer State--A land of sunshine and - shadow--The history of Uruguay--The blending of industry and - warfare--Vitality of the nation--Instances of self-sacrifice--A - South American Switzerland--A freedom-loving folk--Deeds of arms - and the undercurrents of commerce--Montevideo in the eyes of the - casual traveller--Factors that make for the progress of the Banda - Oriental--Influence of railway--Coming cessation of the North - American beef shipments--Temperament of the - Uruguayan--Distinction between Argentine and Uruguayan - politics--The clans of the Banda Oriental--The birthright of - party convictions--Education in Uruguay--National points of - honour--Liberty accorded the foreigner--The courtesy of - officials--An incident at the customs-house--Popularity of the - English--A gratifying situation--Satisfactory international - relations--The work of Mr. R. J. Kennedy, the British Minister - Plenipotentiary--Uruguay's pacific foreign policy--Careful - finance--Army and navy--General progress of the nation. - - -Uruguay may be described as a republic of comparatively small -dimensions sandwiched in between the great territories of Argentina -and Brazil, and bounded on the south by the Southern Atlantic Ocean -and the estuary of the River Plate. Its actual area, 72,100 square -miles, is less than that of the British Isles, and thus the Banda -Oriental, to use the name by which the State is locally known, enjoys -the distinction of being the smallest of the South American republics. -But, although this distinction applies to actual area, it serves for -remarkably little else in the country. Indeed, an astonishing amount -is packed within the frontiers of Uruguay. In the first place it is a -land where much history has been made. Secondly, to turn to its -industrial assets--although I do not intend to deal with the -commercial side of the Republic more fully than can be helped--it is a -country where many cattle are bred. Lastly, it is a place in which no -less than fifty million pounds sterling of English money are invested. -Thus the small Republic, as an investment field, ranks third in -importance amongst all the States of South America, a fact that is -realised by remarkably few outside its own boundaries. - -Uruguay and Paraguay are frequently confused by those quite unfamiliar -with South American affairs, owing to the similarity of the -nomenclature. In actual fact the two countries have very little in -common, save in their political situation. Both separated themselves -from the River Plate Provinces in the course of the War of -Independence, since which time both have served as buffer States -between Argentina and Brazil. The position of such is seldom enviable -at the best of times. Upon Uruguay it has worked with an especial -degree of hardship, since even before the days of her independence it -was upon her suffering soil that the too frequent differences between -Spaniard and Portuguese were fought out. - -[Illustration: A RURAL INN.] - -[Illustration: COUNTRY COACH AT LA SIERRA STATION. -To face p. 28.] - -As to the international jealousies of a later era, they have not been -without their influence upon the domestic affairs of the central -State. Thus on not a few occasions the result of foreign diplomacy has -been civil war within the boundaries of Uruguay, with consequences -that were necessarily disastrous to the nation. The Banda Oriental is -a land of sunshine, it is true, but one of shadow too, which is -logical enough, since without the former the latter cannot obtain. Its -metaphorical sunshine is represented by the undoubted merits of its -inhabitants, its temporary shadows by the circumstances in which they -have found themselves placed. - -He would be no real friend of Uruguay who strove to show that the -march of the country has not been rudely arrested on innumerable -occasions. Indeed, were it not for the conditions that have prevailed -for centuries, the actual forward steps that the Republic has effected -would be far less remarkable than is in reality the case. The history -of Uruguay reveals a continuous medley of peace and war. Its swords -have been beaten into ploughshares and welded back again into lethal -weapons ere the metal had cooled from the force of the former -operation. - -Each series of such transformations, moreover, has occurred at -intervals sufficiently short to destroy utterly the hopes and -prosperity of an ordinary people. Over and over again the Uruguayans -have strewn the battlefields with their dead; yet during each interval -they have continued to plant the soil with its proper and more -profitable seed. An extraordinary vitality on the part of the people -joined to the natural wealth of the land have been the factors by -means of which the small Republic has brushed away the results of its -wars as lightly as though such convulsions were summer showers. - -The history of Uruguay reveals an admirable amount of pure heroism. -Apart from the fighting merits that are inborn and natural to the -race, the most unsympathetic reader of its past pages cannot deny to -it the innumerable instances of self-sacrifice that were the fruit of -loftier ideals. Of the many vivid battle scenes that were painted in -too deadly an earnest against their neighbours and even amongst -themselves, there are few that are not relieved by some illuminating -act of heroism, for all the utter ferocity and courage by which these -conflicts were wont to be marked. Uruguay, in fact, was something of a -South American Switzerland; but a Switzerland bereft of the lofty -peaks and mountain tops that assisted the men of the Cantons against -the Austrians, endowed, moreover, with a more restless and -undisciplined folk of its own. Yet in many respects the resemblance -holds good, and for one reason most of all. The Orientales rested not -until they had won their freedom. Not once but several times they were -forced to wrest it from the stranger ere it finally became secure. - -At later periods, too, it is not to be denied that the greater bulk of -the neighbouring nations has stood out remorselessly between Uruguay -and the sunlight. There have been times when the small Republic has -been ground between the great mills of Argentina and Brazil. Thus her -progress--steady and all but continuous in spite of the civil wars and -revolutions that have torn her--has been achieved all but unnoticed -and entirely unapplauded. Europeans, and many South Americans too, -read of the Uruguayan battlefields and deeds of arms, yet they learn -nothing of the undercurrent of industry that has flowed onwards all -the while beneath the turbulence of the wild warrings. Nevertheless, -this progress has been very real, and that it must become apparent to -the world before long is certain. Even to the present day Uruguay -amongst nations has remained "a violet by a mossy stone, half hidden -from the eye." To the ordinary person who passes between Europe and -South America, Montevideo represents little beyond a whistling station -between the two important halts at Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. -In justice to the Banda Oriental's neighbour be it said that this -ignorance does not apply to the actual resident in Argentina, and -least of all to the dwellers in Buenos Aires. To them the commercial -importance and general attractions of Uruguay and its capital are well -enough known. This interest, however, is merely local, and fails to -extend beyond the familiar radius of the pleasant little Republic's -influence. - -Commercially speaking, it is difficult to understand how the factors -that have now arisen to drag the Banda Oriental from its undeserved -oblivion can well fail in their task. The linking of the country by -railway with Brazil, the influence that the imminent cessation of the -North American beef exportation is bound to exert upon a -stock-breeding country, to say nothing of the internal progress -already referred to, must undoubtedly result sooner or later in -bringing the gallant little nation into the light of publicity. - -A fusion of warring parties, an end of civil strife, and a strict -attention to the less risky and more profitable business of the day -should follow in the natural sequence of events. Very hale, hearty, -and jovial though he is, it must be admitted that the Oriental is in -deadly earnest when engaged in civil battle--as is the case with all -who pursue a hobby to the detriment of a more lucrative occupation. -Yet the substitution of gunshots for the suffrage is not only -expensive, but, from the polling point of view, unpleasantly devoid of -finality. - -The distinctions between the political arrangements of Uruguay and -Argentina are curiously marked. For generations the latter country has -been governed by a succession of groups that have respectively formed -and dissolved without leaving any marked cleavage in the society of -the nation. Strictly speaking, Argentina possesses neither faction -spirit nor party. Uruguay, on the other hand, is concerned first and -foremost with these very matters of party. - -The history of the Colorados and the Blancos--the reds and -whites--would in itself suffice to fill a volume. Probably in no other -part of the world have the pure considerations of clan triumphed to -such an extent over the general political situation. Until the present -day the line between the rival camps has been as absolute as that -between life and death. The position of either is immutable. Neither -argument, mode of government, nor the vicissitudes of state are among -the considerations by which they are affected. A man is born one of -two things--a Blanco or a Colorado. This birthright, moreover, is to -be exchanged for no mere mess of pottage; it is valued above the price -of life itself. Such, at all events, has been the creed of the past, -and to a large extent it still holds good, although the stress of -modern influence is just beginning to leave its mark upon the -cast-iron prejudices that are the relicts of another age. - -At the same time, it must not be inferred from this that the Uruguayan -is ignorant or small-minded. Far from it. Education enjoys an -exceptionally high standard throughout the country, and a most liberal -breadth of view is typical of the nation. This is readily admitted, -and even insisted upon, by foreigners whose dealings with the -native-born dwellers in the Republic have placed them in a position to -render an accurate judgment. In internal politics, however, there are -prejudices, considerations of clan, and points of honour that are not -to be gauged from a purely commercial standpoint. - -The foreigner in Uruguay is accorded a most complete liberty, and -there are few of these who have resided for any length of time within -its frontiers who have not become very truly attached to the land and -its people. - -It has frequently been my lot to pass over from Argentina to Uruguay, -arriving at one of the minor ports that dot the middle reaches of the -great river. But it so happened that I had never landed, bag and -baggage, at the capital until the time came for a regular and -organised spying out of the land. An incident at the start lent a very -pleasing aspect to the visit. The customs-house officer, in whose -hands lay the fate of the interior of my baggage, gazed from where it -lay piled upon the official trestle in the direction of its owner. -"Inglez?" he demanded in the curt tone of one in authority. When I had -signified assent he smiled cordially, sketched with rapid fingers the -magic chalk marks upon the impedimenta, and then motioned me to pass -through the portals with all the honours of customs, locks unviolated, -and straps in repose. - -I have not introduced this incident from any personal motives. It -merely affords an instance of a very genuine courtesy rendered to the -nation through the medium of one of its most humble units. Yet it is -from such attentions to a stranger that the trend of the general -attitude may be gleaned. The English are not a little addicted to a -frank confession of their unpopularity amongst the South Americans in -general. The attitude may be the result of a certain pose, since they -claim full credit for the respect that is undoubtedly theirs by right. -Nevertheless, whether imagined or real, the idea obtains. - -In Uruguay at the present moment the Englishman is so obviously _not_ -unpopular that it is gratifying to be able to proclaim the fact. -Whatever the fates may have in store the existing understanding -between the Uruguayans and the British is very cordial and complete. -In words as well as in deeds it is perhaps advisable to let well -alone. Yet it is satisfactory to reflect that innumerable practical -proofs show that this mutual esteem which has existed for centuries -has never been more firmly grafted than at the present day. There can -be no doubt, moreover, that the present satisfactory phase is very -largely due to the efforts of Mr. R. J. Kennedy, the British Minister -Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary, whose tact and conscientious -ability have won for him respect and popularity on the part of -Uruguayans and resident British alike--a consummation to which it is -the lot of sufficiently few ministers to attain. - -Although internal disturbances may continue to arise from time to -time, the position of Uruguay is now undoubtedly consolidated to a far -greater extent than has ever been the case in former years. The nation -that sprang into being at the commencement of the nineteenth century -had to contend with indefinite frontiers at the best of times, and -with the frequent waves of turbulence that swept inwards over the land -from the greater centres of disturbance without its borders. Now for -many decades an undisturbed peace has characterised the foreign -affairs of the nation, and such differences as have occurred from time -to time with the neighbouring republics have been settled in an -essentially pacific and reasonable spirit. - -A striking instance of this has occurred quite recently in the case of -the vexed question concerning the delimitation of neutral waters in -the River Plate. The rights affecting a great inland and international -highway are naturally most delicate and difficult to adjust, as the -past history of the entire river system here has proved on numerous -occasions. In this particular instance had either Uruguay or Argentina -shown any other but a fair and conciliatory spirit, the consequences -cannot fail to have been serious in the extreme. As it was, the -dispute was brought to a satisfactory and amicable conclusion, much to -the credit of the respective diplomatists concerned. - -For many years now the policy of the Banda Oriental Government has -been practical and deliberate. In matters of finance extreme caution -has been exercised, and economy in expenditure has been rigid. The -result is now evident in the very favourable financial position of the -Republic, since it is now endowed with more solid monetary sinews than -has ever been the case before. The nation, moreover, is free from any -excessive expenditure on its army and navy. Both branches of the -service are on a small scale, and in this moderation Uruguay is -undoubtedly wise; since, although the race possesses its fighting -instincts to the full, the population and resources of the Republic -would not allow it to compete either in numbers, guns, or ships with -the armies of the neighbouring countries, or with the great naval -armaments that are being brought together. - -In the past there is no doubt that matters in Uruguay have been -regarded with a certain amount of pessimism--a gloomy view for which -the alleged instability of the Government was chiefly responsible. -Were all that has been said on this head strictly accurate, there is -no doubt that the condition of the country would be parlous indeed. On -numberless occasions, however, the reports that have prevailed have -been remarkable merely for their exaggeration. Frequently, moreover, -such highly coloured--or rather darkened--pictures have been depicted -to serve interests in Europe rather than in Uruguay. Commercially -speaking, it is surely a matter for congratulation that even such a -disturbing element as civil strife should have left the financial -solidity of the Republic unimpaired. - -This point of view, however, is merely the financial one--important -enough in its place, but not sufficiently overwhelming to eliminate -all the other interests at stake. The spirit of progress has been -abroad, not only in the ethics of the pastures, banks, and business -houses, but in the more subtle fields of science, literature, and art -as well. This, however, is not the place in which to introduce details -or statistics concerning the improvements in the various ramifications -of the nation's existence. For the present let the statement suffice -that in no direction has a retrograde movement been perceptible: on -the contrary, a continuous progress has been evident in almost every -matter from the curing of beef to the making of scholars--two products -that are equally essential to the welfare of the land. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -HISTORY - - The discovery of Uruguay--Reception by the Indians--Juan de Solis - and his fate--Navigation of the River Plate--Serrano and - Magellanes--Rivalry between Spaniards and Portuguese--The first - settlement in the Banda Oriental--Aggressive tactics of the - Indians--Forts destroyed by them--Colonisation under - difficulties--The introduction of cattle--A prophetic - move--Intervention of the missionaries--Jesuit settlements - established--Uruguay's isolation comes to an end--Influence of - the livestock--Cattle-raiders--The first Portuguese - invasion--Victory of the Spaniards, assisted by native - auxiliaries--Treaties and their attendant troubles--The - indecision of Old Spain--Partial extermination of the - Indians--The town of Colonia as a bone of - contention--Introduction of the first negro slaves into the - provinces of the River Plate--Unrest on the Spanish main--Moreau, - the buccaneer--The fate of his expedition--Portuguese invaders - expelled by the Spaniards--A fort is constructed on the present - site of Montevideo. - - -The early history of Uruguay needs but cursory recapitulation, since -its episodes form part and parcel of the general discovery of the -River Plate. Juan Diaz de Solis, the famous explorer of the great -river, was the first leader in the Spanish service to set foot on -Uruguayan soil. The precise point of his disembarkation is unknown, -but it is certain enough that the spot lay somewhere just to the north -of the island of Martin Garcia. His reception at the hands of the -hostile Charrua Indians, who at the time inhabited the district, was -fatally inhospitable. Solis and many more of the landing party of -fifty who accompanied him were slain by these natives almost as soon -as they had landed, and the disheartened expedition returned to Spain. - -It is supposed that Rodriguez Serrano was the first to sail the waters -of the Uruguay River proper. In 1520, when anchored in the mouth of -the River Plate on his way to the South, Magellane is supposed to have -sent this subordinate of his some distance up the Uruguay. There is -much, however, that is vague in the history of these particular -waterways at this time. A certain material reason obtained for the -mystery. The rivalry between the Spaniards and Portuguese tended -towards a concealment on the part of each of discoveries that affected -comparatively unknown and debatable areas. Thus there is no doubt that -various Portuguese expeditions sailed the Uruguay River at this -period; but the details of these are uncertain. - -In 1527 Spain, fearing the possibilities of Portuguese influence, -turned her attention once more to the great river system of the South. -It was in that year that Cabot founded the fort of San Sebastian on -the Uruguayan coast. This, at the confluence of the San Salvador River -with the Uruguay, was the first Spanish settlement in the country. Its -existence was short-lived. Attacked by the Charrua Indians in 1529, -the fort was destroyed and many of its garrison slain. - -After this little was heard of the Uruguayan coast until, in 1552, -Irala, the famous Governor of the River Plate, ordered Captain Juan -Romero to found a settlement on that shore. Juan Romero set out with -an expedition of 120 men, and founded the settlement of San Juan at -the mouth of the river of the same name. This attempt was likewise -unsuccessful. The Charruas had to be reckoned with, and two years -later the place was abandoned on account of their incessant attacks. - -[Illustration: INDIAN MACE HEADS.] - -[Illustration: INDIAN STONE AXE. -To face p. 38.] - -In 1573 another noted _conquistador_, Zarate, on the completion of his -voyage from Europe, arrived at the island of San Gabriel. He founded a -settlement on the neighbouring Uruguayan mainland, and the Charruas -for once received him with comparative hospitality. Nevertheless it -was not long ere hostilities broke out, by reason of the Spaniard's -own arrogance, it is said. In the end the Europeans were completely -defeated by the famous chief Zapican, losing over one hundred soldiers -and various officers. The Spaniards then retired to the island of San -Gabriel, leaving the aboriginal tribe in possession of the new -township, which they immediately destroyed. - -A short while after this Juan de Garay, afterwards famed as the -founder of the modern Buenos Aires, arrived near the scene of the -disaster. With a diminutive force (it is said by some that his -expedition comprised no more than twelve cavalry and twenty-two -infantry) he attacked Zapican's army of a thousand men. The result was -the rout of the Indians, in the course of which Zapican and many other -leading caciques perished. This action was fought in the neighbourhood -of ruined San Salvador, and Zarate founded a new settlement on the -ruins of the old. Triumph, however, was short-lived, for the Indians -remained as fiercely persevering as ever, and three years later their -aggressive tactics caused the establishment to be abandoned once -again. - -In 1603 it is said that Hernando Arias de Saavedra, the first -colonial-born Governor of the River Plate, led an expedition of five -hundred men against the Charruas. Hernandarias, by which name the -Governor was popularly known, was a famous warrior of whose prowess -and feats of arms much is told. For all that, according to report, the -defeat of the Spanish force was so complete that only Hernandarias, -thanks to his tremendous personal strength, escaped from the field -alive. It is probable, however, that this version of the fight is, to -say the least of it, exaggerated. - -The next move of Hernandarias in the direction of the Banda Oriental -was of a more pacific nature. With a rare touch of wisdom and -foresight he shipped from Buenos Aires to Colonia across the river one -hundred head of cattle, and a like number of horses and mares. These, -sent adrift to roam at their own sweet will in the new country, -multiplied at least as fast as had been anticipated. The animals in -question undoubtedly stand as the nucleus of the pastoral riches of -to-day. Thus Hernandarias sent out wealth to the land that was closed -to his men in order that it should seed and multiply until the time -came for the European to take it over with the country itself. - -In this earlier era of River Plate history the march of civilisation -had been arrested at the first step in Uruguay on each occasion on -which it had been undertaken. It was not until the beginning of the -seventeenth century that success attended the endeavours of the -Spaniards. In 1618 the first missionaries entered Uruguay. The -Franciscan fathers Bernardo de Guzman, Villavicencio, and Aldao landed -in that year at the mouth of the Rio, and converted to Christianity -many members of the more peaceably disposed tribes. In 1624 Bernardo -de Guzman founded the first Uruguayan Jesuit settlement, Santo Domingo -de Soriano, and a little later the missions of Espinillo, Viboras, and -Aldao were established in the present provinces of Soriano and -Colonia. Larger and more important missions were shortly afterwards -founded in the north, and formed a more or less integral portion of -the great Jesuit field in Paraguay. At one time there were no less -than thirty-seven of these stations existing within the frontiers of -the old Banda Oriental as they were then defined. In consequence of -the later Brazilian encroachments, however, the sites of only seven of -these--San Francisco de Borga, San Nicolas, San Juan Bautista, San -Luis Gonzaga, San Miguel, San Lorenzo, and Santa Angel--lie within the -boundaries of the present Republic. - -While in the north of Uruguay the Indians, taught by the missionaries, -were now beginning to occupy themselves with agriculture and grazing, -in the south the herds introduced by Hernandarias were multiplying -amazingly. These were responsible for the visits of many who came over -from Argentina to slay the cattle and to collect their hides. They -were licensed by the Cabildo of Buenos Aires, who received a third of -the profits. In order to facilitate this traffic in hides, these -_Faeneros_, as they were termed, gradually established themselves upon -the banks of the Uruguay and its tributaries, and upon the ocean -coast. Thus the names of Cufre, Pavon, Toledo, Pando, Solis, -Maldonado, and many others have been bequeathed to the soil by the -merchant adventurers who trafficked in those spots, since each named -his settlement after himself. - -No little competition was afforded these Faeneros by the -_Changadores_, adventurers of a more reckless order who made their -incursions into the country without licence and against the law. -Corresponding precisely to the buccaneers of the farther north, they -slew where opportunity offered, taking refuge in Brazil when pursued, -until their growing numbers enabled them from time to time to offer -armed resistance to the officers of the Crown sent to chastise them. -Attracted by this commerce, pirates, whether of Portuguese or other -nationality, would occasionally make descents, and would raid and -harry the cattle in their turn. The Indians, for their part, were not -slow in availing themselves of this new and convenient source of -livelihood, and, according to a Uruguayan writer became "carnivorous -from necessity and equestrian from force of imitation." In 1680 a more -serious danger threatened the Banda Oriental. At the beginning of that -year a Portuguese fleet came to anchor off the island of San Gabriel. -Eight hundred soldiers and a number of colonist families were -disembarked at Colonia del Sacramento on the mainland, where they -founded a township. On learning of this invasion the Governor of -Buenos Aires, Jose de Garro, immediately demanded the evacuation of -the place. As a reply to this request, Lobo, the Portuguese commander, -triumphantly produced a map on which Colonia was represented as in -Brazilian territory. A strenuous geographical discussion ensued, at -the conclusion of which Garro, having failed to convince the intruders -of the inaccuracy of the chart by more subtle arguments, resolved to -expel the enemy by force. - -With this end in view he obtained the loan of three thousand Indians -from the Jesuits, who were by this time becoming accustomed to the -lending of men and arms for such patriotic purposes. With this force, -stiffened by the presence of three hundred Spaniards, he captured the -hostile settlement, taking prisoners the Portuguese Governor and -garrison. - -It is related that the Spanish general had prepared a striking _ruse -de guerre_ that was to serve in this assault. Four thousand loose -horses were to be driven to the front of the charging forces, and upon -these animals the first devastation of the artillery fire of the -defenders was to expend itself. The Indians, however, whose destined -place was in the vanguard, raised some powerful objections to this -scheme of attack. Considering with reason that a backward rush of the -wounded and terrified beasts--like that of the elephants of a previous -age--would promise greater disaster to themselves than to the enemy, -they protested against the living bulwark with its many possibilities. -Thus the town was captured without the aid of the horses, and the -first of the many combats that reddened the shore of Colonia ended in -favour of Spain. - -This triumph was short-lived. In 1681 Carlos II. of Spain in a weak -moment signed a treaty by which Colonia was given back to Portugal, to -be held by her until a definite decision could be arrived at -concerning the vexed question of ownership. In the meanwhile it was -arranged that the geographical arguments should be settled by the -pontifical authorities, whose expert knowledge upon the point was -doubtful. The Portuguese, moreover, in order to obtain an added salve -to their dignity, stipulated that Garro should be deprived of his -post. This was complied with; but the result did not in the least -coincide with the Portuguese expectations. Garro himself must have -smiled broadly when he learned that he was deprived of his command at -Buenos Aires in order to take over the superior governorship of Chile! - -In 1702 a campaign was waged against the Indians. The tactics of the -majority of the tribes had remained consistently aggressive, and their -predatory interest in the commerce of hides and dried meat had -developed to a pitch inconvenient to the settlers. The war, although -its scope did not include the entire aboriginal population, was one of -extermination so far as it went, and at its conclusion the sections of -the Charruas, Bohanes, and Yaros in the neighbourhood of the River Yi -had practically ceased to exist. - -In the meanwhile Colonia, in the hands of the Portuguese, had become -the centre of contraband operations by means of which merchandise was -smuggled into the sternly closed port of Buenos Aires. As a point of -vantage it served so admirably for this purpose, and so greatly to the -profit of both the Portuguese and of the more unscrupulous residents -of Buenos Aires, that in 1705 Philip V. of Spain ordered its recapture -in earnest. - -For this purpose two thousand Spaniards and four thousand Jesuit -Indians assembled. After a six months' strenuous siege of the place -the Portuguese garrison fled in a fleet that had been sent to their -rescue, and Colonia passed back into the hands of the Spaniards. But -the vicissitudes of the spot were not yet at an end. Oblivious of the -past, Philip V. by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 ceded the town to the -Portuguese. Garcia Ros, the Governor of Buenos Aires, was of sterner -mould. Taking advantage of a loosely worded clause in the treaty, he -limited the Portuguese ownership of the soil to the radius of a -cannon-shot from the plaza of the town. By this means the -inconvenience of the occupation was to a certain extent neutralised. - -[Illustration: A GAUCHO RACE: THE START.] - -[Illustration: A GAUCHO RACE: THE FINISH. -To face p. 44.] - -About this time negro slaves were first introduced from Africa into -the provinces of the River Plate. This measure had been originally -urged by the famous Father Bartolome de las Casas with a view of -augmenting the local force of labour, and thus of alleviating the -condition of the aboriginal races that in many parts were becoming -exterminated on account of the excess of toil imposed upon them. This -state of affairs, as a matter of fact, did not obtain in the Banda -Oriental, where Indian and Spaniard stood entirely apart. Nevertheless -an influx of negroes occurred in the province, and--though nothing can -be said in favour of the morality of the proceeding--there is no -doubt that, once arrived, their presence tended to benefit the -industries of the land. - -The period now was one of considerable unrest throughout the Spanish -main. For some while the adventurers of other nations, seeking a share -in the great riches of the South American provinces, had been knocking -loudly at the gates that remained closely barred to them. Privateering -and raids upon the coast had become more and more frequent, while the -Spanish galleons, in continuous dread of attack, only put to sea for -the purpose of long voyages in imposing numbers and beneath weighty -escort. The River Plate, owing to the practical absence of the mineral -traffic from its frontier, suffered far fewer depredations than fell -to the lot of the gold and silver bearing countries to the north. - -Yet the homelier riches of the pastoral districts were becoming known -and appreciated to a certain extent. In consequence of this the waters -of the River Plate from time to time had many unwelcome visitors. -Privateers of all nationalities, although their enforced ignorance of -the navigation forbade them to penetrate for any distance up the -waters of the great streams themselves in the face of local -opposition, harassed the coast-line, and occasionally landed in more -or less formidable parties. One of the most notable of these was a -French adventurer of the name of Moreau, whose buccaneering ideas were -considerably in advance of those of the majority who were wont to -harry these particular districts. Moreau's plan of campaign, in fact, -savoured rather of regular warfare than of the more usual methods of -the rapid raidings and retreats. Thus in 1720 he disembarked with a -body of men and four cannon at Maldonado, where he fortified himself, -and began to amass a great store of hides. Surprised by the Spaniards, -he was forced to take to his ships in haste, with the loss of his -guns and of his stock-in-trade. A few months later the Frenchman -returned, accompanied this time by a force of over a hundred -well-armed men, and prepared to settle himself for an extended stay in -the country. Curiously enough, it appears to have been the unfortunate -Moreau's fate to reverse the fighting roles of the buccaneer and local -resident, since, instead of surprising others, it was he who was -caught unawares on either occasion. The termination of his second -visit was more fatal than that of his first. Attacked when in an -unprepared condition by the Spaniards, the defeat of the buccaneer -force was complete. Moreau himself was slain, together with the -greater part of his company, while the remainder were taken prisoners. - -Freed from this source of danger, the inhabitants of the Banda -Oriental were not long left without anxiety on another head. The -Portuguese had never ceased to covet the rich land that might be made -to serve as such a valuable and temperate pendant to their torrid -northern areas. The River Plate stood to them in the light of a Rhine, -and at the end of 1723 they awoke once more into aggressive activity. -An expedition then left Rio de Janeiro consisting of four ships with -three hundred soldiers. The force sailed to the point where the town -of Montevideo now stands, at that time a lonely spot whose commercial -and strategic importance was then for the first time discovered. Here -the expedition landed, and in a short while its leaders had negotiated -with the natives whom they found in the district, had supplied them -with arms, and had founded a settlement. On learning of this -aggression the Buenos Aires authorities determined to resist the -attempt in earnest. Gavala, the Spanish Governor, collected a powerful -fleet, and sailed in haste to the spot. The Portuguese, ascertaining -the strength of the attacking force, abandoned their new settlement, -and made off to the north without awaiting its arrival. Gavala then -took possession of Montevideo in turn, and took measures in order to -prevent a repetition of the incident. To this end he constructed a -powerful battery on the spot, and supplied the fort with a garrison of -a hundred Spanish troops, and with a thousand native auxiliaries. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -HISTORY--_continued_ - - Founding of the city of Montevideo--Its first - inhabitants--Inducement offered to colonists--The early days of - the town--Successful rising of the Indians in the - neighbourhood--Victory of the natives--Montevideo saved by Jesuit - intervention--The Portuguese invade the northern provinces--The - first Governor of Montevideo--Treaties and territorial - cessions--Dissatisfaction of Jesuit Indians--Their defeat by - combined Spanish and Portuguese forces--Vicissitudes of - Colonia--The danger of hostile residents--A concentration camp of - the old days--Expulsion of the Jesuits--Some incidents of the - wars with the Portuguese--The foundation of urban centres--The - English occupy themselves with the whaling industry on the - coast--Discouragement of the enterprise by the King of Spain--A - corps of Blandengues is created--The British invasion--Political - effects of the occupation--The war of independence--Montevideo as - the seat of the Spanish viceroyalty--Commencement of the - agitation for freedom in Uruguay. - - -On the 24th of December, 1726, was founded the city proper of -Montevideo. Its inception was sufficiently modest. Indeed, the spot -commenced its urban existence on a human diet of seven families -translated from Buenos Aires for the purpose. A little later twenty -families were brought from the Canary Islands to add to the humble -population. It is not a little curious to read how, even in those -early days, the spirit of colonial enterprise was already manifest in -the way that is now considered most up-to-date. Intending immigrants -to Montevideo were each offered free transport from Buenos Aires, -plots in the city and holdings in the Campo, two hundred head of -cattle, one hundred sheep, and free cartage of building material. They -were offered, beyond, tools, agricultural implements, and a remission -of taxes for a certain period. The whole savours strongly of a modern -immigration department. In any case, the inducements offered were -considerable. - -Two years after its foundation Montevideo received an important -reinforcement of citizens, when thirty families from the Canary -Islands and from Galicia were introduced into the place. Thus the -small town was already beginning to make its mark upon the surrounding -country, and at the end of 1728 it could count over two hundred -inhabitants, four hundred troops, and a thousand Indians employed -principally in the works of fortification. A couple of years later it -was deemed worthy of a corporation. - -Nevertheless, in this very year the growing settlement all but came to -a bloody and untimely end. A rising of the Charrua Indians in the -immediate neighbourhood of Montevideo resisted all the efforts made to -subdue it. Over one hundred Spaniards were slain and the royal forces -put to rout. The natives, drunk with success, were on the eve of -entering Montevideo and of slaughtering the inhabitants, when a Jesuit -missionary, Padre Heran, intervened, and prevailed on the Indians to -desist from their purpose. - -Scarcely had this danger passed when another, and remoter, came into -being to take its place. The restless Portuguese having given peace to -the Banda Oriental for ten years, doubtless considered the period -unduly prolonged, and thus invaded the Rio Grande on the northern -frontier. Lavala's successor, Don Miguel de Salcedo, a ruler as -impotent as the first had been strong, contented himself with -besieging Colonia as a counter-stroke, while the Portuguese forces -were left free to complete the conquest of Rio Grande. This they -continued to hold, despite the terms of an armistice arranged in 1737 -between Spain and Portugal. - -For ten years after this no historical event of importance occurred to -disturb the progress of Uruguay. In 1747 a rising of the Indians was -utterly crushed at Queguay, and two years later Montevideo, now -acknowledged as a town of importance, was accorded a Governor of its -own. Don Jose Joaquin de Viana was the first appointed to the post. -His opinion of its urgency is evident from the fact that he only took -office in 1751. - -By the treaty of 1750 King Ferdinand VI. of Spain ceded to Portugal -the northern stretches comprising the Jesuit Missions of Uruguay and -the present province of Rio Grande in exchange for Colonia. As a -stroke of commercial diplomacy the bargain was undoubtedly a failure, -since by its means Spain not only lost for ever two flourishing -provinces, but, in addition, the Jesuits and their Indians were -obliged to forsake the field of their labours, and to migrate in -search of fresh country. - -This, however, was not the case with all alike. A large number of the -Indians, deeply attached to the neighbourhoods wherein lay their -homes, refused to follow the missionaries, and in the end resisted the -unwelcome decree. Pitted against the combined forces of Buenos Aires, -Uruguay, and Brazil, their cause had not a momentary chance of -success. After suffering various defeats, they were finally routed and -almost exterminated at Caaibate in 1756, when the native loss amounted -to 154 prisoners and 1,200 dead, at the very moderate Spanish cost of -4 dead and 41 wounded. The character of the action is sufficiently -evident from the butcher's bill. A certain number of the surviving -Indians were taken to Maldonado, and, settling there, formed the -nucleus of the present town. - -In the meanwhile Colonia, whose inhabitants by this time must have -been rendered giddy by the continuous substitution of bunting, had -again passed into the possession of the Portuguese. The recurrence of -war between these and the Spaniards gave Pedro de Ceballos, an able -and energetic Governor of Buenos Aires, an opportunity to act. In 1762 -he surprised Colonia, captured it, and was in the act of invading the -ceded territory of Rio Grande when the Treaty of Paris came -inopportunely into being to stay him in his path of conquest, and to -give back Colonia, that bone of contention, to the Portuguese once -more. - -This occurred in 1763, and Ceballos was powerless to struggle further -against a fate that caused victory to be followed by the loss of -provinces. Nevertheless, he took various measures towards the -preservation of the remaining territory. One of the most important of -these was concerned with the numerous Portuguese families that were -settled along the eastern frontier of the country. Having reason to -believe that these were hatching further warlike schemes in -conjunction with the authorities across the border, Ceballos caused -them to be taken south, and to be collected together in a small -settlement in the neighbourhood of Maldonado, where they could remain -under the watchful eye of the Uruguayan officials. - -In 1767 the expulsion of the Jesuits from South America by King Carlos -III. of Spain proved of no little moment to the Banda Oriental, since -many of the Indians, wandering shepherdless and at a loss, came -southwards, and became part and parcel of Uruguay. It was by means of -twelve of these Indian families that the city of Paysandu, amongst -several others, was founded, while the fields of Montevideo and -Maldonado derived many new cultivators from this source. - -It was but a very few years later that the trouble with the Portuguese -broke out once again. Indeed, it would seem that indulgence in border -feud had now become an ineradicable habit on the part of both sides. -By the year 1774 the inhabitants of Brazil had once again passed over -the north-western frontier, and had spread themselves over the country -in such numbers as to render their presence a menace to Uruguay. In -order to remedy the situation, Vertiz, the Governor of Buenos Aires, -crossed from Buenos Aires to Montevideo, from which city he sallied -out northwards with an army of four thousand men. Meeting with the -Portuguese forces in the neighbourhood of the Santa Tecla range, he -routed them and pursued them as far as the River Yacuy, depriving them -of the lands they had usurped. - -On the return of Vertiz to Buenos Aires, Portuguese aggression burst -forth once again. Advancing from the east this time, they were -repulsed in an attack on the town of San Pedro; but in 1776, returning -with an army of two thousand men, they captured the place and -possessed themselves of the district. The inevitable counter-stroke on -the part of the Spaniards was to follow. Indeed, the scale of the -struggle waxed steadily with the growth of the respective countries. -Brazil was already the seat of a viceroyalty, and immediately after -this last invasion the provinces of the River Plate were raised to the -same status. Ceballos, then on a visit to Spain, was created first -Viceroy, and was dispatched from Cadiz with a powerful fleet and with -over nine thousand troops to avenge the incursion. - -[Illustration: RUINED COLONIA.] - -[Illustration: ARTIGAS' MONUMENT. -To face p. 52.] - -With such forces as these at his disposal the task of Ceballos was -an easy one. The Island of Santa Catalina was captured without a blow, -and that bone of contention, Colonia, surrendered perforce after a few -days of siege. Above its walls for the fifth time the flag of Spain -was hoisted afresh. On this occasion the ill-omened place was destined -to pay for the memories of the past, and its walls suffered in place -of the garrison. In order to remove temptation from the minds of the -northern enemy, Ceballos razed the elaborate fortifications to the -ground and destroyed the more pretentious houses, amongst these being -some of the best architectural specimens of the River Plate. - -Having effected this, Ceballos was passing northwards with the -intention of bringing back the Rio Grande Province once more within -the fold of Buenos Aires, when his march was stopped by the news of -another of those treaties between the mother-countries that seemed to -materialise with unfailing regularity at moments so ill-timed for the -interests of the Spanish colonies. By the terms of this Spain was left -with the mines of Colonia, while the Island of Santa Catalina and the -greater part of Rio Grande were ceded definitely to Portugal. - -After this ensued an exceptionally lengthy era of peace, which was -marked by the immigration of many families from Galicia and from the -Canary Islands, and by the foundation of numerous towns, amongst these -latter Canelones, Piedras, Rosario, Mercedes, Pando, Santa Lucia, San -Jose, and Minas. As to the capital itself, by the year 1788 Montevideo -had become a fairly important place, and could count a population of -6,695 Spaniards, 1,386 negro slaves, 562 liberated negroes, and 715 -half-castes and Indians. A few years later the population was much -augmented by the introduction of important numbers of negro slaves, a -traffic that continued intermittently until 1825, when its -continuance was prohibited by law. - -At the end of the century an industry was initiated that might have -led to important commercial results but for the action of the Spanish -home authorities. The waters off the coast of Maldonado had long been -famed as a whaling-ground, and at this period permission was given to -the Englishmen engaged in the traffic to found establishments both at -this place and at Punta de la Ballena. The result was a rapid but -fleeting prosperity at both these points, since after a while the -attitude of the Court of Spain changed. Fearful of the influence of -the English upon the Uruguayans, the authorities offered to the new -colonists the option of becoming Roman Catholics and of swearing -allegiance to the King of Spain, or of abandoning the settlement. The -latter alternative was chosen by the whalers, and Maldonado and Punta -de la Ballena, in consequence, sank back into the lethargy of -industrial torpor. The instance is only one of the many in which the -mother-country satisfied its conscience at the expense of its colony. - - * * * * * - -A corps of _Blandengues_, or Lancers, was formed in 1797, whose -duties, beyond their military performances, were varied to a degree. -Thus, in addition to the occasional brushes with the Indians that fell -to their lot, they were employed as excise officials against the -smugglers, as escorts of high officials, as ordinary police, and as -official messengers. The corps was composed of picked men, and in its -ranks served Jose Gervasio Artigas and Jose Rondeau, both bearers of -names that were destined to become famous in Uruguayan history. - -This body of cavalry was destined to be employed on active service -very soon after its formation. In 1801 the Portuguese became active -once more, and the first year of the new century was marked by their -occupation of land in the north-west of the Banda Oriental. After -various actions, Rondeau, with a force of Blandengues and dragoons, -defeated the invaders and won back the greater part of the lost -territory. - -In 1806 occurred the first of the British invasions which, although -materially fruitless in the end so far as our own country was -concerned, were destined to influence the minds of the colonials and -the future of the River Plate Provinces to a greater extent than is -generally realised. The circumstances of the invasion that won to the -British Crown for a very short while not only Montevideo, Maldonado, -Colonia, and numerous lesser Uruguayan towns, but Buenos Aires in -addition, afford bitter reading. Thanks to the colossal incapacity--to -give his conduct no harder name--of the British Commander-in-Chief, -General Whitlocke, the last troops of the British army of occupation -had sailed away northwards from Montevideo by the beginning of -September, 1807. - -Although the matter ended for the British with the departure of the -troops from the River Plate, the aftermath of the event took very -definite shape in the Spanish colonies themselves. Not only had the -inhabitants of the provinces learned their own power, but--more -especially in the case of Montevideo--the seeds of commercial liberty -had been sown amongst the local merchants and traders by the English -men of business who had descended upon the place beneath the -protection of the army. That the final leave-taking between the -English and the Uruguayans should have been accompanied by actual -cordiality and regrets is surely an astonishing circumstance that -affords great credit to both sides. There can be no doubt, however, -that this mutual esteem was in the first place fostered by an -appreciation on the part of the residents of British laws and methods -of trading. - -Whether the germs thus left behind would have fructified so rapidly -but for the chaotic condition of the mother-country is doubtful. As it -was, scarcely had the smoke of these actions cleared away when it -became necessary for the patriots of the River Plate Province to look -once again to their primings in view of still more vital occurrences. - - * * * * * - -I do not propose to tell here the full story of the rebellion of the -River Plate Provinces and of the revolution that ended in the complete -overthrow of Spanish power in South America, since I have already -roughly sketched these events elsewhere. So far as the main events are -concerned, the transition from the colonial stage to the condition of -independence was slower in the Banda Oriental than was the process -upon the eastern bank of the great river. In Julio of 1810, when the -Junta of Buenos Aires had already established itself to cast off the -yoke of Spain, Montevideo still remained faithful to the -mother-country, and rejected the advances of the Argentines. - -Thus at the beginning of 1811 Montevideo found itself, if only for a -short while, the seat of the viceroyalty of the La Plata Provinces, -and from that point of vantage Elio, the Viceroy, declared war upon -Buenos Aires. Almost immediately, however, the spirit of independence -became manifest in Uruguay itself, and it is at this juncture that -occurs the name that has perhaps stamped itself most deeply of all -upon the history of the Banda Oriental. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -HISTORY--_continued_ - - The advent of Artigas--First revolutionary movements in - Uruguay--The appointment of leaders--First successes of the - Uruguayans--The germs of future jealousies--Montevideo besieged - by the patriot forces--An incident of the investment--Spain - appeals to Portugal for assistance--Invasion of Uruguay by the - latter--The Buenos Aires Government concludes a treaty with the - Spanish Viceroy--Raising of the siege of Montevideo--Position of - Uruguay--Discontent of the Orientales--The exodus of the - nation--Incidents of emigration to the Argentine - shore--Montevideo in Spanish hands--The country overrun by - Portuguese--Buenos Aires effects a treaty with the - latter--Resumption of the campaign against the - Spaniards--Disputes between the Argentine and Uruguayan - leaders--Montevideo again besieged--Some battle - incidents--Artigas reappears on the scene--Drastic measures - towards an ally--A national Congress convened--Oriental deputies - rebuffed by Buenos Aires--Artigas withdraws from the siege of - Montevideo--Price set upon his head--War declared between Uruguay - and Buenos Aires--The Argentine littoral provinces adhere to - Artigas--Fall of Montevideo. - - -The personality of Artigas, the central figure of the Uruguayan -revolutionary era, is fully described in a later chapter. It is -necessary here, therefore, merely to give the record of historical -occurrences, without laying stress on the individuality of the -Oriental leader, a matter that is not easy of accomplishment, since -the figure of Artigas seems to have dominated the field of action in -whatever direction it lay. - -Shortly after the outbreak of the revolution Artigas, who at the time -was in the Spanish service, joined the patriot ranks after a violent -quarrel with his brigadier. The Oriental fled across the river to -Buenos Aires. Here he received a warm welcome, and was supplied with -armed men and financial aid in order to foment the movement in his -native country. Beyond this he received the official rank of -lieutenant-colonel in the Army of Independence. - -In the meanwhile the first stirrings of the war that was to come had -already shaken Uruguay. With its capital, Montevideo, now the seat of -the viceroyalty, the small province had remained more or less -quiescent, lying, as it were, directly beneath the eye of Imperial -Spain itself. But the awakening, when it occurred, was followed by a -strenuous outbreak of activity. The first important rising took place -at Paysandu, on the banks of the Uruguay River. This was crushed by -the aid of the Spanish war vessels that lay in the stream. But the -inhabitants, not in the least discouraged by this first check, rose -again in greater numbers than before. A body of one hundred gauchos, -ill-armed as it was, captured the town of Mercedes, and then, with -augmented forces, marched on Soriano, which surrendered to them. - -This success was the signal for a general rising throughout the -country. At the beginning of 1811 the Spanish garrison found -themselves in the midst of a definitely hostile population. From one -frontier to another bodies of men were gathering together, forging -weapons from agricultural tools, and arming themselves as best they -could in order that they might take their share in the struggle for -liberation that was already in active being. In March the towns of -Maldonado, San Carlos, and Minas rose, and the country just to the -east of Montevideo itself threw off the Spanish authority and came -into possession of the insurrectionist companies. - -On the 11th of April, 1811, Artigas returned to Uruguay in command of -150 men of the regiment of Patricios, and disembarked in the -neighbourhood of that hub of all strife, Colonia. Here he was welcomed -by a great number of armed countryfolk, who acclaimed him as chief of -the Orientales. The movement now fairly under way, he established his -headquarters at Mercedes. In the meanwhile the germ of future -combinations had already been created by the appointment on the part -of the Buenos Aires patriots of Rondeau as commander of the -Uruguayans. Belgrano, first named for the post, had, disgraced, been -deprived of it since his defeat by the Paraguayans. - -Artigas's first collision with the royal forces occurred at Paso del -Rey, the Spanish army being completely defeated. Reinforced by a -second victorious column, under Benavidez, the Uruguayans followed up -the retreating regulars, and forced them to surrender. - -Artigas, the _Jefe de los Orientales_, had now at his disposal a force -of over a thousand men. Meeting at Las Piedras with a royalist army of -1,230 men, the valour of the new levies was soon put to the test. -Although the Spaniards possessed the advantage of artillery, they were -in the end, after a desperate and prolonged fight that endured for -half a dozen hours, defeated and forced to surrender. - -The doings of the patriotic force came as a blow to the Spanish -authorities at Montevideo. Urged by the first tremblings of the -viceregal throne beneath him, Elio cast about him for an inducement to -turn Artigas from his victorious course. To this end he sent -messengers offering the chieftain a heavy monetary bribe to desert the -patriot cause, and to take service again in the royalist cause. -Whether any offering of any kind would have tempted Artigas is -doubtful. But in any case the tender was eloquent of Elio's want of -acquaintance with the Gaucho temperament, to which the possession of -mere cash constitutes a matter of utter indifference. As it was, -Artigas treated the offer with angry contempt. - -The hour of the patriot leader's triumph was not without its sting. -The battle of Las Piedras had won him the rank of colonel in the -revolutionary forces, it is true; but Belgrano, after Suipacha, had -risen to that of a general. And, although both the Buenos Aires -Government and the official _Gazette_, using the soft soap of courtesy -titles, referred continuously to Artigas by the honorary term of -"General," the bitterness remained to give rise to future strife. - -Three days after his victory Artigas marched to Montevideo, and laid -siege to the headquarters itself of the Spanish regime. As a -preliminary to the operation an exchange of prisoners, wounded and -whole, was effected. Artigas then formally demanded the surrender of -the garrison; Elio responded by various sorties, all of which were -repulsed. The beginning of the siege was marked by a dramatic episode. -Suspecting the revolutionary sympathies of some Franciscan monks -domiciled in Montevideo, Elio decided to expel these from the city. -The Franciscans were led through the streets with the utmost silence -at the dead of night. Arrived at the gates, the officer in charge of -the escort pointed with his sword at some sparks of light that -twinkled faintly in the distance. "Go you with the butchers!" he -commanded, and the priests passed out silently into the darkness to -join the forces of Artigas. Their influence was doubtless exhilarating -to the patriot cause, but there is no evidence to show that it was -employed in the cause of mercy. A few days later forty Uruguayan -families suffered a similar fate. - -In the meanwhile Benavidez had laid siege to Colonia, the garrison of -which, after a month's resistance, escaped by river to Montevideo. It -was upon this latter place that the fortune of the Spanish dominion -now hung. The scale of warfare was increasing in proportion to the -importance of the issue. Shortly after the arrival of the -reinforcements supplied by the Royalist fugitives from Colonia, -Rondeau, in command of the Argentine troops, arrived to take charge of -the attacking force, that now amounted to four thousand men. Artigas, -now one amongst many, dropped in rank from commander to leader of -horse. - -Rondeau had contrived to drag two heavy guns to the spot, and with -these he opened fire upon Montevideo. Galled by a continuous -bombardment, Elio took a more desperate step than was justified even -by his situation. Carlota, the Queen of Portugal and the sister of -Ferdinand VII. of Spain, had been established in Rio de Janeiro since -the invasion of the peninsula by the Napoleonic armies. To her the -Viceroy, seeing the last foothold of power slipping from beneath him, -sent an urgent message for assistance. - -Ere the response to this appeal became evident the condition of the -beleagured town had changed. Discouraged by the serious defeat at -Huaqui of the army of Peru, the revolutionary leaders of Buenos Aires -were already contemplating a retirement from before Montevideo, when -the blow engineered by Elio took effect. A swarm of Portuguese, under -command of General Diego de Souza, entered the Banda Oriental from the -north with the purpose of overrunning the country. The Buenos Aires -Government, appalled by the new turn that affairs had taken, made the -utmost haste to conclude an armistice with Elio. By the terms of the -treaty the patriot forces were to retire from Montevideo, and Spanish -authority was to be recognised throughout Uruguay in exchange for the -return of Souza's forces to Brazil. Thus Elio's unscrupulous move had -succeeded for the time being, and the first siege of Montevideo came -to an end. A month after its conclusion Elio retired to Spain. The -command he had left was now no longer worthy of the highest rank, and -the departed Viceroy was succeeded by Vigodet in the minor capacity of -Captain-General. - -Artigas had from the first bitterly opposed this treaty, by the terms -of which the Orientales were to be left at the mercy of the Royalists. -That he had right upon his side from his own point of view is -undeniable, although it is difficult to see by what other means the -Buenos Aires Government, caught between the Spaniards and the -Brazilians, could have extricated themselves from their dilemma. The -treaty once concluded, however, Artigas initiated a move that in -itself proved the greatness of the man. - -A general assembly of the patriotic Oriental families was sounded. -Obedient to the call, they mustered in numbers that amounted to over -thirteen thousand men, women, and children. Then followed the exodus, -ordained by the stress of events, of which Artigas was the human -instrument. Escorted by three thousand soldiers, the march of the -families began. Carts filled with women and children, herds of cattle, -troops of horses, companies of pack-mules, to say nothing of the -riders themselves--the tragic procession toiled its long length -northwards through the summer dust clouds struck up by the hoofs and -feet from the crude earth roads. Mingled with the slowly advancing -ranks, and lending still greater variety to the whole, went four -hundred faithful Charrua Indians, armed with bolas and spears. - -Over the rolling hills of Uruguay struggled the human thread of -emigrants. Death waited on the column in the shape of heat and -hardship. But, though many children and many aged folk fell by the -way, the great majority won through in safety to Salto, on the banks -of the Uruguay; crossed the great river in boats, and took up their -abode on the Argentine shore, awaiting with anxiety the hour that -might permit their return to their native land. - -In the meantime matters were passing from bad to worse in Uruguay. -Once within its frontiers, the temptations of the promised land -overcame any scruple on the part of the Portuguese concerning a too -rigid adherence to the terms of the treaty. Under the convenient -pretext of pacifying an already deserted country, Souza's army overran -the smiling Campo, capturing towns and plundering where they might. -The Spanish royalists, for their part, remained passive, and the sole -opposition with which the Portuguese armies had to count was that -rendered by the forces of Artigas, sent by him across the river. But, -although they won a victory or two, the slender patriot bands were -unable to stem the tide of invasion to any appreciable degree. - -It is a little curious to remark what an endless wealth of -complications appear to have attended every political move at this -period. In this particular instance the introduction of a new element -was productive of unexpected results. Thus, when the Buenos Aires -Government, realising the gravity of the situation, proposed to send -reinforcements to the assistance of Artigas, the move was checked by -Elio, the Spanish commander, who, forgetful of the ties of blood, -threatened to join cause with the Portuguese in the event of any such -intervention. As an appropriate climax to the chaotic situation, the -Buenos Aires powers turned to Paraguay for assistance. The latter, -inclined to assent, began negotiation with Artigas direct, and, since -the Argentine Government resented this slight upon its authority, and -the negotiations themselves failed to fructify, the only outcome of -importance was an increase in the mutual jealousies that already -existed between Artigas and the Argentines. - -Shortly after this, however, the tables were turned upon the -Spaniards. An able stroke of diplomacy on the part of the famous -Argentine, Belgrano, supported by British influence, resulted in a -treaty with the Portuguese. Thus the Royalists, hoist by a second -edition of their own petard, lay without allies at the mercy of the -patriot forces. - -Preparations for a fresh siege of Montevideo were at once begun. Don -Manuel Sarratea, appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Argentine Army, -marched to the Entre Rios shore to join his columns with those of -Artigas. The inevitable jealousies between the Argentine and Oriental -leaders came to a head almost immediately. Apart from a deep personal -antagonism that separated the pair, a yet more potent reason made the -rupture inevitable. Sarratea, representing the triumvirate of Buenos -Aires, was determined to deal with Uruguay as a province of the new -Republic of Argentina. Artigas, on the other hand, although willing to -acknowledge the authority at Buenos Aires from a federal point of -view, insisted upon the independence of the State. - -It was in these circumstances that Sarratea descended upon Artigas's -mixed camp of soldiers and Uruguayan emigrant families upon the banks -of the Uruguay. The results of the meeting were soon evident. Artigas, -complaining bitterly that Sarratea had seduced from his allegiance -not only his troops but the civilian elements of the settlement, -resigned his colonelcy, and separated his division from the Argentine -forces. The troops now remaining to him numbered rather less than a -thousand men, under the command of Otorgues, Rivera, and Manuel -Artigas. - -In the meanwhile Sarratea, anxious that the credit for the capture of -Montevideo should fall to his lot, had dispatched a force under -Rondeau to lay siege once again to the town of contention that -represented the headquarters of the Royalists. Arriving at the spot, -he found that his task had already been forestalled to a certain -extent by an independent Oriental, Jose Eugenio Culta. The latter -_caudillo_, spurred onwards by the numerous examples of reckless -initiative offered by the period, had collected a band of three -hundred Gauchos. With these kindred spirits he was busily occupied in -harassing the garrison to no little purpose. - -With the arrival of Rondeau, in October of 1812, the siege of the -devoted city began on an imposing scale, the army employed for the -purpose soon amounting to two thousand men. Destined to drag out its -length for almost two years, the first few months of the siege were -marked by two events of importance. Vigodet, having received -reinforcements from Spain, made a vigorous sally on the last day of -the year. At early dawn sixteen hundred men burst out from the gates -of the city, surprising and routing the besieging forces as they went, -until they won the summit of the Cerrito hill itself, the headquarters -of the American forces. With the yellow and red of Spain flaunting -from this the Royalists forgot all but their success, and expended -their energies in a jubilation that cost them dear. For Rondeau, -gathering together his fugitive troops with an amazing rapidity, fell -like a thunderbolt upon the cheering crowd, whose joyful clamour -turned to groans and death gasps as the stricken mass went reeling -back into the city. - -An event of still greater importance occurred during the first month -of the following year. Sarratea himself then journeyed to the camp -before Montevideo. But he had company behind that he could not have -failed to regard with considerable unease. Notwithstanding his late -check, Artigas still remained a power to be reckoned with. Indeed, his -vitality had risen to the occasion; he had flung out his summons far -and wide, and his power was now infinitely greater than before. Thus, -when Sarratea set out for Montevideo, Artigas followed grimly in his -wake, having now no mean instrument by means of which to assert his -rights--an army of five thousand men. - -Arriving on the heels of his enemy at the point of hostilities, -Artigas was not slow to act. Taking full measure of his advantage, he -sent peremptorily to Rondeau, demanding the immediate dismissal of -Sarratea from his office of Commander-in-Chief. The order thus given -to a subordinate to deal with his superior was quite in accordance -with the spirit of the times. - -As Rondeau, however, did not immediately comply, Artigas took a very -simple measure by which to prove that he did not intend to ask in -vain. His Gauchos dashed full gallop into Sarratea's camp, and drove -off with them all the horses that they found within the establishment. -Seeing that a Gaucho army, unhorsed, is as a collection of fish on dry -land, the matter was definitely settled by the act. Sarratea retired -with the best grace he could muster to Buenos Aires, Rondeau remained -in command, and the Oriental and Argentine leaders sat down to -continue the investment of Montevideo, one jealous eye of each upon -his fellow-chief, the other fixed more casually upon the beleaguered -town. - -During the comparative lull in active hostilities that followed -Artigas busied himself in the affairs of the State that he was -determined to see fully created. To this end he convened a national -Congress of Uruguayans, of which he was, as a matter of course, -elected President, in addition to being created Military Governor of -the country. One of the first acts of the new Congress was to -advertise its existence by the mission of deputies to the Junta at -Buenos Aires. But, the Junta refusing to recognise either an -independent Uruguay or its agents, the deputies returned home to -spread the tale of the rebuff, and to increase the bitterness that -already lay so deep between the Buenos Aires authorities and Artigas. - -In January, 1814, the long series of incessant disputes was brought -abruptly to a head by Artigas. In the dead of night he struck his hide -tents, mounted his men, and his entire force rode away over the hills, -leaving Rondeau and his army to continue the siege of Montevideo as -best they might. The Buenos Aires authorities, furious at the -defection, placed a price upon Artigas's head; and the Gaucho leader, -equally incensed at this personal ultimatum, retaliated by declaring -open war upon the Junta. Storming against the Buenos Airens, this born -leader of men took his body--valued by his enemies at six thousand -pesos, alive or dead--along the coast of the great river. So -successful were his denunciations and the missions of his ambassadors -that not only the littoral provinces of Entre Rios, Corrientes, and -Santa Fe came spontaneously to his standard, but the comparatively -remote province of Cordoba, following the example of the rest, -proffered its allegiance. - -It was not long ere the news of the rupture reached the ears of -Vigodet in Montevideo. Thinking to derive profit from the occasion, he -made a final appeal to throw in his lot with the royal forces. The -Gaucho leader in his refusal is stated to have said that "with the -Portenos [Buenos Airens] there was always time for reconciliation; -with the Spaniards, never!" That the time for the former consummation -was not yet ripe was evidenced by the almost immediate outbreak of -active hostilities between the rival South American parties. - -In the meanwhile Montevideo was giving out the last gasp of its -imperial existence. The Spanish fleet that had assisted in its defence -had been destroyed by Admiral Brown, the famous Irishman in Argentine -service. Hunger and the lack of general necessaries both of livelihood -and of war completed the work of arms. On the 20th June, 1814, -Montevideo, after suffering intense privations, capitulated, and with -its fall passed for ever the last vestige of Spanish power from the -provinces of the River Plate. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -HISTORY--_continued_ - - Conclusion of Spanish rule--Situation of the victors--Rival - claims--Alvear defeats a Uruguayan force--Montevideo remains in - possession of Buenos Aires--Rural Uruguay supports - Artigas--Alliance of the Argentine littoral provinces with the - Orientales--Some intrigues and battles--Success of the - Uruguayans--Departure from Montevideo of the Buenos Aires - garrison--The Uruguayans enter into possession of their - capital--Some crude methods of government--Trials of the - inhabitants--Growth of Artigas's power--The Buenos Aires - directors undertake a propitiatory measure--A grim human - offering--Attitude of the Uruguayan Protector--Negotiations and - their failure--The civil progress of Uruguay--Formation of - departments--The Portuguese invade the country once - again--Condition of the inhabitants--Fierce resistance to the - invaders--A campaign against heavy odds--The Portuguese army - enters Montevideo--War continued by the provinces--Invasion of - Brazil by the Oriental forces--Crushing defeats suffered by the - army of invasion--Final struggles--The flight of Artigas--Uruguay - passes under Portuguese rule. - - -The defeated eagle was fluttering slowly homeward with broken wing. -But its departure did not leave the battlefield empty. It was the turn -now of the victorious hawks to rend each other. Alvear had arrived -from Buenos Aires, and was now in charge of the newly won city. -Scarcely had he begun his work of organisation, however, when -Otorgues, Artigas's chief lieutenant, appeared at Las Piedras in the -neighbourhood of the capital, and in the name of his leader demanded -that the place should be handed over to the Uruguayans. Alvear's -answer was unexpected and to the point. Marching his army through the -darkness, he fell upon Otorgues's forces in the middle of the night, -shattering them completely. - -Thus the Buenos Aires authorities remained for the time being masters -of the city. As for their sway, the Montevideans broke out into bitter -complaints that the Spanish dominion had been liberal and lenient by -comparison. However this may have been, it is certain that those -families noted for their allegiance to Artigas were subjected to -severe penalties and restrictions. - -Nevertheless the situation of the advocates of centralisation had now -become critical. By a curious irony of fate the position of the Junta -was exactly identical with that formerly held by the Spaniards. -Montevideo lay in its power; but the remainder of the Banda Oriental -as well as the Argentine provinces of Entre Rios, Correntes, and Santa -Fe were completely subject to Artigas. Alive to the growing power of -the Protector, the Buenos Aires Government opened negotiations for a -treaty, flinging out in the first place an olive-branch in the shape -of a degree not only relieving the head of the Gaucho leader of the -dollars set upon it, but in addition proclaiming him to the world as -_buen servidor de la patria_--"a worthy servant of the country." A -meeting at Montevideo resulted in the evacuation of Montevideo on the -part of nearly the entire Buenos Aires garrison. These departed by -river; but, instead of returning to Buenos Aires, the troops landed at -Colonia, marched inland to Minas, fell upon Otorgues, whose camp lay -in that district, and completely routed the force of the unsuspecting -lieutenant. - -This achieved, the victorious army set out in search of Rivera, -another of Artigas's commanders, who had recently surprised and -destroyed a Buenos Aires column. In this latter leader, however, -Dorrego, the Junta general, met with more than his match, and, -suffering many casualties, was forced to retire to Colonia. Sallying -out from here with reinforcements a little later, he was utterly -defeated, and fled in haste to Corrientes, accompanied by some score -of men who formed the sole remnant of his entire army. - -Just as the fall of Montevideo crowned the doom of the Spanish power, -so this final disaster marked the end of the occupation of the town by -the Buenos Aires Government. A little more than a month after the -event the troops of the garrison sailed across to Buenos Aires. The -following day Fernando Otorgues entered the place at the head of his -troops. The advent of the new Military Governor was hailed with -enthusiasm by the inhabitants. The unfurling of Artigas's blue and -white standard with its red bar was answered by illuminations and -fireworks by the citizens. - -For the first time in its history the capital of Uruguay lay beneath -the command of a Uruguayan. By one of the first acts of the new regime -a national coat of arms was instituted, and a flaming proclamation -promised nothing short of the millennium. All this would have been -very well had it not been necessary for this new benignity to be put -immediately to the test. It then became evident to the depressed -Montevideans that with each change of rulers their load of evils had -increased. With his talents essentially confined to the field of -battle, there was probably no man in Uruguay who possessed less of the -lamb in his disposition than Otorgues. The temperaments of his -subordinates, reckless at the best of times, had been further excited -by merciless warfare. Thus the inhabitants, at the mercy of the -utterly licentious Gaucho soldiers, continued to groan for relief in -vain. - -Artigas himself had not approached the city. From points of vantage -along the great river system he had ceaselessly harassed the forces of -the Junta, until Alvear, its director, goaded to exasperation, -collected into an army every soldier that he could spare, and, -determined to put all to the hazard, sent the imposing expedition -against the Gaucho leader. The adventure involved complete disaster to -the director. Ere it had passed the frontiers of Buenos Aires -Province, the army, encouraged by Artigas, revolted, and its chief, -Colonel Alvarez Thomas, returned to Buenos Aires to depose Alvear, -with whose office he invested himself. - -The power of the famous Oriental chief had now reached its zenith. The -new director, Alvarez Thomas, acutely conscious of the Protector's -power, thought of nothing beyond conciliation. Among the measures -employed was one that redounded very little to his credit. Not -satisfied with the public burning of the various proclamations hostile -to the _Caudillo_, he bethought himself of a stake that should win for -ever the regard of Artigas. To this end he arrested the seven chief -friends of Alvear, and sent them as a combined sacrifice and -peace-offering to Artigas's encampment. As a specimen of grim and -sycophantic courtesy the callousness of the offering of seven bodies -can scarcely have been exceeded in the world's history. But Artigas, -contrary to the Director's expectation, failed to make the intended -use of the gifts. Indeed, he treated them with no little -consideration, and sent them back whence they came, bidding them tell -Thomas that the General Artigas was no executioner. - -The next move was of the legitimately political order. The voluntary -acknowledgment of the independence of Uruguay was offered in exchange -for the abandonment of the protectorate over the provinces of Entre -Rios, Santa Fe, Cordoba, and Corrientes. This was also refused by -Artigas, who maintained that the provinces of the River Plate should, -though self-governing, be indissolubly linked. - -During all this time Artigas remained at his encampment at Hervidero -on the banks of the Uruguay River. From thence by a system of -organisation that, though crude, was marvellously effective, he -manipulated the affairs of the extensive region under his command, -jealously watching the moves of doubtful friends and open enemies, and -keeping his armed bands of remorseless Gauchos ceaselessly on the -alert. - -This continual state of minor warfare, however, did not altogether -exclude the attention to civil matters. In addition to some tentative -measures of administration in Cordoba and the Argentine littoral -provinces, Uruguay was partitioned off into six departments, to each -of which was allotted its Cabildo and general mechanism of government. -These attempts naturally represented nothing more than a drop of -progress in the ocean of chaos; but there is no reason to doubt that -Artigas undertook the new and peaceable campaign with no little -measure of whole-heartedness. In any case the new era proved as -fleeting as any of its predecessors. It was the turn of the Portuguese -once again to set in motion the wheel of fate upon which the destinies -of Uruguay were revolving with such giddy rapidity. - -It was in 1816 that the Portuguese invaded Uruguay for the second time -since the natives of the land had started on their campaign of -self-government. Their armies marched south from Brazil with the -ostensible object of putting an end to the anarchy that they alleged -was rampant under the rule of Artigas. The condition of the country -was undoubtedly lamentable. Harassed by hordes of marauding soldiery -or acknowledged bandits, the safety of lives and homes without the -more immediate range of Artigas's influence was even more precarious -than had been the case during the recent period of wild turmoil. - -It is true that in the districts bordering on the headquarters of the -Gaucho chief at Hervidero matters were very different. Indeed, so -severe was the discipline imposed by the Caudillo, and so terrible the -penalties following on theft, that it is said that beneath his iron -rule a purse of gold might have been left on the public highway with -as little chance of its removal as though it lay within the vaults of -a bank. - -But notwithstanding the disorder that prevailed in so many quarters, -the disinterestedness of the motives that caused the Portuguese -intervention need not be taken too seriously. There can be no doubt -that the real object of the invasion was territorial possession rather -than the amelioration of a state of turbulence that concerned Brazil -to a very minor degree. To this end an imposing army of twelve -thousand men marched southwards, striking Uruguay at the central point -of its northern frontier. - -Artigas braced himself for a desperate struggle, the final result of -which could scarcely be doubtful. In order to distract the attention -of the advancing army he became in turn the invader, and sent a force -northwards to invade the Misiones territory that, lost to the Banda -Oriental, now formed part of Brazil. The manoeuvre, though adroit, was -rendered futile by the preponderance of the foreign troops. In a short -while the scene of the conflict was transferred to the home country. -Here the entire collection of Artigas's mixed forces made a stand. Men -of pure Spanish descent, Gauchos, Indians, negroes, and a sprinkling -of emigrant foreigners beyond--all these fought with a desperation -that was in the first place rewarded by several victories. No human -effort, however, could stave off the final result. Andresito, a famous -Indian leader, Rivera, Latorre, and Artigas himself were in turn -defeated, and in February of 1817 Lecor, at the head of the Portuguese -army, entered Montevideo in triumph. - -The fall of the capital did not end the war. Throughout the provinces -the resistance continued unabated. On the water, too, the Uruguayans -asserted themselves with no little success, and it is amazing to read -that one or two of their privateers with the utmost hardihood sailed -across the ocean to the coasts of Portugal itself, making several -captures within sight of the Iberian cliffs. Indeed, that the -authority of Artigas was still recognised to a certain degree is -proved by a treaty between his Government and Great Britain that was -concluded several months after the loss of Montevideo. - -It was not long, however, ere the inevitable complications arose to -render the situation yet more hopeless. The perennial disputes with -Buenos Aires became embittered to such a degree that Artigas, in -sublime disregard of the Portuguese forces already in the country, -declared war against the Directorate. The primary outcome of this was -the defection of several of his leaders, who, as a matter of fact, -foreseeing the reckless declaration, had espoused the Buenos Aires -cause just previous to its publication. - -The sole hope of Artigas now lay in the provinces of Entre Rios and -Corrientes. Even here had occurred a wavering that had necessitated a -crushing by force ere a return to allegiance had been brought about. -With these and the remaining Oriental forces he continued the -struggle. But the tide of his fortune had turned. The beginning of the -year 1818 witnessed the capture of two of his foremost lieutenants, -Otorgues and Lavalleja, who were sent by the Portuguese to an island -in the Bay of Rio de Janeiro. As a last effort, Artigas, daring the -aggressive even at this stage, hurled his intrepid Gauchos and -Misiones Indians once more over the frontier into Brazilian territory -itself. A brilliant victory was followed by the inevitable retreat in -the face of immensely superior forces. At Tacuarembo, in the north of -the Banda Oriental, fell the blow that virtually ended the campaign. -Here Artigas's army, under the command of Latorre, was surprised and -completely routed with a loss that left the force non-existent for -practical purposes. Shortly after this Rivera surrendered to the -Portuguese, and with his submission went the last hope of success. - -Artigas crossed the River Uruguay, and took up a position in Entre -Rios. The hour of his doom had struck; but even then, with his forces -shattered and crushed, he refused to bow to the inevitable. With -extraordinary doggedness he scoured Entre Rios, Corrientes, and -Misiones in an endeavour to sweep up the remaining few that the -battles had spared, and yet once again to lead them against the -Portuguese. But on this occasion there was no response. Sullen and -despairing, the majority of the remnant turned from him, and in the -end his officer Ramirez, Governor of Entre Rios, threw off his -allegiance, and came with an expedition to expel him from the country. - -Devoting themselves to this narrowed campaign, the two Gaucho leaders -assailed each other with fury. Victory in the first instance lay with -Artigas, despite his diminished following. Ramirez, however, received -reinforcements from the Buenos Aires authorities, who had thrown the -weight of their influence against their old enemy. It was against the -allied forces that Artigas fought his last battle. When it was evident -even to his indomitable spirit that all hope was at an end he marched -northwards with a couple of hundred troops who remained faithful in -the hour of adversity to the once all-powerful Protector. - -At Candelaria he crossed the Parana, and sought the hospitality of -Gaspar Rodriguez Francia, the dreaded Dictator of Paraguay. The latter -first of all imprisoned the fugitive--probably more from force of -habit than from any other reason, since Francia was accustomed to fill -his dungeons as lightly as a fishwife her basket with herrings. - -After a very short period of incarceration, however, the autocrat came -to a definite determination regarding his attitude towards the -fugitive who had sought his protection. Releasing him, he treated him -with a certain degree of liberality as well as with respect. Artigas -was allotted a humble dwelling in the township of Curuguaty, far to -the north of Asuncion, and in addition he was granted a moderate -pension upon which to live. Here the old warrior, enjoying the deep -regard of his neighbours, ended his days in peace, while the tortured -Uruguay was incorporated with Brazil and passed under Portuguese -rule. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -ARTIGAS - - The human product of a turbulent era--Historical verdicts - disagree--Opinions of Uruguayan and foreign - historians--High-flown tribute--The cleansing of Artigas's - fame--Prejudices of some local accounts--Uruguay at the time of - Artigas's birth--Surroundings of his youth--Smuggling as a - profession--Growth of his influence--His name becomes a household - word--Artigas enters the Spanish service--The corps of - Blandengues--Efficiency and promotion--Quarrel with the Spanish - General--Artigas throws in his lot with the patriot forces--His - success as a leader of men--Rank accorded him--Jealousy between - Artigas and the Buenos Aires generals--Conflicting ambitions--The - Portuguese invasion--Artigas leads the Oriental nation to the - Argentine shore--The encampment at Ayui--Scarcity of arms and - provisions--Battles with the Portuguese--The subalterns of - Artigas--Otorgues and Andresito--Crude governmental - procedure--Arbitrary decrees--The sentiments of Artigas--His love - of honesty--Progress of the war--Complications of the - campaign--Artigas as Protector--The encampment of - Hervidero--Revolting tales--The exaggeration of history--Artigas - refuses honour--His proclamations--Simple life of the - commander--Some contemporary accounts--The national - treasury--Final desperate struggles against the - Portuguese--Rebellion of Ramirez--Fierce battles--Extraordinary - recuperative power of the Protector--Final defeat of - Artigas--Flight to Paraguay--The Protector in retirement. - - -The name of Artigas stands for that of the national hero of Uruguay. -Within the frontiers of the River Plate countries and of Southern -Brazil no such introduction would be necessary, since in those places -have raged controversies as fierce as any of the battles in which the -old warrior took part. To the average English reader, however, his -name is necessarily unfamiliar, although it crops up now and again in -the records of travellers who visited South America during the first -quarter of the eighteenth century. - -Artigas was essentially the product of a turbulent era. Born in 1764, -he had remained comparatively obscure until forty-six years later, -when the outbreak of the South American War of Independence sent him -aloft with dramatic rapidity to a pinnacle of prominence from which he -ruled nations and armies--with a result that is yet the subject of -considerable dispute. - -Perhaps never did the memory of a man meet with more honour in his own -country, and with less favour without it. Argentine historians and -European travellers of all nationalities have included him within the -dark fold of the world's great criminals. From the mill of their -analysis Artigas emerges as a bandit, murderer, traitor, a criminal -who seized with audacity each of his thousand opportunities to outrage -the laws of morality and decency. Apart from the testimony of the -noted historians, two Swiss naturalists, Rengger and Longchamps, who -penetrated to his country and whose report should be unbiassed, speak -of him as one "whose life has been only a tissue of horrors, the great -instrument of all the calamities which for ten years fell on the -provinces of the confederation of Rio de la Plata." These convictions -are echoed by a score of other authorities. - -For the other side of the picture it is necessary to turn to the -Uruguayan writers. Their views are at least as definite and unanimous -as the others. According to one, Eduardo Munoz Ximinez, "the austerity -of Cato, the purity of Aristides, the temperament of the Gracchi, the -nobility of Camillus, the generosity of Fabricius--these virtues, -allied to heroism and determination, have been found united within -the breast of none but Artigas." This represents but a solitary note, -typical of the great chorus of praise that goes up from Uruguay. - -Artigas, living, had little concern with compromise; dead, his spirit -seems to have infected his historians with the same dislike of -half-measures. In other respects this particular strand of history is -as flexible as all the rest. For generations the feathers of Artigas's -fame remained of undisputed black; now the active protests of the -Uruguayans have initiated a cleansing process that promises to change -the plumes to too blinding a white. Such impartial judgment as is -possible induces the persuasion that the Argentine and foreign -chroniclers, though writing in all good faith, have erred a little in -relying too much upon the testimony of men who bore bitter personal -enmity towards the Uruguayan leader. Artigas, in fact, reveals himself -from out of the cloud of conflicting authorities as an essentially -human being, swayed by the passions of the age and knowing many of its -faults, wild as the age itself, but less sordid and more picturesque, -and the author of some deeds, moreover, that, worked in the light of a -more central and populous field, might well have sent his name to -posterity with more assured honour. - -Artigas was born at a time that, by courtesy, was termed one of peace. -A treaty of the previous year had for a short while changed the open -warfare between the Spaniards and Portuguese into an unofficial series -of aggressions and frontier skirmishes. Scarcely, however, had the -future Protector of Uruguay attained to his twelfth year when the war -broke out again, thus adding fresh fuel to the ceaseless minor hatreds -and private feuds. Brought up, as one of his own apologists admits, in -an atmosphere of rapine, revenge, and violence, the early -surroundings of Artigas were sufficient to prepare him for the grim -part he was destined to play. He could, moreover, lay claim to an -especial sentimental stake in the country, since forty years before -the date of his birth his grandfather had formed one of the heads of -seven families who were sent from Buenos Aires in order to found the -town of Montevideo. - -Artigas, attained to manhood, became noted for physical prowess. As -was inevitable in such a land, his unequalled tricks of horsemanship -and feats of strength soon gave him an ascendency over the companions -of his own age. Since Artigas himself vouchsafed little information on -the subject, the details of this early career are at best vague. His -enemies assert that he turned brigand, and captained a band of -desperadoes. It is now practically certain that this was not the case, -but that he devoted himself to smuggling there is no doubt. It must be -remembered that in those days contraband was not necessarily a -commerce of reproach. Although its active agents were essentially of a -reckless type, there were others of considerable standing who were -more or less directly interested in a traffic that they held a -legitimate and profitable protest against the repressive fiscal -measures of Spain. - -It was in the sparsely populated hill country of the north that -Artigas first learned to control men and to command expeditions. Once -fairly settled to the work, unusually numerous convoys of laden horses -and mules passed stealthily southwards from Brazil through the -valleys, forests, and streams of the frontier districts, for the -daring ventures of the Uruguayan leader met with phenomenal success. -As a result his influence steadily increased among both the men of his -own race and the semi-civilised Indians of the neighbourhood. The -personality of the man with the hawk nose, blue eyes, and fair skin -possessed the rare faculty of inspiring his followers with personal -affection as well as with admiration. As the years went on his name -began to ring in every mud cabin and reed hut, and the numbers of his -adherents attained to formidable proportions. - -In the meanwhile the general disorder of the country had increased to -a pitch that demanded active measures for its repression. In 1797 the -Spanish authorities raised a special corps of Blandengues, whose -duties were fairly comprehensive. Picked men, they served as cavalry, -police, as guards against Indian raids, and as a force to repress the -smugglers. Imbued with a wholesome respect for his power, the -Montevidean Government approached Artigas by way of the line of least -resistance. The Uruguayan accepted an invitation to join the corps, -and soon proved himself its most capable and efficient officer. - -Thus we see Artigas in the blue-and-red uniform of the Blandengues, -armed with a lance that sported a steel crescent below its point, -chasing smugglers instead of being chased, arresting criminals, -fighting with intruding Brazilians, and slaying rebellious Indians -with the precautionary enthusiasm of the period. His vindication of -justice was now as thorough as had formerly been his evasion of the -fiscal laws. In 1802 a rapid series of promotion created him _Guarda -General de la Campana_, or guardian officer general of the rural -districts. We next hear of him as taking part with his regiment -against the British invaders of the country in 1807. Then, in 1810, -began the South American War of Independence, and with its outbreak -dawned the true career of the Uruguayan popular hero. - -It was not, however, until nine months or so after the commencement of -the campaign that Artigas threw in his lot with the patriot forces. -The immediate cause was a quarrel with his superior officer, the -Spanish General Muesa. Artigas, whose spirit was not tempered to -verbal chastisement, gave back word for word, until the incensed -general threatened to send him in chains to the neighbouring island of -San Gabriel. That night the offended officer of Blandengues crossed -the broad River Plate in a small boat, was received with acclamation -by the Argentine leaders, and with their aid prepared an expedition -that should free his country from the Spaniard. The motives that -brought about this sudden adherence to the party of independence have -been much in dispute. Hostile critics assert that the change of front -was merely vindictive, and that it was the revengeful fruit of wounded -pride that sent him to the patriot ranks. His supporters declare -positively that the dispute was of importance only in so far as it -gave him reason for the long desired severance of the link that bound -him to the Spanish service. - -Be this how it may, the figure of Artigas now looms with vastly -increased bulk from the field of River Plate history. He is in command -of armies now--which is the lot of many--winning battles with them, -moreover, which is the luck of few. His official rank is that of -Colonel, but the title of General is accorded him by all alike, -whether his superiors or inferiors in grade. As for his own folk of -Uruguay, they have grown to regard him as a being of almost superhuman -power, and follow him with a devoted affection that speaks well for -the temperament of the leader. - -Indeed, it was at this period that the famous Uruguayan was first -enabled to show his true mettle. His armies knew little of the pomp of -war. The ragged companies looked up to a chief whose garb was little -more warlike and pretentious than their own. The goodwill, however, -that prevailed in the midst of the Uruguayan armies was not shared by -the leaders of the united forces. Jealousy between Artigas and the -Buenos Aires generals had already caused a breach that political -dissensions rapidly widened. Nations were in the making, and the -process was attended by an almost inevitable bitterness. Buenos Aires -urged a united republic, with its own town as the centre of -government. Artigas strongly opposed this plan, proposing in its place -a bond of self-governing provinces. Recriminations and threats were -bandied to and fro between the rival patriots while the Spaniards, -though closely besieged, yet retained Montevideo, and even while the -Portuguese were moving from Brazil to the assistance of the -monarchists. - -At length the Portuguese peril loomed sufficiently large to outweigh -every other consideration. With a view to stemming the foreign tide of -invasion, the Buenos Airens patched up a treaty with the Spanish -troops in Montevideo. The despairing measure was doubtless one of -necessity, but it aroused deep passion in the mind of the Uruguayan -leader, who protested that his country was forsaken, and given over -once again to the mercies of the Spaniards. Collecting every available -man, woman, and child, he led them to the north-west, and passed the -great exodus over the River Uruguay to a haven of safety at Ayui, upon -the Entre Rios shore. Meanwhile, Uruguay was overrun by the invading -Portuguese and by the released Spaniards, who eddied out in all -directions from Montevideo. - -Artigas was now encamped for the first time with a translated nation -and an independent army of his own. The condition of both was grimly -tragic, pathetically humorous. For fourteen months almost the only -shelter, that served for all alike, was afforded by the branches of -the trees and the boards of the carts that had brought them. As for -the army, it was composed of strangely heterogeneous elements. Honest -countryfolk rubbed shoulders with professional criminals and -cut-throats; Indians from the destroyed Jesuit missions went side by -side with fierce-faced Gauchos; while townsmen, negroes, and a few -adventurous foreigners made up the mixed gathering. - -The men were in deadly earnest, since the example of Artigas seems to -have inspired even the most depraved with a spark from his own fire. -Had it been otherwise they would undoubtedly have succumbed to the -disadvantages with which they had to contend. Arms were scarce. A -certain favoured few were possessed of muskets and swords; but the -weapon in chief use was the lance, the national arm of River Plate -folk, the point of which, here at Ayui, was usually fashioned from the -blade of shears or a knife, or from the iron of some other -agricultural instrument. Many, however, had perforce to be content -with a long knife, with the lasso and the sling--the _boleadores_--as -subsidiary weapons. Yet even these proved by no means despicable in -the hands of the men whose sole garment was the ragged remnant of a -poncho tied about the waist, and who exercised with poles in -preparation for the time when a musket should be in their hands. - -It was with the aid of an army such as this that Artigas would cross -the river to make his incursions among the hills of his native -country, and would engage Portuguese and Spaniards alike in battles -from which the desperate and motley companies of men would frequently -emerge victorious. Artigas was now assisted by numerous minor chiefs, -many of whom were of a character quite unfitted to stand the light of -day. Otorques and Andresito were the most noted of these. The methods -of the former were utterly brutal. Although the fact is contradicted, -he is credited by many with the order to a subaltern officer to "cut -the throats of two Spaniards a week in order to preserve the morale. -Failing Spaniards, take two Buenos Airens for the purpose"! - -Andresito was an Indian from the deserted Jesuit missions who -commanded a considerable force of his own race. He appears to have -interspersed his dark deeds with some evidence of better qualities and -even of a grim humour. A coarse instance of this latter is supplied -when he entered the town of Corrientes in the heyday of Artigas's -power. On this occasion the Indian troops behaved with no little -restraint towards the terrified inhabitants, and contented themselves -with levying contributions towards the clothing of the almost naked -army. This accomplished, Andresito determined to exhibit the social -side of his temperament. He organised several religious dramas, and -followed these by a ball in honour of the principal residents of the -town. These, however, failed to attend, their reluctance to dancing -with Indians overcoming their prudence. On learning the reason from -some crassly honest person, the enraged Andresito caused these too -particular folk to be mustered in the main plaza of the town. There he -obliged the men to scour the roadway, while the ladies were made to -dance with the Indian troops. - -Although no merit or subtlety can be claimed for such methods, -they at all events stand apart from the rest in their lack of -bloodthirstiness. Compared with the sentiments revealed in a -proclamation of Otorgues in taking possession of Montevideo, the -procedure at Corrientes seems innocuous and tame. One of the clauses -of this document decrees the execution within two hours of any -citizen who should speak or write in favour of any other government, -while the same fate was promised to one "who should directly or -indirectly attack the liberty of the Province"! The humour in the -employment of the word "liberty" is, of course, totally unconscious. - -Such proclamations, naturally, served purely and simply as a licence -for convenient murder. Employing lieutenants of the kind, it is -little wonder that much of the guilt of their accumulated deeds -should be undeservedly heaped upon Artigas's head. Not that the -Commander-in-Chief himself was inclined to put a sentimental value -upon human life; indeed, a delicacy on this point would be impossible -in one who had passed through the scenes of his particular calling. In -any case his hatred of robbery was deep-rooted and sincere. After the -execution of three criminals of this type, he proclaims to his people -at Ayui: "My natural aversion to all crime, especially to the horrible -one of robbery, and my desire that the army should be composed of -honourable citizens ... has moved me to satisfy justice by means of a -punishment as sad as it is effectual." A little later he makes a -similar appeal, adding, "if there be remaining amongst you one who -does not harbour sentiments of honour, patriotism, and humanity, let -him flee far from the army he dishonours"! Here we get the flowers of -the south, earnestly thrown, but alighting in too earthy a bed! The -poor army, with its impoverished, ragged loin-cloths, and with its -lassos and slings, undoubtedly valued the occasional luxury of a full -stomach at least as highly as the abstract virtues. Yet they probably -heard the words with sincere admiration, feeling an added pride in -their beloved leader who could employ such phrases. In any -case--whether as a result of punishments or proclamations--the crime -of robbery soon became rare almost to extinction within the sphere of -Artigas's influence. - -The war itself was each month growing more savage in character. Such -virtues as the Uruguayan army possessed were recognised least of all -by the Spaniards. Elio, the Viceroy, had erected a special gallows in -Montevideo for the benefit of any prisoners that might be captured, -while Vigodet, his successor, endeavoured to strike terror by measures -of pure barbarity. By his order a body of cavalry scoured the -countryside, slaying all those suspected of Artiguenian leanings, and -exposing the quartered portions of their bodies at prominent places by -the roadside. Each patriot, moreover, carried a price upon his head. -It is not to be wondered at that the Uruguayan forces made reprisals, -and that corpses replaced prisoners of war. - -A renewed campaign waged by the Buenos Aires forces against the -Spaniards was the signal for the abandonment of the settlement at -Ayui. Once again the Royalists were shut up within the walls of -Montevideo, and at the beginning of 1813 Artigas, with his men, -marched down from the north to take part in the siege. The Uruguayan -came now as an assured ruler of his own people; the Buenos Aires -commanders regarded him as a unit in a greater system. The result was -the inevitable quarrel, and a year from the inception of the -operations Artigas took the most decisive step in his career. He gave -no warning of his move. The evening before had witnessed his -particular portion of the field covered with horses and men. The next -morning saw the ground bare and deserted: Artigas and his army were -already many leagues away. - -[Illustration: MONTEVIDEO AND THE CERRO HILL.] - -[Illustration: "AFTER CATTLE." -To face p. 88.] - -From that moment Artigas became virtual king of a torn and struggling -realm. The Buenos Aires authorities, incensed at his defection, placed -a price of six thousand dollars on his head, continuing meanwhile -the siege of Montevideo. Artigas retaliated by a formal declaration of -war upon the central Government. The hostile ramifications were now -sufficiently involved to satisfy the most warlike spirit. Artigas was -fighting the Buenos Airens and Portuguese, and was only prevented from -coming to close grips with the Spaniards by the fact that the -intervening Buenos Aires armies had already taken that task upon -themselves. As it was, the influence of the national hero spread out -to the west with an amazing rapidity, passing beyond the Uruguay -River, and holding good upon the remote side of the great Parana -stream itself. In a very short while his dominions in Argentine -territory assumed an extent four times greater than that of his native -country. The provinces of Entre Rios, Corrientes, Santa Fe, and -Cordoba welcomed his new tricolour standard with enthusiasm. - -Thus Artigas was now ruler of 350,000 square miles, with the exception -of the various odd points of vantage held by the remaining three -contending powers. - -The fall of Montevideo and the final ejection of the Spaniards from -the soil was followed by the retirement of the Buenos Aires armies to -their own country. Thus to Artigas's realm was added the necessary -complement of a capital and some seagoing ships that served as the -nucleus of a national navy. The ex-smuggler was now at the zenith of -his power. It is at this point that he affords by far the most -interesting picture, since the amazing medley of sentiments for which -his character was responsible were now given full play. Caring nothing -for pomp and ceremony, he sent Otorgues to rule Montevideo, while his -other chiefs assumed control of the various districts throughout the -provinces. He himself, true to his Gaucho upbringing, avoided all -towns, and finally settled himself in the north-west of Uruguay. On a -tableland by the banks of the great river, some score of miles to the -south of Salto, he established a camp from which he directed the -policy of the five provinces that owned to his rule. - -In the neighbourhood of this encampment of Hervidero was another, in -which were confined those prisoners whose offences were not considered -worthy of immediate death. Serving as it did to cleanse doubtful minds -of rebellion, it was christened by the euphuistic name of -Purificacion. There is no doubt that the methods employed for this -exalted purpose often ended fatally for the unfortunates experimented -upon. The popular tales of the deeds done at both encampments are -extraordinarily revolting. Two phrases of jocular slang then much in -use throw a lurid light upon the callousness of the period. "To play -the violin" referred to the cutting of a human throat; "to play the -viola" signified the severance of a live man's body--both gruesomely -accurate similes. Men are said to have been flung wholesale into the -river, attached to stones, and a peculiarly agonising form of death -was engineered in the sewing up of a living victim in the hide of a -freshly killed bullock, which was then exposed to the sun. The result -was shrinkage, and suffocation for the miserable wretch within the -reeking covering, an ending that was dubbed "the waistcoat" by a touch -of similar humour. Numerous evidences of individuality, moreover, were -evident in the various forms of punishment. Thus a certain Colonel -Perugorria, who lay under a charge of treason, was, until his -execution, chained to a post, as though he were a dog, by means of an -iron collar round his neck, to which the steel links were attached. - -Many of Artigas's supporters roundly deny the perpetration of these -horrors; yet there is little doubt that many such acts were committed -throughout the various provinces. To what extent they received the -sanction of Artigas is far more uncertain. The probability is that he -strongly discouraged wanton torture, although it lay beyond even such -powers as his to hold back the Gaucho passions when they were fiercest -and to prevent the merciless acts of revenge. Many eye-witnesses have -related that he exhibited emotion and pity at the sight of a humanely -conducted execution. - -Indeed, there is no reason to suppose that Artigas, for all his errors -and limitations, was not a true believer in the very lofty sentiments -he used to express. One of the many examples of these is to be met -with in his letter to the local authorities of Montevideo, when in -1815 they endowed him with the title of Captain-General, with the -addition of that of "Protector and Patron of the Liberty of the -Nation." Artigas, refusing the honour, which, nevertheless, remained -attached to him, says: "Titles are the phantoms of States, and the -glory of upholding liberty suffices for your illustrious corporation. -Let us teach our countrymen to be virtuous. For this reason I have -retained until now the rank of a simple citizen ... the day will come -when men will act from a sense of duty, and when they will devote -their best interests to the honour of their fellow-men." - -The simplicity of Artigas was innate and genuine. One of his own -nationality, on a visit to Hervidera, describes the costume of the -dreaded leader. On that occasion Artigas was content with the plain -costume of a countryman--plain blue jacket and pantaloons, white -stockings, and a skin cloak, all rather shabby. The paraphernalia of a -meal was of similar quality, and in addition lamentably scanty. -Broth, a stew of meat, and roast beef were served on a couple of -pewter dishes with broken edges; a single cup took the place of -non-existent wine-glasses; no more than three earthenware plates could -be mustered, and, since the seating accommodation was restricted to -three chairs and a hide box, the majority of the guests had perforce -to stand. Such were the clothes and household goods of the lord of -five provinces, whose armies were battling with Portuguese Peninsular -War veterans and with Argentine battalions, whose vessels had borne -his flag to Europe to harass hostile vessels off the coasts of -Portugal itself, who made treaties with England and other powers, and -whose name was all but worshipped by a hundred thousand people! - -J. P. Robertson, an English chronicler of the period, gives an -interesting account of a meeting with Artigas. Assaulted and robbed by -a band of the noted chief's adherents, he boldly set out for -Purificacion to claim redress. His words deserve quotation at some -length. "I came to the Protector's headquarters," he says, "of the -so-called town of Purificacion. And there (I pray you do not turn -sceptic on my hands) what do you think I saw? Why, the most excellent -Protector of half the New World, seated on a bullock's skull, at a -fire kindled on the mud floor of his hut, eating beef off a spit, and -drinking gin out of a cow horn! He was surrounded by a dozen officers -in weather beaten attire, in similar positions, and similarly occupied -with their chief. All were smoking, all gabbling. The Protector was -dictating to two secretaries, who occupied, at one deal table, the -only two dilapidated rush bottom chairs in the hovel. To complete the -singular incongruity of the scene, the floor of the one apartment of -the mud hut (to be sure it was a pretty large one) in which the -general, his staff, and secretaries, were assembled, was strewn with -pompous envelopes from all the Provinces (some of them distant some -1,500 miles from that centre of operations) addressed to 'His -Excellency the Protector.' At the door stood the reeking horses of -couriers arriving every half hour, and the fresh ones of those -departing as often.... His Excellency the Protector, seated on his -bullock's skull, smoking, eating, drinking, dictating, talking, -dispatched in succession the various matters brought under his notice -with that calm, or deliberate, but uninterrupted nonchalance, which -brought most practically home to me the truth of the axiom, 'Stop a -little that we may get on the faster.'... He received me, not only -with cordiality, but with what surprised me more, comparatively -gentlemanlike manners, and really good breeding.... The Protector's -business was prolonged from morning till evening, and so were his -meals; for, as one courier arrived another was dispatched, and as one -officer rose up from the fire at which the meat was spitted another -took his place." - -The General politely took his visitor the round of his hide huts and -mud hovels, where the horses stood saddled and bridled day and night, -and where the tattered soldiery waited in readiness for the -emergencies that arose so frequently. When Robertson submitted his -financial claim, Artigas remained as amiable as before. "'You see,' -said the General with great candour and nonchalance, 'how we live -here; and it is as much as we can do, in these hard times, to compass -beef, aguardiente, and cigars. To pay you 6,000 dollars just now is as -much beyond my power, as it would be to pay you 60,000 or 600,000. -Look here,' said he, and so saying, he lifted up the lid of an old -military chest, and pointed to a canvas bag at the bottom of it. -'There,' he continued, 'is my whole stock of cash; it amounts to 300 -dollars; and where the next supply is to come from I am as little -aware as you are.'" Notwithstanding this, Robertson then and there -obtained some trading concessions that, he says, repaid him the amount -of his claim many times over. - -Surely this picture reveals Artigas more truly than all the -long-winded polemics that have raged about the famous Uruguayan. It is -given by one whose sympathies were against the aims of the Gaucho -chief, and who has proved himself no lenient critic. Yet the -description fits no mere cut-throat and plunderer. On the contrary, it -reveals a virile personality, a thinker and worker of a disposition -that goes far to explain the adoration accorded him by his troops. -Artigas, at the hands of the visitor who had sufficient cause for his -ridicule, comes to light as a _man_--contemptuous of poverty, misery, -and sordid surroundings so long as his goal remained as clear and -distinct as it ever was to his sight. - -The picture is not without its pathetic side. It shows Artigas in the -heyday of his power, yet even then hard put to it to supply his men -with clothes and the common necessities of life. Imagine the calm -force and philosophy of a being capable of governing more than a third -of a million square miles of territory with the assistance of a -treasury of three hundred dollars! Nevertheless, these _opera bouffe_ -conditions represented the highest point of material prosperity to -which Artigas ever attained. For five years he ruled thus, grappling -desperately with the invading Brazilian armies, and resisting the -efforts of the Buenos Aires forces to regain control of the four -Argentine provinces that had espoused his cause. - -With a prosperity thus frugally marked, it is easy to conceive the -circumstances of the adversity that was to come. To their credit be -it said that the Uruguayans faltered not in the least in the face of -the ultimate doom that must have appeared inevitable. As their ranks -became steadily thinned, the invading hordes of Portuguese soldiers -swelled in numbers, while the Buenos Aires attacks on the river -provinces became yet more determined. Yet, wanting in everything, its -more capable and intelligent officers prisoners of war, the Uruguayans -fought on to the very end--gaunt, haggard men who gave back blow for -blow, though their courage was often sustained by no other means than -the chewing of strips of hide. One of the officers of a regiment of -lancers, once the pride of the army, describes the condition of the -men in the last days of the struggle. At reveille, on a chilly -winter's morning, each trooper would supplement the loin-cloth that -alone remained to him by a whole cowhide. Thus when their backs were -turned as they retired to their quarters, the number of men could only -be judged by the quantity of moving cowhides! - -Even then the final hour might have been indefinitely postponed but -for the revolt of Ramirez, one of Artigas's own chieftains. After a -homeric struggle, Ramirez obtained the victory over his old leader, -and pursued him relentlessly through the provinces of Corrientes and -Misiones. It was by this incessant chase alone that the victor -retained his superiority. For such was the popularity of Artigas that -a few days' halt sufficed for a number of fresh Gauchos and Indians to -join him. When he had escaped from his penultimate defeat, accompanied -by only twelve men, his pursuer lost touch with him for a week. At the -end of that time the veteran had collected over nine hundred men, and -was besieging Cambay, one of Ramirez's strongholds. A division was -sent off post-haste to the spot, and it was here that the old warrior -fought his last fight. Artigas, leaving most of his men dead upon the -field, fled northwards and passed into Paraguay. - -The later years of Artigas present the strangest contrast to his early -life. Received and sheltered after some hesitation by Francia, the -dreaded tyrant of Paraguay, he was first allotted a dwelling in the -north of the country, and was afterwards permitted to dwell in the -neighbourhood of Asuncion, the capital. Here he lived in complete -retirement and peace until his death occurred, at the advanced age of -eighty-three. Both his time and the small pension allowed him by the -Paraguayan Government were spent in relieving the wants of his -neighbours, by whom he was regarded with affection and veneration. The -keynote to the true Artigas undoubtedly lies in these last years, when -in humble tranquillity he had leisure at length to practise the -benevolence and charity that he had so often preached from a -corpse-surrounded pulpit. Difficult as it is to withdraw the -personality of Artigas from the sea of blood that flooded his age, he -was surely a product of an anarchical period rather than of anarchy -itself. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -HISTORY - - The Spanish colonies as nations--The first-fruits of - freedom--Uruguay beneath the heel of Portugal--The advent of a - second liberator--Juan Antonio Lavalleja--The forming of the - league of the "thirty-three"--Opening of the campaign--The - patriot force--Rank and its distribution--The crossing of the - River Plate--Commencement of operations in Uruguay--A first - success--Spread of the movement--Rivera embraces the patriot - cause--The march upon Montevideo--A daring siege--How the army of - occupation was deceived--Timely reinforcements--Lavalleja - establishes an independent government--Incident at the opening of - the Senate--Argentina comes to the assistance of - Uruguay--Beginning of the rivalry between Rivera and - Lavalleja--Dissension in the Uruguayan army--Temporary disgrace - of Rivera--His acquittal--Lavalleja declares himself - dictator--Uruguay's independence acknowledged by Argentina and - Brazil--The national authorities enter Montevideo. - - -The end of the year 1824 witnessed the extinction of the last vestige -of the power of Spain in South America. With one solitary exception, -each former Spanish colony had now raised itself to the status of a -nation. It is true that in the majority of cases the inhabitants of -these countries suffered not only the wildest of anarchy, but in -addition a degree of despotism that had been unknown during the -Spanish regime, for all the selfishness of the Peninsula Government. -Yet since the flock of tyrants that rose up, each like a grim phoenix, -from the ashes of the Spanish Dominion were conceived of the tortured -countries themselves, the South Americans took such small comfort as -they might from a dim reflection that in their own hands lay the -possibility of the improvement in the rulers born from their own bone. - -Of these States thus freed from any other despotism but of their own -making Uruguay formed the sole exception. For years she had remained -beneath the heel of Portugal, writhing uneasily, but unable to remove -the weight of the foreign occupation. When the time came for the full -independence of the rest, however, Uruguay's longing to acquire their -State was no longer to be repressed, even at the cost of the expulsion -of the second European power that had fixed upon the land. - -The man whose name stands out as the liberator of Uruguay for the -second time is Juan Antonio Lavalleja. Ceding place only to Artigas as -a national hero, Lavalleja had fought in many actions against the -Spaniards, and had distinguished himself not a little in the original -revolutionary wars. Alternate military and civil occupations have -nearly always fallen to the lot of South American public men, and -Lavalleja formed no exception to the rule. At the time when the -victory of Ayacucho in Peru crowned the entire campaign against the -Spaniards he held the comparatively humble and prosaic post of manager -of a meat-curing factory in the neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. - -The rejoicings that the victory of Ayacucho aroused in the capital of -Argentina stirred to the depth both Lavalleja and a company of -fellow-exiles from the Banda Oriental. A meeting of these patriots was -held on the spot, the result of which was an enthusiastic -determination to place their own country upon the same footing as the -rest. Doubtless many hundreds of similar gatherings had already been -effected--and concluded by vapourings of thin air. But the spirit of -these men who had thus come together was of another kind. Having sworn -solemnly to free their country, action followed hotfoot on the heels -of words. A couple of their number were sent at once to Uruguay to -prepare the minds of a trusted few, while the rest made preparations -for the expedition that was to follow. - -The mission of the two deputies proved successful. They returned to -Buenos Aires, the bearers of many promises of support and -co-operation. Nothing now remained but to take the first irrevocable -step in the campaign that was to bloom out from this very humble seed. - -"Treinta y Tres" has now developed into a proper name in the Banda -Oriental; for the number of men who started out from Buenos Aires for -the sake of Uruguay was thirty-three. The name has now been locally -immortalised. Among the infinite variety of objects that it endows may -be counted a province, a town, innumerable plazas and streets, and a -brand of cigarettes. - -There is certainly nothing that is intrinsically humorous in the -adventures of these noble men who set out for their patriotic purpose -in the face of such terrible risks. Yet as a specimen of the -constitution of the armies of the South American factions at this -period a survey of the grades held by the small gathering is -illuminating. In the first place the diminutive expedition had for its -Commander-in-Chief Colonel Juan Antonio Lavalleja, who had beneath him -three majors and four captains. These in turn were supported by three -lieutenants, an ensign, a sergeant, a corporal, and a guide. The -remaining eighteen constituted the rank and file of the force--in -fact, the Army proper. - -The little expedition so overwhelmingly officered set out from Buenos -Aires, proceeding northward along the Argentine shore. Reaching a -point where the river had become comparatively narrow, they embarked -in small boats, and launched out on the Uruguay at dead of night. A -gale obliged them to seek refuge on a friendly island, and caused a -day's delay. But the next evening they embarked once more, and reached -in safety the beach of La Agraciada on their native shore. There they -unfurled their chosen tricoloured banner, and swore once again to -attain liberty or death. - -The expedition was now actually on the scene of its mission, and -shortly after daybreak it began its march to the north. During the -course of a few hours they collected _en route_ reinforcements of -forty able-bodied and armed Orientales. - -Proceeding steadily onwards, the gallant little army, officers and -all, found itself in the neighbourhood of the small town of Dolores, -better known formerly as San Salvador. This was held by a garrison of -eighty men in the service of Brazil. Determined to inflict a first -decisive blow, Lavalleja led his men onwards to the attack. The moment -chanced to be especially propitious, since the officers and principal -men in the town had attended a dance on the previous night. So great -had been the delights of the _baile_ that the principal men had found -it necessary to continue their repose long into the morning--a -circumstance that is not unknown even to this day. - -Had it not been for an error on the part of the patriot guide the town -would undoubtedly have been captured by surprise and taken almost -without a blow. As it was, the official chanced to mistake the -situation of a ford in an intervening small river. This necessitated a -lengthy march along the banks ere a place suitable for the passage was -found, and the presence of the small company with the tricoloured -flag was discovered with amazement by the inhabitants. - -Thus ere Lavalleja's expedition had succeeded in crossing the stream -there had been moments of wild bustle in Dolores. Officers sprang out -of bed to gird on their swords in haste; soldiers ran to assemble with -uniforms even more than usually awry, while the municipal officers -doubtless ran to and fro in aimless confusion. Nevertheless by the -time that the turmoil was at an end the garrison had had an -opportunity to muster, and to sally out against the advancing band -that had not yet gained the town. - -Since the Portuguese forces were under the command of an Oriental, -Colonel Julian Laguna, a parley took place ere the two forces met. In -the end, Laguna deciding to remain staunch to the foreign cause, the -thirty-three and their allies charged, routing the enemy completely. -Thus in the course of their first victory they won not only the town -of Dolores itself, but a number of Uruguayan volunteers who joined -them from out of the beaten force. - -The thirty-three with their companions, delaying a very short while in -the captured town, continued their march. A more pressing danger now -menaced them. General Rivera, the Oriental who, having so -distinguished himself in the former wars against the Portuguese, had -entered the latter service when the Uruguayan cause became lost, was -sent out with a force of seventy men to annihilate the daring -aggressors. Here, again, when numbers and rank are compared, it will -be seen that the regular forces of the country were more or less on a -par with the thirty-three in their generosity in the matter of titles. - -Nevertheless, however it was commanded, the thirty-three were destined -to gain yet further support from the force detached against them. On -his near approach to the devoted band, Rivera's patriotic instincts -overcame all other considerations. At a meeting contrived between him -and Lavalleja the pair embraced, and Rivera forsook the Brazilian -service on the spot to join the cause of his country. The addition to -their ranks of the famous fighter and his men was naturally greeted -with enthusiasm by the patriots, who advanced filled with renewed -confidence. On the other hand, the news of the defection created no -little consternation among the Brazilians, who set a price upon the -heads of both Rivera and Lavalleja, valuing the former at five hundred -dollars more than the fifteen hundred offered for Lavalleja, although -the latter remained the actual commander of the expedition. - -The thirty-three had now abandoned their cautious north-west fringing -of the coast. With their numbers increasing as they went, they struck -for the south-east, making boldly for Montevideo itself, and defeating -the various Portuguese forces that strove to oppose them. - -Arrived at length at San Jose, some three score miles distant from -Montevideo, Lavalleja determined on an especially daring move that -proved his appreciation of the value of prestige. From there he sent -all his prisoners with a strong guard under Rivera to Durazno, and at -Canelones, farther on, he detached another party to obtain recruits -from the neighbourhood of Maldonado. He himself, accompanied now by no -more than a hundred men, continued in supreme unconcern his march to -Montevideo. Arriving upon the outskirts of the spot, he encamped on -the Cerrito de la Victoria, whence, employing a colossal piece of -bluff, he set himself to besiege the city. - -It is surely not often that a hundred men have sat down to invest a -fortified town garrisoned by nearly two thousand soldiers. Yet it was -in the amazing effrontery of the proceeding that success lay. On the -very next day a strong force of the enemy, numbering over fifteen -hundred men with four guns, sallied out from Montevideo. The hundred -besiegers must doubtless have thought that all was lost; but, -continuing the grim farce to the end, they opened fire to the best of -their ability upon the advancing columns. The result more than -fulfilled their most sanguine expectations. Convinced that the furious -fusillade emanated from a powerful army, the Portuguese columns -retired into the town, while the hundred men sat down again to -continue the siege of Montevideo. - -But their number did not now long remain at this ridiculously -inadequate total. By twos and tens and even by hundreds the Orientales -escaped from the city, flocking to the tricolour banner until the -patriot army had swollen to a degree that rendered it formidable in -fact as well as in fancy. So successful, moreover, had proved Rivera's -mission in the Campo that in a few days almost the whole of Uruguay -was in arms against the enemy's forces in its midst. - -The work of the thirty-three had been extraordinarily rapid. So -successful, indeed, had been the campaign that, in the place of -disputing against another's authority, the moment had arrived for -setting up their own, against which it should be treason to contend. - -In order to effect this Lavalleja withdrew personally from the siege -of Montevideo, and established an independent government at the town -of Florida to the north of the capital. Moved by a truly lofty sense -of patriotism, he handed over his leadership to the new authorities, -who responded by creating him General-in-Chief of the Army of -Liberation, and by endowing Rivera with the rank of Inspector-General. -On this occasion the titles conveyed some material significance, -since the Uruguayan Army now amounted to two thousand five hundred men. - -The opening of this new Senate was attended by a dramatic incident. In -order to be present at the assembly it was necessary for Lavalleja to -leave the front of hostilities and to ride through rain and mud to -Florida. - -Ere entering the Hall of Assembly he was met by several ladies, -amongst whom was the wife of Rivera, who begged him to change his -dripping costume before he proceeded with the official business. -"Thank you, senoras," replied Lavalleja, "I will attend to that as -soon as our country has its government." Within a few minutes the -consummation had been achieved, and Lavalleja was in dry clothes. The -story affords only one more instance of the numerous inevitable -satellites that attend the passage of a notable name through the ages; -but here the ingenuous simplicity of the tale is almost sufficient in -itself to vouch for its truth. At this point, properly speaking, ends -the story of the thirty-three. Beneath the national edifice that they -had built up the minor members of the devoted band had already become -lost to view. The control of affairs was now vested in a Senate and -Corporations, and Argentina, hastening to recognise the existence of -the independent Government, sent her armies to its assistance, -stipulating that in exchange for the alliance Uruguay should become -one of the provinces of the River Plate. - -With the survival of the first perils, moreover, the cohesion of the -leaders of the famous thirty-three passed away. During the course of -the final battles against the Portuguese a rivalry sprang into -existence between Lavalleja and Rivera that gradually deepened into a -jealous antagonism that has left its mark of bitterness upon the -country to this day. - -With the growing certainty of the success of the cause, and, -consequently, of the honours and power in store for the chosen few -among the patriot ranks dissension and suspicion became rampant. One -of the more immediate outcomes of this regrettable state was the -falling under suspicion of Rivera. Accused of opening up negotiations -with the Portuguese, he was sent to Buenos Aires for trial. Acquitted -by President Rivadavia of traitorous intent, he was, nevertheless, -held in prison owing to his outspoken federal views, which were in -direct opposition to the unitarian doctrines of Argentina. After a -while, however, he escaped from captivity, and, collecting an army, -completely re-established his reputation by invading and conquering -the Misiones districts that were then in the power of the Portuguese. -Although the territory was in the end ceded back again, the invasion -was of material effect in concluding the war. - -When, moreover, after the rout of the Portuguese fleet by the -Argentine Admiral Brown, and the series of victories that culminated -in the battle of Ituzaingo, it became evident that the expulsion of -the Portuguese from Uruguayan soil was now inevitable within a very -short time, Lavalleja did not wait for any definite conclusion of -peace. In October of 1827, when, as a matter of fact, the terms of an -armistice were still in dispute, he deposed the national Junta, and -without further ado declared himself Dictator of his country. This -office he held until July of the following year, when he voluntarily -resigned from the post. - -August witnessed a formal acknowledgment of the independence of -Uruguay by both Argentina and Brazil, and in November a provisional -Government was established. On May 1, 1829, the national authorities, -amidst no little pomp and ceremony, made a formal entry into -Montevideo, and Uruguay was at last definitely left to the care of its -own rulers. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -HISTORY--_continued_ - - Foreign war succeeded by internal chaos--Warriors as - statesmen--The dictatorship of Lavalleja--His methods--The first - open breach between Lavalleja and Rivera--A temporary - reconciliation--Establishment of the Constitution of - Uruguay--Lavalleja and Rivera candidates for the President's - chair--Differences in the temperaments of the two--Rivera is - elected first President of Uruguay--Jealousies and - intrigue--Attack upon Rivera--Narrow escape of the - President--Lavalleja's party temporarily occupy - Montevideo--Defeat of the insurgent general--His flight into - Brazil--Intervention of the Argentine Dictator Rosas--His support - of Lavalleja--Combined forces beaten by Rivera--Lavalleja's - second attempt proves unsuccessful--General Oribe succeeds Rivera - as President--Lavalleja's party again in the ascendant--Rivera - heads a revolution--Civil war--Intervention of - France--Resignation of Oribe--Rivera elected President--His - alliance with the French and Corrientines--Declaration of war - against Rosas--Defeat of the latter--On the withdrawal of the - French Rosas resumes the aggressive--Severe defeat of Rivera and - his allies of the littoral provinces--Oribe besieges - Montevideo--The services of Garibaldi--The Uruguayan forces - decimated--Further incidents of the war--The power of Rosas - broken by Brazil, Uruguay, and Entre-Rios. - - -For the purpose of a self-contained romance with a popular ending, the -adventures of the leaders of the thirty-three should end at the moment -when the liberation of the Banda Oriental became a dawning certainty, -but history has an unfortunate knack of continuing where fiction -ceases. The fiercest enemy of a hero is longevity. - -In this case the phase is especially lamentable, since although daring -deeds of arms persisted, the feats were wrought, not in a joint cause -against a common enemy, but amidst a turbulent confusion of sudden -alliances and yet more rapid breaches between friends and neighbours -that rendered impossible speculation whence the tide of battle would -flow next. - -The three names that stood out from the very midst of the chaos of -events were those of Lavalleja, Rivera, and Oribe. Since the three had -fought shoulder to shoulder for their country's redemption this -prominence was only fitting and just. Yet the role of each of the -three differed widely now from his previous methods. Cohesion had -departed with the enemy's forces: not so the tale of the battlefields, -that multiplied until they stained the soil of the country a deeper -red than ever before. - -The first few months of complete independence gave no inkling of what -was to come. After one or two politicians had held interim offices, -General Rondeau, who had rendered great services to Uruguay, was made -Governor. A disagreement, however, arose between him and the -constitutional assembly. As a result he resigned his post, and -departed to Buenos Aires, shaking the dust of the Banda Oriental from -his feet. - -Lavalleja was now invested with the chief office of the land. Alas for -the difference between the striver after liberty and the sitter in the -goddess's chair! Viewed from the lofty pedestal, freedom became -distant far below and lost to sight. In short, Lavalleja became a -dictator of the most arbitrary type from the very beginning of his -authority. He muzzled the Press, such as it was, disbanded various -battalions suspected of loyalty to his private interests, and then -turned upon Rivera, his old comrade-in-arms. Not satisfied with -depriving the latter of his office of Commandant-General, Lavalleja -raised an army, and, intent upon destruction, marched against the man -whom he feared as his most dangerous rival. - -The despotic Governor was not mistaken in his estimate of Rivera's -power. Indeed, the result of a battle would have been extremely -doubtful, had the two forces come into conflict. But the strenuous -efforts of several peaceful commissions ended in a reconciliation -between the leaders--a mere loose patching up of differences, it is -true, but one that served for the time being. In the meanwhile the -Constitution of independent Uruguay was established and sworn to, the -event being greeted by the populace with wild enthusiasm. - -The new State was, of course, endowed with a President, whose chair -remained to be occupied. As was inevitable, the two candidates for the -high post were Generals Lavalleja and Rivera. Both were, perhaps, -almost equally secure in the admiration of the nation. Nevertheless, -the distinctions between the temperaments of the two were marked. -Rivera was a democrat, a friend of the populace, whom he captivated by -his intimacy and easy manner. Lavalleja's tendencies were, by -comparison, aristocratic; yet it is doubtful whether he lost much in -influence from his loftier pose. - -The first legislative act of the National Assembly came as a bitter -blow to Lavalleja. In October of 1830 that body elected as President -General Rivera. As a nation Uruguay had now blossomed out into a -full-blown Constitution. But the youthful constitutional flower was -destined to suffer an almost continuous winter of frosts. It was -beyond the limits of Lavalleja's forbearance to sit quietly by and to -see his rival comfortably installed in the coveted chair of state. It -was not long ere the machinery of plots was set in motion. The first -attempt proved all but successful. Rivera, accompanied only by a few -men, chanced to be in the small town of Durazno, suspecting nothing, -when a force of five hundred of his enemies descended suddenly upon -the place. Their object was the capture of the President, who only -escaped by leaping through a window and by swimming across the River -Yi. A rising of the Charrua Indians was the next material fruit of the -campaign of intrigue; but the rebellion served no other end than the -practical extirpation of the remnant of the aboriginal race that had -survived until then. - -Very shortly after this a revolutionary movement was instigated in -Montevideo itself. Headed by Colonel Garzon, who held in his pocket a -commander-in-chief's commission from Lavalleja, the rising was -temporarily successful. The National Assembly, intimidated, had -already confirmed the appointment of Lavalleja as President, when -Perez, the Vice-President, resisted, and the rest, encouraged by his -example, made a firm stand. As a result, Lavalleja himself made his -appearance in Montevideo, and, with his followers, occupied the -municipal buildings. After an exchange of shots, however, he and his -band were forced to retire. - -During the course of these events Rivera had been absent from the -town. On receiving the news he hastened back from the country, and, -placing himself at the head of an army, set out in strenuous pursuit -of Lavalleja. The latter was overtaken at Tupambay. A battle ended in -the shattering of his company, and, closely pursued by the President, -Lavalleja fled across the northern border and sought shelter in -Brazil. - -In the meanwhile the famous Rosas had come to power in Argentina, and -the policy of this dictator was destined to awaken very material -echoes in Uruguay. Lending support to Lavalleja, he sent a force of -three hundred men across the river. In order to create a diversion, -these captured the town of Melo from the Government party. Their -triumph was fleeting. Beaten shortly afterwards by Rivera in person, -the invading force fled to Brazil. - -But the end of the tide of invasion had not yet come. At the beginning -of 1834 Lavalleja, aided by further contingents furnished by Rosas, -descended once more from the north into his native country. On this -occasion the events of his former attempt were repeated with equally -disastrous results to himself. Beaten once again, he sought Brazil, -the sheltering spot of all the atoms of Uruguayan turbulence. - -A little after this the four years of Rivera's term of office expired. -It was now the turn of another of the thirty-three, General Manuel -Oribe, to enter the arena. Oribe was a warrior as well seasoned as the -others. He had fought strenuously under Artigas's standard; but at the -coming of the crisis, declaring that he could no longer serve under -such a tyrant, he joined the Buenos Aires cause. Later, he had formed -one of the most prominent members of the thirty-three. Becoming -embroiled in the disputes of the period, he had found himself in -opposition to Rivera, although he had to thank the President for -promotion in rank. - -In March of 1835 General Manuel Oribe was created the second -constitutional President of the Republic. One of his first cares was -to undermine the weighty influence of Rivera, in whose power he saw a -menace to his own office. The new President began the campaign by -summoning back to their country all those _Lavallejistas_ who had been -living in forced exile in Brazil and Argentina. Then, in order to -deliver a death-blow to a rival's prestige, he deprived the late -President of his rank of commandant-general. - -Exasperated beyond endurance at this latter move, Rivera immediately -made his appeal to the only authority that was understood at the -period--that of arms. The insurrection attained almost immediately to -formidable proportions. Indeed, there is no doubt that the malcontent -cause would have been successful almost immediately had not Rosas -intervened. As it was, the Dictator sent over from Argentina to the -assistance of the Government five hundred troops, under the command of -Lavalleja, who had thrown in his lot with Oribe against his -arch-rival. - -As a preliminary to the actual hostilities Oribe sent forth a -thunderous proclamation, in which Rivera was branded as a traitor to -his country. The first battle ended in favour of the Government, the -forces of the rebellion leaving over two hundred dead upon the field. -The chief historical importance of the contest, however, lies in the -fact that on this occasion were used for the first time the red and -the white colours that distinguished the respective forces of Rivera -and Oribe and that have ever since remained the emblems of bitter -strife. - -The fortune of war varied for a while. After numerous indecisive -skirmishes, Rivera won an action at Yucutuja, while a month later -Oribe was successful in a battle on the banks of the River Yi. Then -followed the decisive battle of Palmar, from which the Government -forces emerged no longer as an army, but merely as a scattering of -fugitive stragglers. - -In the meanwhile foreign influence, in addition to the lot of war, had -veered in favour of the revolution. The arbitrary methods of Rosas, -extended to foreigners resident within the land, had caused him to -become embroiled with France. Thus the northern power, in addition to -the institution of a blockade of Buenos Aires port, was only too glad -of the opportunity of frustrating the plans of the Argentine despot in -Uruguay. Allying their forces with those of the revolutionists, they -captured the island of Martin Garcia from the Government troops, and -were preparing further active measures of aggression when Oribe -realised the hopelessness of his plight. Adopting the sole course that -was left him, he resigned his office of President, and sailed for -Buenos Aires, accompanied by his late ministers, and a considerable -following of private friends. - -Rivera's road to the return of power was now clear. In November of -1838 he made a triumphal entry into Montevideo, and in due course the -National Assembly elected him President for the second time. One of -the first acts of the new chief of the State was the avenging of -Rosas' late interference in favour of his rival. Allying himself with -the French Government and the Province of Corrientes, he declared -war--not against the worthy Argentine nation, as was carefully -explained in the proclamation, but against the "tyrant of the immortal -people of South America." - -Rosas was never slow in responding to a challenge of the kind. -Scarcely had the declaration of hostilities been made when he sent an -army of six thousand men to invade Uruguay. Rivera, his forces -strengthened by a thousand French volunteers, marched to meet the -enemy, and at Cagancha he obtained a signal victory, the Argentine -troops being defeated with heavy loss, and thus forced to abandon -their campaign in Uruguay. - -It seemed as though the event had put the seal upon Uruguay's success. -But the fortunes of the period were as erratic as the period was -turbulent. Very shortly after the Battle of Cagancha the differences -between Rosas and the French were settled, with the result that an -armistice was effected. With the raising of the blockade of Buenos -Aires and the departure of the French troops from the country, it was -the turn of Rosas to laugh, for his enemy now stood before him -single-handed. - -On this occasion the first aggressive steps were taken by the naval -forces. In 1841 the Argentine fleet, under Admiral Brown, made a -practical end to Uruguayan sea power. Some minor vessels that were -subsequently collected were given in charge of the Italian Garibaldi, -and the famous guerilla leader carried on with them a war of -privateering, without, however, meeting with any material success. - -In a desperate attempt to stem the formidable tide of Rosas's power, -the three provinces of Corrientes, Entre Rios, and Santa Fe allied -themselves with Uruguay. From the joint States Rivera raised an army -of seven thousand men. But even this heroic effort did not suffice. -Boldly marching through Entre Rios towards Buenos Aires, Rivera found -himself brought to an abrupt halt by the unexpected appearance before -him of his old enemy, Oribe, at the head of an imposing army of -fourteen thousand men. The ensuing battle, fiercely fought, ended in -an overwhelming victory for the superior forces, nearly a thousand of -Rivera's men being massacred in cold blood on the conclusion of the -fight. - -The beaten President retired from Entre Rios with the remnants of his -army, while Oribe likewise crossed the Uruguay River, and marched -leisurely southwards from Salto towards Montevideo. In due time his -armies arrived before the capital, which they forthwith proceeded to -invest, thus commencing the great siege of the place that endured for -nine years. - -The circumstances of the beleaguering are too numerous and complicated -to bear recapitulation here. One of the most notable features of the -earlier days was a proclamation issued by Oribe to the effect that he -would spare no foreigners whose sympathies lay with the "rebels," as -he termed the Government of Rivera--or rather of Joaquin Suarez, who -had taken the defeated President's post in Montevideo. The result of -the proclamation was exactly the reverse of that anticipated by Oribe, -since the foreigners responded by raising legions of their own and by -flocking to the active defence of the town. The capital, however, was -closely invested by sea as well as by land, Garibaldi's flotilla -finding itself unable to make any headway against Admiral Brown's -blockading fleet. - -In the meanwhile Rivera had not been idle. With the amazing -recuperative power that was characteristic of so many of the noted -leaders of the period he had scraped together from the countryside a -force of nearly four thousand men. With these he harassed the rear of -the besieging force to such effect that the Buenos Aires Government, -in order to leave the blockade undisturbed, raised a fresh army, and -sent it, under the command of General Urquiza, to cope with the -unexpected source of danger. - -Urquiza came up with Rivera at India Muerta, and the result was fatal -to the Uruguayan force. The end of a desperate conflict saw nearly a -thousand of Rivera's men lying dead upon the Campo. In accordance with -the drastically conclusive methods of the age, the number of prisoners -was small by comparison. As to the surviving remnant, it was scattered -to the four winds on the face of the downlands. - -The terrible defeat of India Muerta deprived Rivera of his military -prestige and Uruguay of her last hope of aggressive warfare. Cooped up -in Montevideo, the Government appealed in despair for foreign -intervention. England and France, viewing the policy of Rosas with -dislike, complied with the request. But in the end their interference -proved futile, although the combined European forces went the length -of blockading the Argentine ports, and of defeating Rosas's troops on -the banks of the Parana. - -Rivera in the meanwhile had fallen upon evil days. His last defeat had -involved him in straits that went beyond even the loss of men and -power. The fatal day won for him, unjustly enough as it proved, the -active suspicion of his own people. Doubtful of his loyalty, the -Montevideo Government applied to Brazil for his banishment to Rio de -Janeiro. The petition was acceded to; but the Uruguayan leader seemed -a veritable human phoenix in his ability to spring undismayed from the -ashes of each successive disaster. With the ultimate object of taking -an active part once again in his country's defence, he succeeded in -getting himself appointed by Montevideo as Minister Plenipotentiary to -Paraguay. - -Rivera, however, had no intention of proceeding to take up his office. -Once free of Brazil, he sailed boldly down the river to Montevideo, -and raised the popular opinion of the capital so much in his favour -that, after a short period of disturbance in the beleaguered city, he -was once again endowed with trust and command. He took himself -forthwith to the Campo, where he resumed his warlike operations with -varied success. - -Nevertheless, it was many years ere this particular period of -Uruguay's strenuous vicissitudes came to an end. The year 1851 marked -one of the numerous dawns in the fortunes of the land. Then an -alliance was concluded between Uruguay and Brazil, while the famous -General Urquiza, revolting against the Buenos Aires tyrant, brought -the forces of Entre Rios to join the league that was now formed -against Rosas. The result was the Battle of Monte Caseros, in which -the combined forces made an end to the dictator's power, and caused -him to flee to Europe. - -The soil of Uruguay was once again free from hostile troops. During -the fleeting period of peace that followed, it is necessary to take -leave of two of the three Orientales who had ridden to such purpose on -the breath of the whirlwind. A little more than two years after the -Battle of Monte Caseras, Lavalleja died at Montevideo. In harness to -the end, the liberator of his country ended his career just as he had -once again been elected to take a share in its government. Three short -months later Rivera followed his old comrade and enemy to the land -where the cavalry lance is unknown and where no gunshot crashes echo. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -HISTORY--_continued_ - - Condition of Uruguay at the conclusion of the war against - Rosas--Measures for the relief of poverty--Juan Francesco Giro - elected President--The arising of antagonistic elements--Giro - resigns in favour of Bernardo Berro--A revolution ends in the - formation of a triumvirate--On the death of Lavalleja and Rivera, - Flores becomes Dictator--Rebellion against his rule--Brazil sends - an army to the assistance of General Flores--Further - revolutionary movements--Manuel Basilio Bustamente succeeds - Flores--The policy of General Cesar Diaz--His exile and return at - the head of an army--Defeat and death of Diaz--Two interim - Presidents--Continuous civil war--General Flores enters the - Republic in command of a strong force and is declared - Dictator--The Paraguayan war--Causes of its outbreak--The policy - and military strength of Paraguay--Strategic errors--Uruguay's - share in the campaign--Flores returns to Montevideo from the seat - of war--His assassination--General Lorenzo Batlle elected - President--The continuance of political unrest--Various - presidents and dictators--The Government of the present day--Don - Jose Batlle y Ordonez--Doctor Claudio Williman--The Uruguayan - battle-fields in tabular form--Progress of the land. - - -With the Battle of Monte Caseros and the fall of Rosas the range of -episode enters comparatively modern times. Although the war had ended -successfully for the Uruguayan cause, its conclusion left the country -in an utterly impoverished and desolate condition. Through the -terrible stress of events in a land of such infinite natural resources -the population was roofless, and in many districts actually at the -point of starvation--an unheard of situation for such a country. As -for the treasury, it was virtually empty, and the harassed Government -found itself under the necessity of seeking for loans from without -its frontiers on any terms that it could obtain. - -On the 1st of March, 1852, Don Juan Francisco Giro was elected as the -fourth constitutional President of Uruguay. The newly elected chief of -the State made desperate efforts towards ameliorating the financial -condition of the country, but political complications were destined to -work against success from the very start. A fortnight after he had -assumed power the Uruguayan army that had borne a brilliant share in -the victory of Monte Caseros returned home from Buenos Aires. Its -commander, General Cesar Diaz, was acclaimed as a popular hero, and -was promptly created Minister for War and Marine, although his -sympathies were directly opposed to the Government. - -It was not long ere the antagonistic elements that now surrounded him -led to the resignation of Giro, who in October delegated his authority -to Don Bernardo Berro. The latter, however, was able no more than his -predecessor to restrain the tide of partizanship, and in July of 1853 -an open revolution broke out, headed by General Diaz and Colonel -Palleja. The outbreak occurred during a review in the centre of -Montevideo, and, dramatically conceived, proved definitely successful -within the course of a few minutes. In the first instance Berro was -forced merely to appoint a fresh set of ministers, whose views were -hostile to his own; but very shortly afterwards the President was -obliged to vacate his post in haste, and to take refuge in the French -legation. - -At the end of September, 1853, a triumvirate was formed of Generals -Lavalleja, Rivera, and Colonel Flores. The deaths of both the former -occurred ere the new regime could be adopted in practice, and thus the -survivor, Colonel Venancio Flores, was elected to complete the term -of the presidency that Giro had vacated. He had scarcely taken charge -of the reins of government, however, when his authority was rebelled -against, this time by the party who had lately been in power. Leaving -General Cesar Diaz in charge of the Government, Flores himself headed -a successful campaign against the revolutionists, at the end of which -his military rank was raised to that of General. - -The unrest did not long remain quelled. Indeed, so threatening did the -situation become that Flores appealed to the Brazilians for aid. In -response the northern republic sent an army of four thousand men, who -occupied the principal cities of Uruguay. The result, as may be -imagined, was a yet more marked seething of discontent. In 1855, -despite the presence of the foreign troops, the Colorado, or red -party, now definitely formed, revolted, and by force of arms obtained -possession of the capital for a while. - -The success of the revolutionists was short-lived. General Oribe and -many other members of the Blanco, or white, group, came to the -assistance of Flores. In the end a compromise was effected. The -revolutionists retired; Flores resigned his post, and Don Manuel -Basilio Bustamente was elected as temporary President. At this stage -of Uruguayan history, however, space does not permit a detailed -description of the various revolutions that followed the one upon the -heels of the other, and that were separated by intervals of merely a -few weeks or months. - -An event of striking importance, however, occurred in 1858, during the -presidentship of Don Gabriel A. Pereira. The latter had been opposed -by General Cesar Diaz, who had stood as an unsuccessful candidate for -the office, and the inevitable jealousies soon became embittered once -more to the point of active explosion. The policy of Diaz was now to -incorporate the Banda Oriental with the Argentine Provinces, and thus -to form a single country that should be known as the United States of -La Plata. - -On the discovery of his plan Diaz was exiled to Buenos Aires, and with -him many of the more prominent members of the Colorado party. Diaz, -however, soon made his way back across the river, and, collecting an -army of eight hundred men, marched upon Montevideo, his forces -swelling in numbers as he went. Unsuccessful in its attempt upon the -capital, the revolutionist army retired, and, after an indecisive -battle or two, met with total defeat at Cagancha. Diaz was taken -prisoner in this action, and was shot in company with fifty of his -followers. - -The remainder of Pereira's term of office passed in comparative -tranquillity. He was succeeded in 1860 by another representative of -his own party, Don Bernardo Berro, who was elected in constitutional -fashion. Three years later, however, General Flores entered the arena -of politics once more. The pretext under which hostilities broke out -was slight enough in itself. A refusal on the part of the Government -to permit the celebration of the anniversary of the Battle of -Quinteros had enraged the Colorados, and Flores, espousing their -cause, led an army into the field. A lengthy series of battles ensued, -in the majority of which Flores was successful. While the war was -still raging, Berro, having completed his term, was succeeded as -President by Don Atanasio Aguirre. Flores, however, having now -obtained the active support of Brazil, was carrying all before him, -and in February of 1865 he entered Montevideo in triumph, and was -proclaimed provisional Governor and then Dictator of the Republic. - -In recapitulating the history of Uruguay at this period the incessancy -of the stream of warlike events is amazing. Scarcely had Flores seated -himself upon what was virtually the throne of his dictatorship when -an event of international importance, the Paraguayan war, occurred -that was destined to convulse three republics and an empire. - -The pretext on which war was declared was the armed intervention of -Brazil in the affairs of the Banda Oriental, and the support lent to -Flores by the Brazilian army--an interference that Francisco Solano -Lopez, the tyrannical Dictator of Paraguay, took upon himself to -resent hotly. Yet, even had not this particular bone of contention -come into being, the war was undoubtedly inevitable. Paraguay's -distrust of Brazil, and the latter's dread of the really formidable -military forces that the inland republic had gathered together, had -piled up a situation that only the faintest flame was required to set -ablaze. - -The military strength of Paraguay at this period was considerable. -With an army of eighty thousand men of wild courage, backed by an -adequate number of cannon, she might well have bidden defiance to any -other single republic of South America. But her strength was exceeded -by her confidence. Desirous of sweeping all before him, Lopez divided -his forces, and dispatched an army to the north in order to invade -Brazil, while another corps was told off to strike in a south-easterly -direction. In order to effect this latter move it was necessary to -obtain Argentina's consent to cross her province of Corrientes. This -permission, which would have involved a breach of neutrality, was, not -unnaturally, refused. Incensed at this check to his plans, Lopez -declared war upon Argentina, and occupied the province of Argentina by -force of arms. In the meanwhile Flores, in return for the support he -had received from Brazil, threw in the lot of the Banda Oriental with -that of the northern empire. - -Thus Paraguay found herself face to face with the allied powers of -Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, and a struggle ensued that cost the -lives of tens of thousands ere the death of Lopez ended the long and -desperate fight, at the conclusion of which Paraguay stood all but -bereft of her adult manhood. Flores assumed command of the Uruguayan -forces that took part in the campaign, and the Oriental division -distinguished itself on numerous occasions in the course of the -arduous conflict. - -Fifteen months after the beginning of the war Flores found it -necessary to return to Montevideo, where, in spite of the foreign -campaign, symptoms of internal unrest had again become evident. Here -in 1868 he met with the fate that had passed him by in the course of -the Paraguayan war. Learning that a _coup d'etat_ had suddenly come -about, and that a body of men had taken the Government House by -assault, Flores without delay started out in his carriage to gain the -scene of action. This move, as a matter of fact, had been foreseen by -the conspirators, and a broken-down wagon blocked one of the streets -through which he had to pass. As the General's carriage came to a halt -in front of the obstruction, a group of men rushed out from the -neighbouring doorways, and a minute later the body of Flores, mortally -wounded by gunshots and knives, was left lying in the roadway. - -This tragedy, however, was of little material assistance to the Blanco -party. Indeed, the sole result, so far as they were concerned, was the -execution of one or two of their leaders. The power remained with the -party of the dead Flores, and General Lorenzo Batlle was elected -President, ruling with no little determination despite the frequent -revolutionary movements that continued to occur. On various occasions, -it is true, the situation of the Government became critical enough, -and in 1870 the capital itself was besieged by the insurrectionists; -but in the end Batlle prevailed, and the insurrectionists were -repulsed, at all events for the time being. - -Beyond these warlike episodes much of importance occurred during the -rule of this President, which lasted until 1872. Two distinct -catastrophes marked the years 1868 and 1869. The former was darkened -by a terrible visitation of cholera, while during the latter a -financial crisis arose that caused the ruin of many thousands of -Oriental families. Nevertheless, the year 1869 is to be marked in -white among the milestones of Uruguay's progress; for it was then that -the railway was inaugurated, and a line completed between Montevideo -and Canelones that marked the first falling into line of the Republic -with the more advanced countries. - -The next President, Doctor Jose Ellauri, failed to complete his term -of office. In January of 1875 a military revolution forced him to take -hasty refuge in a Brazilian warship that was lying in the port of -Montevideo, while Don Pedro Varela was acclaimed by the army as chief -of state. Raised to power at the point of the bayonet, Varela found it -necessary to sustain his post by the same force. Although his armies -succeeded in suppressing the numerous popular risings, the -dissatisfaction in the end became so general and a condition of -monetary crisis so pronounced that Varela was forced to resign. - -[Illustration: LAGO DEL PRADO: MONTEVIDEO.] - -[Illustration: THE PRADO: MONTEVIDEO. -To face p. 124.] - -Colonel Latorre next assumed power as Dictator. His handling of this -dangerously powerful office was liberal, and after three years of -office he was elected in 1879 as constitutional President of the -Republic. Almost immediately after this, however, the political -situation became too complicated for his patience, and he vacated his -post, declaring, it is said, that the Uruguayans were ungovernable as -a race. Doctor Francisco Vidal, who succeeded him, was replaced in -1882 by General Santos. Although no marked internal disturbances -occurred during the presidentship of this latter, the Blanco party -were making strenuous efforts just outside the frontiers of the -Republic to organise a revolutionary campaign on a serious scale. In -1886, when his office was completed, Santos caused Vidal to be elected -once more, meaning to succeed him again, as he had already done on a -previous occasion. - -No sooner had Vidal occupied the presidential chair than the -threatened revolution broke out. General Santos, at the head of the -Government forces, effectually suppressed the rising, whereupon Vidal -resigned in his favour. A governmental crisis ensued; the Ministry -resigned in a body, and Santos was wounded in the course of an attempt -upon his life. Efforts towards the keeping of the national peace were -now made on both sides, and by means of strenuous endeavour a mixed -Ministry was formed. Known by the title of "the Ministry of -Conciliation," the new Government was acclaimed with enthusiastic -rejoicings throughout Uruguay. Shortly after its formation Santos -proceeded to Europe in order to obtain a complete recovery from his -wound, and General Tajes was elected President of the Republic. - -During Tajes's term of office and that of his successor, Doctor Julio -Herrera y Obes, matters remained fairly quiet. In 1894 Don Juan -Idiarte Borda became chief of state by election, and three years later -a revolution on the part of the Blanco party broke out afresh. At the -end of six months' fighting Borda was assassinated in the streets of -Montevideo, and the tragic event was followed by the patching up of a -temporary peace. - -Don Juan Lindolfo Cuestas, who next assumed control of the Government, -was successful in bringing about a treaty with the Blanco party, and -in September of 1897 the revolutionists laid down their arms. We now -arrive at a period that is practically that of the present day. In -1903 Don Jose Batlle y Ordonez was elected President. For the first -year of his rule he had to contend with further risings of the Blanco -party, in the course of which numerous battles were fought. In the end -the Government forces were signally successful, and in September of -1904 peace was signed and a general amnesty declared. - -In 1907 Doctor Claudio Williman succeeded Senor Batlle. The first -years of his tenure of office passed in tranquillity; but at the end -of 1910 the Blancos became active once more, and various actions were -contested ere the Government troops once more obtained the mastery of -the situation in January of 1911. - -Having thus brought this rough sketch of Uruguayan history to its -conclusion at the present day, it must be admitted that the trend -revealed throughout is distinctly warlike. Indeed, the battles that -have reddened the soil of the Banda Oriental since its first -colonisation are amazingly numerous. I have compiled a list of some -120, and were minor skirmishes included a volume would be needed to -contain the list. It is, indeed, the militant portion of history that -must necessarily stand out chiefly in a cursory survey such as this. -The progress of industry, education, science, and art by the side of -the roar of strife is necessarily a silent one. Its course has been -none the less forceful for all that; and universities, schools, -national institutions of every kind, port-works, and the general -paraphernalia of commerce testify to the fact that Uruguay has not -permitted her numerous internal struggles to divert the nation from -its true forward march. In at least one sense the situation renders -tribute to the virile qualities of the Uruguayan. For there are -surely few nations that can exhibit a battle-roll such as this, and -yet at the same time produce convincing evidence of prosperity and -progress. With a proper manipulation of the great national energies, -and their devotion to the pursuits of peace alone--tendencies that are -becoming each year more marked--the prospects of the Banda Oriental -would excel even the present fair promise of her future. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -URUGUAYAN MANNERS AND CUSTOMS - - The temperament of the Oriental--Some merits of the race--The - Spanish Main as treated in fiction--Distinction between the - villains in print and in actual life--Civility as a national - trait--Courtesy of officials--The Uruguayan as a sturdy - democrat--A land of equality--Some local mannerisms--Banquets and - general hospitality--Some practical methods of enjoying - life--Simplicity versus ostentation--Some consequences of - prosperity--The cost of living--Questions of ways and - means--European education and its results--Some evidences of - national pride--The physique of the Oriental--Sports and - games--Football--The science of bull-fighting--Eloquence and the - oratorical art--Uruguayan ladies--Local charm of the sex--South - American institutions--Methods by which they have been - improved--The advantages of experiments--The Uruguayan army and - navy--Some characteristics of the police--Honesty of the - nation--Politics and temperament. - - -Life in Uruguay is perhaps best described by the German word -_gemuethlich_, an untranslatable adjective that savours in its -birthplace just a little of light beer, easy-chairs, cigar smoke, -steaming coffee, and an atmosphere of _camaraderie_. After which it is -necessary to come to an abrupt halt in this task of translation, since -the danger of dragging in a foreign word becomes evident when it is -necessary to introduce another in order to explain it. In any case, -this good-fellowship of the Uruguayan is of a far lighter order than -the Teutonic, and is only remotely concerned with the material matters -of life. Like the majority of the races of Iberian descent, the -Oriental is essentially sober in his tastes, and frequently of an -ascetic temperament. Such traits are inborn and natural, and by no -means the result of a campaign of schooling and self-repression. He -has not, for instance, found it necessary to undergo an outward -treatment of badges and blue ribbons nor to devote himself to a -special era of self-protection from the like of which the chastened -Anglo-Saxon is only just emerging. - -For generations the Spanish Main has afforded a lucrative field to the -writers of pure sensationalism--if the word be allowed. Their choice -has undoubtedly been a wise one, and a judicious compound of fair -creoles, satanic dons, swashbuckling pirates, and heroes of the -tenderest age has proved an almost inexhaustible gold-mine of really -lurid fiction. Yet it cannot be said that this fervid literature has -led to a complete understanding of the South American character by the -British youth. As to the popular and stirring villainies, I will not -attempt to deny that in the past deeds have been enacted that were as -terrible as those which have shuddered in print between gaudy paper -covers. There were many beyond, infinitely worse, and altogether -unthinkable. But the perpetrators of these were seldom enough of the -stereotyped temperament as portrayed by the blood-and-thunder authors. -Alas for the double-dyed deceit that lurked between the terrific -drunken orgies! The real chief organisers of such colossal outrages as -have obtained went about their business with a directness that was -worthy of a better cause, and reddened the pages of history with a -strictly methodical and painstaking industry. Moreover, they were as -sober as an infant of eight at a Band of Hope festival. - -But all this has very little to do with the present-day dwellers in -Uruguay, and their habits and customs. The atmosphere of the country -is essentially one of civility. If you would learn the temperament of -a nation, mark the behaviour of its humbler public functionaries! In -fact, one of the first steps that a student of national character -should take is merely to ask a policeman the first question that -enters the mind. In order to apply the severest test the query should -be a crassly foolish one. In France may be expected vivacious -expostulation, in Germany an explosion of imperative military sounds, -in Holland a placid non-comprehension, in Portugal a pathetic -eagerness to satisfy at all costs--I have tried all these, and more -beyond than would stand inclusion here without the risk of wearying. -The Uruguayan policeman, in his uniform of British pattern, is -essentially courteous, while the manners of the tram conductors, -railway guards, and those other genii of transit in whose hands the -fate of the traveller lies are equally to be commended. - -[Illustration: THE PRINCIPAL PLAZA: MONTEVIDEO.] - -[Illustration: THE HARBOUR: MONTEVIDEO. -To face p. 130.] - -The absence of sycophancy that is characteristic of nearly all South -American Republics is especially marked in Uruguay. A sturdy democracy -is evident here even amongst those whose menial service is of the -nature to evoke professional obsequiousness in other parts of the -world. The waiter, for instance, will serve with brisk attention, but -at the end of the repast he will as often as not pocket the customary -tip as a matter of course that is unworthy of comment, to say nothing -of thanksgiving. At the same time, it is certain that he would bear no -grudge against a well-acquainted patron who had omitted the ceremony -altogether. At a genuine Uruguayan hotel the returning guest who has -been fortunate enough to win the esteem of the hall porter will find -his hand cordially grasped in greeting by that official. The Banda -Oriental is a country of discrimination and individuality where -personality counts and where popularity is a very material asset. -Such a land as this is undoubtedly a home of opportunity. - -The hospitality of the higher classes is proverbial. Indeed, reputable -conviviality of all kinds is at a premium. In Montevideo the occasions -for the giving of banquets are numberless. Thus if a man has achieved -something in particular it is necessary that a banquet should mark the -event, if he has expressed his intention of achieving anything in -particular, a banquet forms the appropriate prelude to the work, and -if he has failed to do anything in particular, there is nothing like -one of these selfsame banquets to console him for the disappointment. - -It is, in fact, much to the Uruguayan's credit that he contrives to -extract a vast deal of enjoyment from life in a comparatively homely -and unostentatious manner. The race meetings here, for instance, are -most pleasant functions, although the horses are not burdened with the -responsibility of those tremendous stakes that prevail in some other -parts. The theatres, too, although they obtain the services of -excellent companies, are moderate in their charges--moderate -considering the usual scale that prevails in South America, that is to -say. - -The advent of a prosperity, however, that now seems more definite than -ever before has produced a similar effect upon household expenditure -as in the neighbouring countries. The cost of living has risen by -leaps and bounds during the past two or three years--a fact that -salaried foreigners resident in the country have found out to their -somewhat acute inconvenience. In the Campo, naturally enough, this -phenomenon of ways and means has not occurred. When live stock and -acres are numbered only by the thousand such annoying matters as -house-rent and the butcher's bill fail to carry any significance. -Nevertheless, in Montevideo the former has practically doubled itself -within the last half-dozen years, and all similar items have followed -suit as a matter of course. But the rise in the price of land -signifies prosperity, and is at all events welcome enough to those -directly interested in the soil. - -South America, taken as a whole, is a continent whose inhabitants are -not a little addicted to ostentation. The phase is natural enough in -view of the conditions that obtain in so many of the Republics. In the -case of the pastoral countries, even in quite modern times the broad -lands had lain comparatively valueless until the introduction of the -freezing process for meat and the opening up of the great wheat and -maize areas sent up the price of the soil by leaps and bounds. Yet -even prior to this era a certain amount of prosperity had prevailed, -and young South Americans had become accustomed up to a certain point -to wend their way for educational purposes to France and to England, -and thus to assimilate European ideas with those that prevailed at the -time in the republics of the south. - -The sudden advent of overflowing wealth thus found them to a great -extent prepared to introduce the most high-flown of modern ideas into -the life of their own country. No doubt the very consciousness of -these riches that, head for head, undoubtedly far surpass that of the -dwellers in the old continent, caused the South Americans to fling -aside the last vestige of pastoral simplicity and to make the roots of -this great wealth of theirs bud out into residential palaces and -entertainments of a rather fabulous order. Since they had shown -clearly enough that their material gains had surpassed those of -Europe, what more natural than that they should endeavour to prove -with equal conclusiveness their ability to outshine the continent of -their ancestors in the ornamentation and luxuries that follow -automatically in the footsteps of fortune! Surely the trait is nothing -beyond the proof of a healthy rivalry. - -The Uruguayan is curiously free from all evidence of this ostentation. -The life he leads is well supplied with comforts, but its tendency is -simple. Thus, although a very fair number of well-turned-out carriages -and motor-cars exist in Montevideo, they are seldom to be seen -parading to and fro in imposing processions along an avenue or street -specially adapted for the purpose, as is the case in many other -cities. Rather less rigorous tenets, moreover, obtain in the case of -the costume of the male city dwellers, and the whole atmosphere of the -country, in fact, is one of plain comfort that has little concern with -outward display. Uruguay, for the present, at all events, has retained -its democracy. Whether it will continue to do so when the national -wealth has become more consolidated is another matter. - -The physique of the Uruguayan men is of a distinctly high order. -Well-set-up and fresh-complexioned, they represent a favourable -testimonial to the climate of the country. In all equestrian exercises -they are, as may be imagined, past masters, and they have proved -themselves apt pupils at sports and games of all kinds. As is general -throughout almost the length and breadth of South America, football is -much in vogue here, although, owing merely to the scarcity of the -population, the ubiquitous game is less played in the country -districts than is the case in Argentina. - -The art of bull-fighting still obtains in Uruguay, notably at Colonia, -on the banks of the river, where a large new edifice has been erected -for the benefit of this, I think, regrettable sport. _Espadas_ from -Spain frequently come out to perform here; but with the exception of -Colonia, that attracts the tourist class from abroad, the haunts of -bull-fighting lead only a precarious existence in the Republic. - -The Oriental is undoubtedly a man of deeds; but in his case the -tendency to action is not effected at the expense of speech. He is, -indeed, a born orator, and on the slightest provocation will burst -forth into a stream of eloquence that can be quite indefinitely -continued. In any case, it is pleasant enough to listen to the -resounding periods in which the customary lofty sentiments are -couched, but it is as well to bear in mind that the oratorical effort -may mean very much--or very little. - -Uruguay, more especially its capital, is well-found in the matter of -femininity. Indeed, ever since it became a full-blown city Montevideo -has been celebrated for its pretty women. This fortunate state of -affairs has now become a well-recognised fact, in which the masculine -portion of the community takes an even greater pride than does the sex -more directly involved. Should a patriotic Montevidean be engaged in -conversation with an interested foreigner, the chances are that it -will not be long ere the confident question is asked: "And our -senoritas, what is your opinion of them?" - -In such a case there can be only one opinion--or expression of -opinion. Conscience may be salved by the reflection that it is as -difficult to find a woman without some stray claim to beauty as it is -to light upon a dame of sixty without a grey hair. In both cases the -feature may be hard to see. If so, it must be taken for granted. In -the case of the Montevidean senorita no such feat of the imagination -is necessary. To the far-famed graces of her sisters throughout South -America she adds the freshness of complexion and the liveliness of -temperament that are characteristic of the land. - -Indeed, to conceive these lighter virtues, added to the natural -Spanish stateliness, is to picture a very bewitching feminine -consummation. Much has been written concerning the senoritas of -Uruguay, and yet not a line too much. Their own kith and kin have sung -their praises with all the tremendous hyperbole of which the Spanish -tongue is capable. White hands, bright eyes, raven hair, and a -corresponding remainder of features that resemble all pleasant things -from a dove to the moon--the collection of local prose and verse on -the subject is justifiably enormous. - -The Montevidean lady has now, of course, become essentially modern. -She rides in a motor-car, plays the piano instead of the guitar, and -has exchanged the old order in general for the new. Yet the same -vivacity, courage, and good looks remain--which is an excellent and -beneficial thing for Montevideo and its inhabitants. Indeed, the beach -of Pocitos or the sands of Ramirez shorn of their female adornment -would be too terrible a disaster to contemplate even on the part of -the most hardened Oriental. And at this point it is advisable to -forsake for the present the more intimate affairs of the people, -leaving the last word to the ladies, as, indeed, is only fitting--and -frequently inevitable. - -The majority of South American Republics--or rather of those in the -lower half of the continent--are keenly alive to the benefits of many -of the European methods and institutions. Although each of these -countries possesses a strong individuality of its own, the generality -of these younger nations have almost invariably shown themselves eager -to graft to their system foreign methods of organisation that have -stood the test of time and that have not been found wanting. - -Indeed, in matters of practical progress the citizen of the more -enlightened South American Republics is blessed with an unusually open -mind. This condition has naturally borne fruit in experiments, and it -is this very tendency to receptiveness that has frequently laid these -States open to accusations of irresponsibility. Often enough the -charge has proved entirely unjust, since it was based on nothing -beyond a too fervent outbreak into an experimental region from which -it was hoped to extract remedies and innovations that should tend to -the betterment of the Republic. - -The direction of the public services affords striking instances of the -kind. The navy, army, and police of the more progressive of the -republics are usually modelled on European patterns. The navy is -usually conducted on the English system, the army follows German -methods, and the police copies as closely as possible the -time-honoured principles of what is undoubtedly the finest force in -the world, the English constabulary. Uruguay follows this procedure -only in part. The kit of the troops here is of the French, rather than -the German, pattern; and although the naval uniforms throughout the -civilised world are all more or less alike, that of the Uruguayan does -not resemble the British as closely as do some others, notably that of -the Chilian. The costume of the Oriental police, however, helmet and -all, is almost exactly the counterpart of the British, although it -boasts the additional adornment of a sword and of spats. - -The work of the Uruguayan police, moreover, is to be commended for a -lack of officiousness and fussy methods. They are little concerned -with larceny, and with the similar forms of petty dishonesty, for the -nation, as a whole, is endowed with a strict sense of the sacredness -of property. The trait is to a large extent inherent in all the -nations of the River Plate; but in this instance it may well be that -it has become even more accentuated by the drastic methods of General -Artigas at the beginning of the nineteenth century, whose abhorrence -of theft and whose exemplary castigation of the crime may well have -left an impression that has endured for almost a century. - -I have already referred to the sobriety of the Uruguayan. Perhaps for -the reason that he is of a more openly jovial temperament he is -slightly more addicted to looking upon his native wine when it is red -than is the Argentine or Paraguayan. But the cases where this occurs -are isolated enough. Indeed, in the matter of sobriety the Uruguayan -can easily allow points to almost every European nation. The majority -of crimes that occur to the east of the River Plate are neither those -brought about by dishonesty nor drink. They are far more frequently -the result of differences of opinion and of old-standing feuds that -are avenged by the knife and revolver, for the Uruguayan, though -courteous to a degree, is quick to resent offence, more especially -when the umbrage given is brought about in the course of a political -discussion. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -ABORIGINAL TRIBES - - The population of Uruguay prior to the Spanish - conquest--Principal tribes--Paucity of information concerning the - early aboriginal life--The Charruas--Warlike characteristics of - the race--Territory of the tribe--Stature and - physique--Features--The occupations of war and - hunting--Temperament mannerisms--A people on the nethermost rung - of the social ladder--Absence of laws and - penalties--Medicine-men--A crude remedy--The simplicity of the - marriage ceremony--Morality at a low ebb--The prevalence of - social equality--Method of settling private disputes--The - Charruas as warriors--Tactics employed in warfare--Some grim - signals of victory--Treatment of the prisoners of war--Absence of - a settled plan of campaign--Arms of the Charruas--Primitive - Indian weapons--Household implements--Burial rites--The - mutilation of the living out of respect for the dead--Some savage - ceremonies--Absence of religion--A lowly existence--Desolate - dwellings--Change of customs effected by the introduction of - horses--Indian appreciation of cattle--Improvement in the weapons - of the tribe--Formidable cavalry--The end of the Charruas--Other - Uruguayan tribes--The - Yaros--Bohanes--Chanas--Guenoas--Minuanes--Arachanes. - - -At the time of the Spanish Conquest the territory which now -constitutes the Republic of Uruguay was peopled by about four thousand -Indians. These, however, did not form a single nation, but were -divided off into a number of tribes. The most important of these were -the Charruas, Yaros, Bohanes, Chanas, and Guenoas. Each of these -groups possessed its own territory, and each was wont to exist in a -state of continued hostility with its neighbours. - -Nothing is known of the history of these folk previous to the arrival -of the Spaniard, and even during the earlier periods of the conquest -information is scanty enough, since contact between native and -European was confined almost entirely to warlike occasions, and since, -even when opportunity offered, the early colonists were neither -sufficiently adapted nor especially educated for the purpose. - -The Charruas constituted the leading tribe of these aboriginal people. -They owed this ascendancy to their warlike spirit, and to their -comparatively large numbers. It was they who murdered Juan Diaz de -Solis, the discoverer of the Rio de la Plata, together with many of -his companions, and it was they, moreover, who offered the most -strenuous resistance to the colonising attempts of the Spaniards. - -The Charruas, to the number of a couple of thousand, inhabited the -coast of the River Plate, and carried on a semi-nomadic existence -between Maldonado and the mouth of the River Uruguay, occupying a -region that extended inland for about ninety miles, its inner -frontiers running parallel with the coast-line. The stature of these -natives attained to middle height; they were robust, well built, and -usually free from that tendency to obesity which is the characteristic -of the Guarani Indians. As a race they were distinguished by rather -large heads, wide mouths, and flat noses. Their skin was unusually -dark, and in colour approached the complexion of the negro more nearly -than that of any other South American race. Peculiarly adapted to -resist hunger and fatigue, they were agile and swift of foot as became -those who existed principally on the deer and ostriches that they -hunted. It is said that their health was such that many attained to a -very advanced age. - -The character of these Indiana was essentially warlike and turbulent, -and they were remarkable for their passion for revenge and deceit. Of -a taciturn and apathetic temperament, they refused to submit to -discipline of any kind. They were, moreover, peculiarly averse to -outward display of any emotion. A laugh, for instance, would be -noiseless, signalled merely by a half-opening of the lips; -conversation was carried on in a low and unmodulated tone of voice, -and a true Charrua would run a considerable distance to gain a -comrade's side rather than be under the necessity of shouting openly -to him. The sole occasions on which the exercise of patience would -seem to have come naturally to the race were those of hunting and of -scouting. A child of nature, with the faculties of hearing and sight -marvellously developed, the Charrua became reticent and morose when -brought into contact with civilisation. - -[Illustration: ANCIENT STONES EMPLOYED FOR NUT-CRUSHING. -To face p. 140.] - -In social ethics these dwellers on the coast ranked low; indeed, their -place was amongst the lowest in the scale of tribes. Division either -of labour or of the spoils of war was unknown. Each hunted and fought -for his own hand alone, while the wife constructed a few rude utensils -and performed the duties of a slave. Their system knew neither laws, -punishments, nor rewards, and the only services that were wont to be -recompensed in any way were those of the medicine-men, whose natural -cunning was doubtless as superior to that of the rest as is the case -elsewhere. Nevertheless, these leeches seem to have been acquainted -with only one remedy. This was to suck with might and main at that -portion of the body beneath the surface of which an inward pain was -complained of. The marriage ceremony was confined to the obtaining of -the consent of the bride's parents. The state of wedlock, however, was -considered of some importance in the man, as it conferred on him -the right to go to war, and to take part in the councils of the tribe. - -Morality, as understood by the more advanced sections of humanity, was -at a low ebb. Wedlock was permitted an unnaturally liberal range and -licence. Not only was polygamy general, but marriages between brothers -and sisters were permitted, although it is related that their -occurrence was rather rare. Cases of monogamy, however, were not -unknown, and, whenever the opportunity offered, a wife would desert a -multi-spoused husband in order to take up her abode with a man who was -willing to accept her as his only wife. Conjugal faithlessness was -held to be an excusable failing; indeed, on the arrival of the -Spaniards, the men would frequently offer their wives to the Europeans -in return for some material advantage. - -Some evidence of that social equality that is so strongly a -characteristic of the tribes of the River Plate is to be met with -among the Charruas. Such chiefs as existed were almost altogether -lacking in real power or authority. A leader, as a matter of fact, was -elected by the people merely in order to act in cases of emergency, -and his chieftainship, held on sufferance, was liable to be taken from -him on the coming to the front of a man held more suitable for the -post. It is a little curious to find that in so fierce a race private -quarrels were not adjusted by means of the crude arms of war that they -possessed. These disputes were fought out with the fists, and after a -satisfactory exchange of blows the matter was ended for good and all. - -Notwithstanding this sensible method of settling their individual -differences, the Charruas were merciless in the wars waged against -neighbouring tribes or Spaniards. On the first outbreak of hostilities -they were wont to hide their women and children in the woods, after -which spies were immediately sent out to locate the position of the -enemy. This determined, it was usual to hold a council of war in the -evening, and to make a surprise attack at the first glimmerings of -dawn. The method of their onslaught was one calculated to terrify. -Dashing out of the semi-obscurity, they would make a furious charge, -uttering loud cries, the fierceness of which was supposed to be -accentuated by means of the warriors striking themselves continually -on the mouth. - -Women and young children captured in their attacks were taken back as -prisoners to the rude encampments of the conquerors, where they -afterwards received complete liberty, and became incorporated with the -tribe. No quarter, however, was shown to the men of the beaten force. -It is said by some of the early European adventurers who came into -contact with this fierce race that they were not only wont to scalp -their fallen enemies, but that each was accustomed to cut an incision -in his own body for every dead foeman whose body lay to the credit of -his prowess or cunning. Some doubt, nevertheless, is thrown upon the -existence of these habits, although they are affirmed by three rather -notable authorities, Barco, Lozano, and Azara. Fortunately for the -Spaniards, who discovered in the Charruas by far the most dreaded -enemies that it was their lot to encounter in this part of South -America, these Indians were easily turned from a settled purpose or -plan of campaign. Thus they would lose many opportunities of pushing -home success, halting in an advance in order to celebrate a first -victory, and remaining on the ground for the purpose of marking the -occasion at length. - -The fact that these rude savages should have obtained victories over -the Spaniards by means of the crude arms that were known to them -speaks wonders for their bravery. Their choice of warlike implements -was no whit greater than that enjoyed by the lake-dwellers of the -Stone Age. Arrows, spears, clubs, and maces--all these were made up of -stone heads and wooden shafts. That which might be termed the -characteristic native weapon was the _bolas_, the pair of stone balls -attached to ostrich sinews or to some other contrivance of the kind. -These--as remains the case to the present day in other lands--were -employed as slings, and, for the purpose of entangling an enemy, were -the most dreaded implements of all. - -For the purposes of peace as well as for those of war the sole -materials available to the Charrua for the fashioning of implements -were stone, wood, bone, and clay. Thus the household equipment was -wont to be confined to the most primitive types of knives, saws, -punches, hammers, axes, mortars, pestles, and roughly baked pottery. -It is certain that they used canoes, since they used to cross over to -the islands facing Maldonado, but nothing is known concerning the -particular build of these humble craft. - -Waged under such circumstances existence knew little glamour. Yet even -here certain ceremonial institutions obtained. The women, for example, -on attaining to adult age were accustomed to tattoo three stripes upon -their faces as a signal of the fact, while the men wore a certain kind -of headgear to bear a similar significance. On the death of a male, -the warrior was buried with his arms, usually on the summit of a small -hill. Later, when the luxury of domestic animals became known, the -rites grew more elaborate, and the dead man's horse was usually -sacrificed on the grave. - -In any case the occasion of a man's death was marked by -self-mutilation on the part of his wives and female relatives. These -would commence by cutting their fingers, weeping bitterly all the -while, and afterwards would take the spear of their deceased relative, -and with it would prick themselves in various parts of the body and -more especially in the arms, which were frequently pierced through and -through. Azara was privileged to witness a number of these painful -ceremonies, which must have been carried out with conscientious zeal, -since he remarks that of all the adult women that he saw none was -without mutilated fingers and numerous scars on the body. - -These methods of accentuating sorrow, however, were light when -compared with the tortures that adult sons were wont to inflict upon -themselves on the loss of their father. It was their duty first of all -to hide themselves, fasting, in their huts for two days. This -effected, it was customary to point a number of sticks and to transfix -the arms with these from the wrist to the shoulder, with an interval -of not more than an inch between each. In this porcupine-like -condition they proceeded either to a wood or to a hill, bearing in -their hands sharpened stakes. By means of these each would dig out a -hole in the earth sufficiently deep to cover him to the height of the -breast, and in this custom demanded him to remain during a whole -night. On the next day the mourners rose up from their uncomfortable -holes, and met together in a special hut that was set apart for the -ceremonial purposes. Here they pulled the sticks from their arms, and -remained for a fortnight, partaking of only the scantiest nourishment. -After which they were at liberty to rejoin their comrades, and to -resume the comparatively even tenor of their normal existence. - -The Charruas afford one of the rare instances of a race who knew no -religion. They neither worshipped a benevolent divinity nor -endeavoured to propitiate a malignant spirit. They were, nevertheless, -superstitious up to a certain point, and dreaded to leave their huts -during the night. There is no doubt that some vague belief in an -after-existence must have been implanted in their lowly minds. -Although they do not seem ever to have referred openly to the belief, -the sole fact of the burial of the dead man's arms in the same grave -as the corpse is sufficient proof of their supposition that the -weapons would be needed in some half-imagined and dim place beyond. -But neither priest nor magician was in their midst to stimulate their -wonderings on the point. - -The highest degree of science or intellect, as a matter of fact, was -represented by the medicine-men with their simple and mistakenly -practical remedy. The race had no acquaintance with either music, -games, dancing, or with ordinary conversation as understood amongst -more civilised beings. In matters of personal adornment the Charruas -were equally unsophisticated. A few ostrich feathers in the hair -constituted the beginning and the end of the men's costume; the sole -garment of the women was a loin-cloth. Of too dull a temperament to -discover even the simplest pleasures that the majority of races -contrive to extract from their existence, the sole luxury in which -these folk indulged was the bathing in the streams of the country. But -this recreation was limited to the midsummer months: during all the -other periods of the year they refrained entirely from ablutions. - -The point as to whether these benighted Indians were cannibals has -never been definitely cleared up. The charge of eating human flesh has -been brought against the tribe by a certain number of authorities. It -is stated, for instance, that the body of Juan Diaz de Solis, the -discoverer of the River Plate and one of the first victims of these -warriors, was consumed by the attacking party after his murder. But -the evidence is not clear in either this case or in any other of the -kind, although it is likely enough that they partook of the taste that -was shared by various tribes who inhabited the country to the north. -Their ordinary food, in any case, was the flesh of the deer and -ostrich, as well as fish. Their meals were frequently demolished in a -raw condition, doubtless of necessity, although they understood the -means of producing fire by the friction of wood. Vegetable food was -unknown to them, but they contrived to produce an intoxicating liquor -from the fermentation of wasps' honey mixed with water. - -A glance at the more intimate domestic life of these wild possessors -of so many strictly negative attributes may well complete a rather -desolate picture. The home of the Charrua was on a par with the -remainder of his few belongings. A few branches, stuck into the earth -and bent towards a common centre, constituted the foundation; one or -two deer-skins placed on top of these formed the superstructure. These -dwellings, as a matter of fact, were no more crude than those of the -Patagonian natives, and little more so than the huts of the Chaco -Indians to the north-west, although the structures of both these -latter were--and still remain--thatched with grasses and vegetation in -the place of skins. In the case of the Charrua the inner accommodation -was limited to a few square feet; but the confined space sufficed to -hold an ordinary member, although if the human units increased unduly, -a second hut was erected by the side of the first. For furniture, -there were the few crude household implements already mentioned, the -weapons of the men, and the deer-skin or two spread upon the ground to -serve as couches. - -It was in this manner that the Charruas were accustomed to live when -the Spaniards, much to the rage of the original inhabitants, landed -upon their shores. From that time onwards their method of existence -underwent a change. With the introduction of horses they adopted the -habit of riding, and soon became extraordinarily proficient in all -equestrian arts, although their natural fleetness of foot suffered -inevitably during the process. The cattle that now roamed the Campo in -great numbers afforded them ample and easily obtained meals. Indeed, -although they may have had some legitimate cause for grievance, the -material benefits that the influx from Europe accorded the Indians -were enormous. - -Yet the hatred with which these fierce warriors of the Campo regarded -the white intruders tended with time to increase rather than diminish. -As a foe the Indian was far more formidable now than at the time of -the first encounters. Behold him on horseback, careering like the wind -across the pastures, armed with a deadly iron-tipped lance some -fourteen feet in length! For he had obtained the means now to fight -the _conquistadores_ with their own weapons, and even his arrows were -pointed with metal, although he still retained the homely stone in the -case of his ever efficient _bolas_. Thus he remained, immutably -fierce, alternately winning and losing the endless fights, but never -conquered nor enslaved for three centuries. At the end of that period, -in 1832, came the end of his race, and the small remnant was -practically annihilated. The fate of the last four of the Charruas is -pathetically humorous, as illustrating what unsuspected ends a wild -community may be made to serve. Two men and two women, the sole -survivors of the unconquered warrior tribe, were sent across the ocean -to Paris, where they were placed on exhibition, and doubtless proved a -profitable investment. - -Having concluded with the Charruas, the remaining aboriginal tribes -of Uruguay demand very little space by comparison. There were, -nevertheless, half a dozen minor groups that inhabited the other -portion of the land that is now Uruguay. - -The Yaros Indians occupied a small district on the south-western coast -of the country, and were a warlike race whose customs and manner of -existence much resembled those of the Charruas. With this latter race -they were on terms of hostility, and only allied themselves with their -aboriginal neighbours for the occasional purpose of a joint attack -upon the Spaniards. At the beginning of the eighteenth century they -were to all intents and purposes exterminated by the more powerful -Charruas, the few survivors joining the ranks of their conquerors. - -Little is known of the Bohanes, who occupied the coastal territory to -the north of the Yaros. They were likewise enemies of the Charruas, -and in the end suffered partial extermination at the hands of the -latter tribe. It is said that a certain number escaped into Paraguay -and became absorbed amongst the Guarani inhabitants of the north. It -appears certain that, although this insignificant group could not -number much more than a hundred families, their language differed -entirely from the tongues of the neighbouring tribes. - -[Illustration: NATIVE "BOLEADORAS." -To face p. 148.] - -The Chanas were island-dwellers whose character contrasted rather -remarkably with that of the inhabitants of the mainland. When first -met with they were occupying the islands in the River Uruguay to the -north of the point where the Rio Negro joins the principal stream. A -race of peaceable and rather timid folk, they suffered not a little at -the hands of the more warlike tribes. Thus, when the Spaniards -occupied their native islands, the Yaros endeavoured to obtain a -footing on the western coast-line; but, driven from here by the -Charruas, they found shelter in a collection of islets to the south -of those that had formed their first abode. They were more or less -expert fishers and watermen, and possessed a language of their own. -Many of their customs were akin to those of the Guarani Indians. Thus -when the bodies of their dead had been buried for a sufficiently long -time to lose all flesh, the skeletons would be dug up, painted with -grease and ochre, and then entered once again in company with their -ancestors. In the case of a dead child it was their custom to place -the body in a large earthenware urn which they filled with earth and -ochre, covering up the vessel with burnt clay. - -The Chanas lent themselves readily to civilisation. Towards the middle -of the seventeenth century they became converted to Christianity, and -in the beginning the Jesuit mission station of Soriano was peopled -almost entirely by members of this tribe. Of an intelligence and -temperament infinitely superior to that of the remaining tribes, they -mingled freely with the Spaniards after a while, and adopted European -manners and customs. The race disappeared eventually merely from the -force of absorption by marriage with their civilised neighbours. - -The Guenoas existed in the north-western portion of the country, -leading a semi-nomadic life. They were to be distinguished from the -Indians who dwelt to the south of their territory in that they were -amenable to discipline in their natural state. At their head were -recognised chiefs, or caciques, who appear to have exercised no little -authority. They were endowed, moreover, with a certain amount of -superstitious belief, and witch-doctors were to be found among them. -They had also learned the art of signalling from a distance by means -of bonfires. Although a warlike race, they were far more susceptible -than the Charruas to outside influence. A portion of the tribe -eventually found refuge in the Jesuit missions, and the majority of -the males took service in the Spanish and Portuguese armies. - -The Minuanes occupied a territory to the east of the Guenoas, and in -physical appearance, manners, and customs closely resembled the -Charruas, to such an extent, indeed, that the two tribes have -frequently been confused by writers. An error of the kind is natural -enough, since the two groups were wont to bind themselves in -hard-and-fast alliance in order to combat the Spaniards. The Minuanes, -however, were a trifle more advanced in some respects than their -southern allies. They were accustomed, for instance, to wear -loin-cloths, with the frequent addition of a skin flung across the -shoulders. Moreover, their hostility towards Europeans was undoubtedly -less deep-seated, since the Jesuits succeeded in incorporating them -for a while in one of their missions. The majority, it is true, soon -returned to their own wild life, but a certain number remained. - -The last tribe to be noticed is that of the Arachanes, a people of -Guarani origin who lived on the east coast between the ocean and the -great Lake Merim. Practically nothing is known of these folk. They -were dispersed and exterminated at the commencement of the seventeenth -century by the Brazilian mamelukes in the course of their raids from -San Paulo. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -MONTEVIDEO - - Population--Attributes of the city--Situation of the Uruguayan - capital--The Cerro--A comparison between the capitals of - Argentina and Uruguay--The atmosphere of Montevideo--A city of - restful activity--Comparatively recent foundation--Its origin an - afterthought--Montevideo in 1727--Homely erections--Progress of - the town--Advance effected within the last thirty years--The - Uruguayan capital at the beginning of the nineteenth - century--Some chronicles of the period--The ubiquity of - meat--Dogs and their food--Some curious account of the prevalence - of rats--The streets of old Montevideo--Their perils and - humours--A comparison between the butchers' bills of the past and - of the present--Some unusual uses for sheep--Methods in which the - skulls and horns of cattle were employed--Modern Montevideo--The - National Museum--An admirable institution--Theatres--Critical - Montevidean audiences--Afternoon tea establishments--The Club - Uruguay--The English Club--British community in the capital--Its - enterprise and philanthropy--The _Montevideo Times_--A feat in - editorship--Hotels--Cabs and public vehicles--The cost of - driving. - - -It may come as a surprise to many to learn that Montevideo, the -capital of Uruguay, possesses a population of almost four hundred -thousand inhabitants. By no means one of those centres that are -remarkable only for population, it holds almost every conceivable -attribute of a modern city--from boulevards and imposing public -buildings to plazas, statuary, and a remarkably extensive tramway -service. - -Montevideo is situated at a peculiarly advantageous point on the -Uruguayan shore. No student of geography, it is true, could point out -the exact limits of so immense a stream as the La Plata. Yet for all -practical purposes the capital of the Republic sits just beside this -very phenomenon. Thus it may be said that the eastern side of the town -faces the ocean, while the southern looks upon the River Plate. To -enter more fully into the geographical details of the spot, the chief -commercial and governmental districts cover a peninsula that juts well -out into the waters, thus forming the eastern extremity of the -semicircular bay of the actual port. Upon the ocean side of the -peninsula the shore recedes abruptly northwards for a short space, and -it is here that lie the pleasant inlets that are not a little famed as -pleasure resorts. - -At the riverward extremity of the port bay is a landmark that is -indelibly associated with Montevideo, whether viewed from sea or land. -The famous Cerro is a conical hill, surmounted by a fort that -dominates all the surrounding landscape. But of the Cerro, since for -various reasons it is a place of importance, more later. The capital -itself claims the right to prior notice, and to the rendering of a few -introductory facts. - -Since the distance between the chief town of either republic only just -exceeds a hundred miles, a comparison between Montevideo and Buenos -Aires is almost inevitable. Indeed, it has become something of a hobby -on the part of the Oriental who has visited the Argentine city, and -vice versa. Fortunately, the comparison can be made without the -engendering of bad blood, since to a great extent that which the one -town lacks is possessed by the other. Thus, in the first place -Montevideo, although astonishingly thriving, is without the hastening -crowds and feverish hustle of the city across the waters. Again, -although its sheltered bay is yearly accommodating more and larger -vessels, the Oriental town is innocent of those many miles of docks -teeming throughout with steamers. Yet, on the other hand, it possesses -its rocks and shining sands of pleasure that draw the Argentines -themselves in shoals across the river. - -Indeed, the atmosphere of Montevideo is restful, and at the same time -free from the slightest taint of stagnation. Even the more modest -thoroughfares are comparatively broad, while the many new avenues are -spacious and well planned to a degree. Perhaps the keynote to the town -in these respects may be found in the fact that, although the absolute -dominion of the priests has long been a thing of the past, the sound -of the cathedral and church bells is audible above the hum of the -traffic. Even in the ears of the most ardent Protestant the effect is -not without its soothing and tranquillising properties. - -It is true that there have been some who, deceived by its peaceful -appearance, have altogether underrated the actual activity of the -city. As a matter of fact, the progress of Montevideo deserves far -wider recognition than it has obtained. The town represents something -of a babe even amongst the roll of comparatively youthful South -American cities. Its foundation, in 1726, indeed, was due to an -afterthought, following an expulsion of Portuguese who had landed at -the solitary spot and fortified it in the course of one of their later -expeditions. Thus Colonia had long afforded a bone of contention -between the two nations, and even Maldonado had provided several -battlefields ere the present capital was colonised or thought of. - -In 1727 the panorama of Montevideo could not well have been an -imposing one. At that time the place possessed no more than two -buildings of stone, although it could count forty others of hide. But -the erections of this homely and odorous material that in the -colonial days were made to serve almost every conceivable purpose -could have added very little to the aesthetic properties of the budding -settlement. Once established, however, the city grew apace, and in due -course the natural advantages of its position raised its status to -that of the premier urban centre of the land. - -But, although Montevideo flourished and increased for rather more than -a century and a half, its leap into complete modernism has only been -effected within the last thirty years. In this respect it has only -followed the example of the important cities of the neighbouring -republics. Thus, in 1807, when its ninetieth birthday was marked by -the British occupation, the accounts of numerous foreign visitors to -the place testify to its primitive state, although all agree that in -the main the capital was a pleasant spot. - -That the streets of the period were badly paved it is not surprising -to hear, since, owing to many obstacles, the art of accurate paving is -one of the very last that has filtered through to South America in -general. On the other hand, it is admitted that the thoroughfares were -well lit. Amongst the more disagreeable peculiarities were some for -which the butcher's trade was responsible. - -In a country of oxen the superabundance of meat was made only too -evident. "Oftentimes," says an English chronicler of the period, "when -a particular piece of meat is wanted, the animal is killed, and after -cutting out the desired part, without taking off the skin, the -remainder of the carcass is thrown to the dogs, or left to rot in the -streets." After this the author proceeds to make a startling -statement: "Almost every animal is fed on beef: from this circumstance -pork and poultry bought casually in the market, and which has not been -purposely fattened, are tinctured with a very ancient and beef-like -taste." The first part of this piece of information is undoubtedly -accurate; but to what extent the latter is the result of imagination -or of fact it is perhaps best not to investigate too closely. -According to this theory, some of the plainest of joints must have -contained in themselves the elements of several courses, with a -species of menagerie meal as a consequence! - -In any case, it is well known that the effect of this abundant meat -diet upon the prowling dogs of the town was to render them savage and -dangerous to the casual passer-by, who frequently had to defend -himself as best he might from their attacks. The extraordinary -prevalence of rats from similar causes is confirmed by other authors, -Uruguayan as well as English. The brothers Robertson, who are -responsible for such an excellent description of Paraguay at that -period, have some curious experiences to relate concerning this -visitation. Both received much hospitality at the hands of their -Uruguayan friends. "The only drawback," writes one of them, "upon the -delightful way in which I now spent my evenings was the necessity of -returning home through long, narrow streets so infested with voracious -rats as to make it perilous sometimes to face them. There was no -police in the town, excepted that provided by the showers of rain, -which, at intervals, carried off the heaps of filth from the streets. -Around the offal of carrion, vegetables, and stale fruit which in -large masses accumulated there, the rats absolutely mustered in -legions. If I attempted to pass near these formidable banditti, or to -interrupt their meals and orgies, they gnashed their teeth upon me -like so many evening [ravening?] wolves ... sometimes I fought my way -straight home with my stick; at others I was forced to fly down some -cross and narrow path or street, leaving the rats undisturbed masters -of the field." - -No doubt had a militant vegetarian of the period found his way to -Montevideo he might have pointed out many object-lessons in favour of -a lesser carnal devotion. On the other hand, it is lamentable that the -cheap value at which carcasses were then held has not continued to -prevail to this day. To the small population of a hundred years ago -meat seemed to grow as easily as grass-blades, and the uses to which -it was wont to be put seem astonishing enough in an era of butchers' -bills and shilling steaks. - -Since until comparatively recent years in the River Plate Provinces -mutton has been held unworthy of even a beggar's acceptance, the -carcasses of the sheep suffered the most ignominious end of all. -Amongst the other means they were made to serve, the animals were -driven to the brick-kilns, slaughtered upon the spot, and their bodies -flung into the ovens to feed the fires. As for the cattle, their -skulls and horns were everywhere. Prepared by the foregoing for -revelations of general utility, it is not surprising to read that -houses as well as fence-lines were frequently constructed from such -tragic material. - -Such reminiscences of the past, however, have drawn the trail too far -aside from the modern city of Montevideo, where dogs are subject to -police regulations, and the rat is scarce, and meat as dear as -elsewhere. As for the town itself, it has sprung up afresh, and -renewed itself yet once again since the colonial days. Indeed, the -sole buildings of importance that remain from the time of the Spanish -dominion are the cathedral and Government palace. - -[Illustration: SOLIS THEATRE AND NATIONAL MUSEUM.] - -[Illustration: THE CERRO FORT. -To face p. 156.] - -The national museum at Montevideo is both well represented and amply -stocked. It is a place into which the average foreigner enters with -sufficient rarity, which is rather lamentable, since a very varied -local education is to be derived from its contents. Uruguayan art, -natural history, geology, literature, and historical objects all find -a place here. The collection of primitive Indian utensils, and of -_bolas_, the round stones of the slings, is unique. It is said that in -the case of the latter, which have been brought together from all -districts, almost every species of stone that exists in the country is -to be met. - -The historical objects here, moreover, are of great interest to one -who has followed the fluctuating fortunes of the country. The early -uniforms and weapons of the Spaniards, the costumes and long lances of -the first struggling national forces, and a host of other exhibits of -the kind are assisted by a considerable collection of contemporary -local pictures and drawings. Many of the earlier specimens of these -are exceedingly crude, but none the less valuable for that, since the -battle scenes are depicted with much the same rough vigour that -doubtless characterised their actual raging. - -In the gallery devoted to Uruguayan painters there is at least one -picture that is remarkable for its power and realism, the work of a -famous modern artist, representing a scene in the great plague -visitation that the capital suffered. It is a little curious that in -the rooms where hang the specimens of European art the biblical -paintings of some of the old Italian masters should be hung side by -side with modern productions of the lightest and most Gallic tendency; -but it is quite possible that this may have been done with intention -in support of the propaganda against the influence of Church and -religion that has now become so marked throughout South America. In -any case, the custom is one that does not obtain in Montevideo alone. -The taxidermic portion of the museum is exceedingly well contrived, -and the entire institution, with its competent staff, under the -direction of Professor Jose Arechavaleta, is worthy of all praise. - -With social institutions of all kinds Montevideo is amply provided. -The theatres are well constructed, well patronised, and frequently -visited by some of the most efficient companies in existence. It is -true that, owing to the difference in the size of the two towns, -Montevideo usually obtains the tail-end of a visit the most part of -which has been spent in Buenos Aires. But such matters of precedence -do not in the least affect the merits of the various performances. -Both actors and musicians here, moreover, have to deal with an -audience that is at least as critical as any that its larger neighbour -can provide. - -One of the evidences of Montevideo's modernity is to be found in its -afternoon-tea establishments. Unfortunately, the name of the principal -one of these places has escaped me, so that it must receive its meed -of praise in an anonymous fashion. It is certainly one of the -daintiest specimens of its kind that can be conceived both as regards -decoration and the objects of light sustenance that justify its -existence. As a teashop it is a jewel with an appropriate pendant--a -tiny coal-black negro boy official at the door, whose gorgeous -full-dress porter's uniform renders him a much-admired toy of -humanity. - -The chief and most imposing of the capital's clubs is the Club Uruguay -that looks out upon the Plaza Matriz, the main square. The premises -here are spacious and imposing, and the club is quite of the first -order. The membership is confined almost entirely to the Uruguayans of -the better classes, although it includes a small number of resident -foreigners. The English Club is situated on the opposite side of the -same square, and is an extremely cosy and well-managed institution -that sustains to the full all the traditions of the English clubs -abroad. - -The English community in the capital is fairly numerous, and is in -closer touch with its Uruguayan neighbours than is the case with the -majority of such bodies in other South American countries. The -enterprise and philanthropy of the colony are evident in many -directions. It has long possessed a school and a hospital of its own; -but subscriptions have now been raised for the erection of a larger -and more modern hospital building, to be situated in pleasant -surroundings on the outskirts of the town. A great part of the credit -for this, as for many other similar undertakings, is undoubtedly due -to Mr. R.J. Kennedy, the British Minister. - -The English Colony is represented journalistically by a daily paper, -the _Montevideo Times_, a sheet of comparatively modest dimensions -that is very ably edited and conducted. Indeed, the record of Mr. W.H. -Denstone, the editor, must be almost unique in the history of -journalism all the world over. For a period that, I believe, exceeds -twenty years the production, in journalese language, has been "put to -bed" beneath his personal supervision, and not a number has appeared -the matter of which has not come directly from his hands. As a -testimony, not only to industry but to a climate that permits such an -unbroken spell of labour, surely the feat is one to be cordially -acclaimed in Fleet Street! - -The Montevideo hotels, although there is much to be said in their -favour, are comparatively modest in size, and somewhat lacking in -those most modern attributes that characterise many in other large -towns of South America, and even those in the pleasure resorts on the -outskirts of the Uruguayan capital itself. The best known is the -Lanata, situated in the Plaza Matriz. But I cannot recommend the -Lanata with any genuine degree of enthusiasm. The Palacio Florida, a -new hotel in the Calle Florida, is, I think, the most confidently to -be recommended of any in the capital. The tariff here is strictly -moderate, the service good, and the place is blessed with the distinct -advantage of a very pleasant lounge on each floor. - -In many respects Montevideo, although its scale of expenses is rising -rapidly, still remains a place of cheaper existence than Buenos Aires. -But not in the matter of its cabs and public vehicles. The hooded -victoria of the Argentine capital is frequently replaced here by the -landau, and on a provocation that may not have exceeded half a mile -the piratical driver will endeavour to extract a dollar--the -equivalent of four shillings and twopence--from his victimised -passenger. The reason for this ambitious scale of charges no doubt -lies in the fact that the Montevidean is very little addicted to -driving in cabs, of which vehicles, indeed, the very excellent tramway -service of the city renders him more or less independent. Thus, as the -solvent person is said to bear the burden of the tailor's bad debts, -the economies of those who ride in Montevidean tramcars are visited -upon the pockets of those others who patronise the cabs. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -Montevideo--_continued_ - - The surroundings of the capital--Pleasant resorts--The Prado--A - well-endowed park--Colon--Aspects of the suburbs--Some charming - quintas--A wealth of flowers and vegetation--European and - tropical blossoms side by side--Orchards and their fruits--The - cottages of the peasants--An itinerant - merchant--School-children--Methods of education in Uruguay--The - choice of a career--Equestrian pupils--The tramway route--Aspect - of the village of Colon--Imposing eucalyptus avenues--A country - of blue gum--Some characteristics of the place--Flowers and - trees--Country houses--The Tea Garden Restaurant--Meals amidst - pleasant surrounding--An enterprising establishment--Lunch and - its reward--Pocitos and Ramirez--Bathing-places of the - Atlantic--Blue waters compared with yellow--Sand and rock--Villa - del Cerro--The steam ferry across the bay--A town of mixed - buildings--Dwelling-places and their materials--The ubiquitous - football--Aspects of the Cerro--Turf and rock--A picturesque - fort--Panorama from the summit of the hill--The guardian of the - river mouth--The last and the first of the mountains. - - -The Uruguayan's appreciation of pleasant Nature is made abundantly -clear in the surroundings of the capital. The city, as a matter of -fact, is set about with quite an exceptional number of pleasant -resorts both inland and upon the shore. Of the former the Prado park -and the pleasure suburb of Colon are the best known. The Prado is -reached within half an hour from the centre of the city by means of -tramway-car. Situated on the outskirts of the town, the park is very -large and genuinely beautiful. Groves of trees shading grassy slopes, -beds of flowers glowing by the sides of ponds and small lakes, walks, -drives, and sheltered seats--the place possesses all these commendable -attributes, and many beyond. - -The Montevidean is very proud of the Prado, and he has sufficient -reason for his pride. He has taken a portion of the rolling country, -and has made of the mounds and hills the fairest garden imaginable. -The place would be remarkable if for nothing more than the great -variety and number of its trees, both Northern and subtropical. But -here this fine collection forms merely the background for the less -lofty palms, bamboos, and all the host of the quainter growths, to say -nothing of the flowering shrubs and the land and water blossoms. One -may roam for miles in and out of the Prado vegetation, only to find -that it continues to present fresh aspects and beauties all the while. - -The expedition to Colon is a slightly more serious one, since, the -spot being situated some eight miles from the centre of the town, the -journey by tramcar occupies an hour or so. As much that is typical of -the outskirts of Montevideo is revealed by the excursion, it may be as -well to describe it with some detail. - -[Illustration: THE BEACH AT PARQUE URBANO.] - -[Illustration: THE SAN JOSE ROAD BRIDGE. -To face p. 162.] - -It is only when once fairly launched upon a journey of the kind that -the true extent of Montevideo and the length of its plane-shaded -avenues proper become evident. Nevertheless, as the car mounts and -dips with the undulation of the land, the unbroken streets of houses -come to an end at length, giving way to the first _quintas_--the -villas set within their own grounds. The aspect of these alone would -suffice to convince the passing stranger of the real wealth of the -capital. Of all styles of architecture, from that of the bungalow to -the more intricate structure of many pinnacles and eaves, many of them -are extremely imposing in size and luxurious to a degree. A moral to -the new-comer in Montevideo should certainly be: Own a quinta in -the suburbs; or, if you cannot, get to know the owner of a quinta in -the suburbs, and stay with him! - -But if you would see these surroundings of Montevideo at their very -best, it is necessary to journey there in October--the October of the -Southern hemisphere, when the sap of the plants is rising to -counterbalance its fall in the North. The quintas then are positive -haunts of delight--nothing less. Their frontiers are frequently marked -by blossoming may, honeysuckle, and rose-hedges, while bougainvillaea, -wistaria, and countless other creepers blaze from the walls of the -houses themselves. - -As for the gardens, they have overflowed into an ordered riot of -flower. The most favoured nooks of Madeira, the _Midi_ of France, and -Portugal would find it hard to hold their own in the matter of -blossoms with this far Southern land. Undoubtedly, one of the most -fascinating features here is the mingling of the hardy and homely -plants with the exotic. Thus great banks of sweet-scented stock will -spread themselves beneath the broad-leaved palms, while the bamboo -spears will prick up lightly by the ivy-covered trunk of a Northern -tree--a tree whose parasite is to be marked and cherished, for ivy is, -in general, as rare in South America as holly, to say nothing of -plum-pudding, though it is abundant here. Spreading bushes of lilac -mingle their scent with the magnolia, orange, myrtle, and mimosa, -until the crowded air seems almost to throb beneath the simultaneous -weight of the odours. Then down upon the ground, again, are -periwinkles, pansies, and marigolds, rubbing petals with arum-lilies, -carnations, hedges of pink geranium, clumps of tree-marguerites, and -wide borders of cineraria. From time to time the suggestions of the -North are strangely compelling. Thus, when the heavy flower-cones of -the horse-chestnut stand out boldly next to the snow-white circles of -the elder-tree, with a grove of oaks as a background, it is with -something akin to a shock that the succeeding clumps of paraiso and -eucalyptus-trees, and the fleshy leaves of the aloe and prickly-pear -bring the traveller back to reality and the land of warm sunshine. - -But it is time to make an end to this long list of mere growths and -blossoms. The others must be left to the imagination, from the green -fig-bulbs to the peach-blossom and guelder-roses. Let it suffice to -say that a number of these gardens are many acres in extent, and that -you may distribute all these flowers--and the far larger number that -remain unchronicled--in any order that you will. - -As the open country appears in the wider gaps left between the remoter -quintas, and the space between the halting-places of the tram is -correspondingly lengthened, the speed of a car becomes accelerated to -a marked degree. The cottages that now appear at intervals at the side -of the road are trim and spotlessly white. They are, almost without -exception, shaded by the native ombu-tree, and are surrounded with -trelliswork of vines and with fig-trees, while near by are fields of -broad beans and the extensive vineyards of commerce. - -Along the road a rider is proceeding leisurely, a large wooden pannier -jutting out from either side of his saddle. This bulky gear, that -lends such a swollen appearance to the advancing combination of man -and horse, denotes a travelling merchant of humble status. What he -carries within the pair of boxes there is no outward evidence to tell. -Their contents may be anything from vegetables or chickens to -scissors, knives, or sweetstuffs. Since, however, he has now drawn -rein by the side of one of the white cottages, his wares almost -certainly do not comprise the first two, for the market for such lies -within Montevideo proper. By the time, however, that the lids of the -panniers have been raised and the bargaining has commenced the car has -sped far onwards, and has dropped him from sight. Thus the business of -the travelling merchant--like that of the majority of passers-by--remains -but half understood. - -But here, at all events, comes a group of riders of another kind, -whose purpose is clear. Half a dozen small boys and bareheaded girls, -mounted upon disproportionately tall ponies, are jogging along on -their way to school. Uruguay prides itself, with no little reason, -upon the efficiency of its system of education, and the humblest hut -now sends forth its human mites to absorb the three R's and to be -instilled with patriotically optimistic versions of their country's -past. These rudiments mastered, they need not necessarily halt in -their scholastic career, since, according to the laws of the land, a -professorship is open eventually to the most lowly student who -persists for sufficient time. And Uruguay is undoubtedly a nest of -opportunities. An embryo statesman or learned doctor may be -represented by each of the urchins who are now plodding onwards with -serious intent through the dust! - -In the meanwhile the car has won its way fairly out into the open -country, always green, smiling, and thickly shot with the pink of -peach-blossoms. The rails have now drawn well away from the centre of -the road, and are separated from the actual highway by a grassy space. -Stirred by the importance of possessing a track all to itself, the car -is undoubtedly aspiring to the rank of a railway train, and goes -rushing at a really formidable pace upon its verdure-embedded lines. -Swaying over the shoulders of the land, past plantations, lanes, and -hedges, it plunges onwards in grim earnest to the terminus of the line -at Colon itself. - -The actual village of Colon gives little indication of the nature of -the district. The railway-station, shops, and houses are all -pleasantly situated, it is true, and the restaurants and -pleasure-gardens are unusually numerous. The attractions of the place, -however, lie well outside the central nucleus of buildings. From this -some remarkably imposing eucalyptus avenues lead outwards into the -favourite haunts of the Montevidean when on pleasure bent. - -Undoubtedly the most salient feature of Colon is the eucalyptus. -Indeed, the place primarily consists of mile upon mile of these -stately avenues, fringed by blue gums of an immense size. Bordering -these magnificent highways, that cross each other at right angles, are -country houses here and there that are reproductions of those in the -suburbs of Montevideo. In between the avenues, again, are clumps and -small forests of eucalyptus, whose tops soar high up in tremendously -lofty waves, that enclose vineyards, peach-orchards, and olive-tree -plantations. - -Here and there are lanes walled in by mounting hedges of honeysuckle -and rose, while many of the private grounds are guarded by the -impassable lines of aloe. Add to this basis all the other trees, -shrubs, and flowers that have already been passed on the outward -journey, and you have the main attributes of Colon. - -[Illustration: EUCALYPTUS AVENUE: COLON. -To face p. 166.] - -Since the topic of the inner man appeals at least as much to the -Uruguayan as to any other mortal, there are some very pleasant -restaurants set in the midst of this land of eucalyptus. Perhaps the -best and prettiest of these is one known by the very English name of -the Tea Garden Restaurant. One of the chief peculiarities of the place -is that tea is actually partaken of there from time to time, as the -modern Oriental is beginning to accord this cosmopolitan beverage a -recognised place by the side of coffee and his own native Yerba Mate. - -At the Tea Garden Restaurant it is possible to lunch by the side of a -lake, with ripening grape-bunches above to throw their reflections in -the soup, and with the falling petals of orange-blossom floating -daintily past the steaming cutlets, while the music of the ducks -blends admirably with the clatter of the table weapons. With really -good cooking and attentive service added to these side attractions, -what more could one want! - -But the proprietors of the restaurant are nothing if not enterprising. -They give the wayfarer something even beyond an excellent meal. At the -end of the repast each guest is presented with a ticket that entitles -him to a free cab-ride to the tramway terminus. The idea is admirable. -Nothing is wanting but the cabs! At all events, when I had concluded -lunch there the surface of the fine avenue was innocent of any -vehicle, and continued so until the walk to the car was accomplished. -But the courtesy of the offer had been effectual, and a certain sense -of obligation remained. - -The bathing-places of Pocitos and Ramirez are akin in many respects to -these inland resorts. By the side of the sea here are fewer blossoms -and rather smaller eucalyptus groves, but a greater number of open-air -restaurants and one or two quite imposing hotels. Indeed, Ramirez, the -nearer of the two, is endowed with a really fine casino, that faces -the shoreward end of the pier, and that has by its side the spacious -and well-timbered public park. - -Pocitos occupies the next bay, and is notable for its lengthy -esplanade and for the very pleasant houses that give upon the -semicircular sweep. This bay, moreover, is the first that has, so to -speak, turned its back upon the river and has faced the open ocean. -As a token, the waters are tinged with a definite blue, and the air -holds a genuine sting of salt that rapidly dies away when passing -up-stream away from here. To the Buenos Airen, who enthusiastically -patronises the place, Pocitos is delightful, if for no other reason -than the sense of contrast to his own surroundings that it affords -him. Not that he has any reason to grumble at the river frontier of -the rich alluvial soil, from out of which his fortunes have been -built. But here, in place of the soft, stoneless mud, is bright sand, -and genuine rocks, piled liberally all over the shore, that shelter -crabs, and pools that hold fish of the varieties that refuse to -breathe in any other but guaranteed salt water. So it is that the -summer season sees the long rows of tents and bathing machines crowded -and overflowing with the Uruguayans and the host of visitors from -across the river. - -Both Ramirez and Pocitos are within the range of the ubiquitous -tramcar. But this very efficient service, not content with its -excursion of half a dozen miles and more on the ocean side of -Montevideo, runs in the opposite direction completely round the port -bay, and performs the yet more important journey to Villa del Cerro, -the small town that lies at the foot of the hill that is so closely -associated with Montevideo and its affairs. A far shorter route to -this latter place, however, is by the busy little steam ferry that -puffs straight across the bay, and that starts faithfully at every -hour, as promised by the timetable, although, if that hour coincides -with the one specified, the event may be accepted as a fortunate -accident. - -Its most patriotic inhabitant could not claim loveliness for Villa del -Cerro. The existence of the spot is mainly due to the presence of some -neighbouring _saladeros_, or meat-curing factories, and thus the -small town presents the aspects of the more humble industrial centres. -There are two or three regular streets, it is true, that contain a few -houses with some faint pretensions to importance. Upon the balconies -of these the local senoritas are wont to gather of an evening. They -are obviously a little starved in such matters as romance, and a -little fearful lest their eye language should lose its eloquence -through too long a disuse. Thus the advent of any passing stranger -whatever suffices to cause a certain flutter and excitement in the -balconies above. - -Outside these main streets the pattern of the town has been left much -to the discretion of its most lowly inhabitants. Buildings composed of -unexpected material sprout up from the earth in unexpected places. -Earth, boards, tin, and fragments of stone are amongst the commonest -of these, although there are a certain number, stiffened by bricks, -whose comparatively commonplace exterior looks smug and respectable by -the side of the rest. - -Mounting upwards, the architecture of the outskirts comes as something -of a relief, since its simplicity is crude and absolute to the point -of excluding any jarring possibilities. - -The ranchos here are composed of nothing beyond loose fragments of -rock piled one on top of the other, with an odd hole here and there -that serves for window or door, frequently for both. - -At one point in the midst of these primitive stone dwellings a small -group of scantily clothed boys are playing football, the implement of -their game being an old sheepskin rolled into the nearest imitation to -a globe to which its folds will consent and held together roughly with -string--one more instance of the spreading triumph of football, that -wonderful game that seems to conquer its surroundings and to implant -itself firmly throughout the world entire. - -The turf slopes of the Cerro itself are all about one now. From the -distance they had appeared of an unbroken green, but when actually -approached the broken patches of bare rock upon their surface become -evident. The last of the stone shanties are not only contrived upon -one of these, but constructed from the very site upon which they -repose. The result is a difficulty to distinguish between the natural -rock and the habitable flakes. - -The short turf of the wind-swept Cerro is innocent of blossoms save -for the ubiquitous verbena, a few stunted tobacco flowers, and some -other lowly blooms. Upon the very summit, where the rock breaks out -boldly and piles itself in jagged heaps, is a picturesque fort, from -the midst of whose walls of solid masonry rises the dome of the light -that guides the ships into the harbour below. - -The panorama that opens itself out from this point is not a little -remarkable. On the one side lies the bay of Montevideo, thickly dotted -with its steamers and sailing vessels, with the towers and streets of -the capital spreading far inland upon the opposite shore. Beyond this, -again, are the undulations of the hills, the coastline, and the ocean -that shines brilliantly, although it is only dimly blue. On the other -hand stretches the River Plate, whose waters are deepening their -yellow as they extend towards the landless horizon, beneath which lies -Buenos Aires and Argentina. - -The Cerro guards the entrance to the great river. It is the first true -hill upon its banks--and the last, for over a thousand miles. For the -next of its kind signals the approach to Asuncion--beyond Argentina -and far beyond the Banda Oriental--in far-away Paraguay. And much -water flows between the tropical heat of Asuncion and the cool -freshness of this Cerro. Therefore the place is worthy of mark as the -southernmost of the two widely separated sentinel hills that guard -such different climes. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -FROM MONTEVIDEO TO THE NORTHERN FRONTIER - - Leaving Montevideo--General aspects of the Campo--The Rio Negro - as a line of demarcation--Growing exuberance of the - scenery--_Flor morala_--Blue lupin--Camp flowers--A sparsely - populated countryside--Absence of homesteads--A soft - landscape--Humble ranchos--Cattle and horses--Iguanas and - ostriches--Deer--Cardoso--Influence of climate and marriage upon - the colonists--A cheese-making centre--A country of - table-lands--A Campo load--Some characteristics of the way--A - group of riders--Some contrasts--A country of rocks--Stone - walls--Crude homesteads--Kerosene tins as building - material--"Camp" stations--The carpets of blossom--Piedra - Sola--Tambores--Landscape and nomenclature--Increase in the - height of the table-lands--Scenes at a country station--Aspects - of the inhabitants--Some matters of complexion--The train and its - transformation--Influence of the country upon the - carriages--Northern passengers--Metropolitan and local - costume--Some questions of clothes and figure--Relations between - mistresses and maids--Democratic households--A patriarchal - atmosphere--Things as they seem, and as they are--Conversation no - guide to profession. - - -A journey from south to north through the heart of Uruguay reveals an -infinitely greater variety of landscape and humanity than is suspected -by the dwellers in the better known littoral districts of the land. It -is true that for the purpose the employment of the homely and -convenient railway train is essential. Although it has been my good -fortune to drive for day after day and for league upon league through -lesser areas of the Uruguayan Campo, to cover such a lengthy stretch -as this by means of coach and horses is only possible for him who can -afford the supreme luxury of ignoring time. - -The first portion of the journey, moreover, although far from -wearisome in the circumstances, is effected across a landscape almost -every league of which presents the exact replica of its neighbours. -Once clear of the woods, fields, vineyards, orchards, and flowers that -lie so pleasantly to the landward side of Montevideo, the rolling -grass waves of the Campo come to stretch themselves from horizon to -horizon, rising and dipping with a ceaseless regularity of sweep until -it becomes difficult to believe that the entire world itself is not -composed of these smiling folds of land. - -It is not until nearly three hundred kilometres have been traversed, -and the train has rumbled over the long bridge that spans the Rio -Negro that the first symptoms of a changing scenery become evident. -The undulations have become less regular, and the hill-tops are -soaring higher into the sky-line. Indeed, the tendency throughout is -towards an exuberance that has been hitherto lacking. Thus not only -the outbreaks of stone that scar the hill-faces at intervals are -bolder in character now, but the wealth of field flowers, too, has -grown in extent and brilliance. - -A broad, glowing bank of the purple _flor morala_ lines the railway -track on either hand, pricking across the landscape in twin unbroken -bands of colour. Where the loftier flower ceases, the red, white, and -mauve of the verbena clings closely to the turf. At longer intervals -sprout clumps of blue lupin blossom, while the white mallows, -harebells, and tobacco flowers lurk thickly in between the groves of -thistle, and large yellow marguerites and daisies mingle with a -variegated host of blooms. - -The countryside is as sparsely populated as elsewhere. League upon -league of the great rolling sweeps of the land spread their panorama -unflecked by a single homestead. So far as the mere picturesque is -concerned, the result is admirable. The soft, dreamy landscape is at -its very best when unburdened by human habitation. Yet in such cases -the picturesque becomes a luxury won at the expense of the practical. -Undoubtedly from the green background of the pastures should shine out -the white walls of estancia-houses and ranchos. The time is now -probably near enough when such will actually be the case; but in the -meanwhile the land waits in complacent patience, sprouting out its -grassy covering with contemptuous ease. - -Yet it must not be imagined that the landscape, however lonely, is -altogether deserted. Now and then may be discerned the clump of trees -that stand out like islands from the sea to shelter the dwellings of -the owners of these great areas of soil. At long intervals, too, -springs up a hedge of tall cactus that flanks the humble rancho, whose -tin roof, as often as not, is held down in its place by means of small -boulders--a feature of architecture that recalls the chalets of -Switzerland, although it is certain enough that the respective -buildings have nothing else in common. - -Here and there graze the dumb supporters of the homesteads--herds of -cattle, troops of horses, and flocks of sheep. These districts of the -centre have not yet attained to the standard of breeding that -characterises the lands that fringe the great rivers to the south and -west. Thus, the cattle, although sufficiently fat and sleek, lack the -finish of the more aristocratic Hereford. Shaggy of coat, long of -horn, and exhibiting an utter lack of restraint in the strangely -varied colour scheme of their bodies, they are essentially of the -_criollo_, or native, order. - -In the neighbourhood of these licensed occupiers of the pastures are -others whose existence is more precarious. These are hares who race -away at the advent of a train, and iguanas whose long tails stream -behind them as they depart in a flurry. As for the ostriches, they -have obviously come to the conclusion that their life is too short and -their neck too long for any excitement of the kind. They are plainly -bored by the advent of this noisy invention of man, and regard it -languidly from the height of the two long legs that repose in a -supercilious attitude. - -On through the undulating Campo, where the rain pools lie like dew -ponds upon an English South Down, and where the banks of the -intermittent streams of the canadas thread in and out of the green -grass for all the world like the bodies of black snakes. A company of -deer are feeding peacefully in the distance, intermingled with the -bulky members of a herd of cattle with whom the wild creatures have -condescended to associate for the time being. - -The train has pulled up at Cardoso now, the centre of a district that -is considerably more populous than the majority. The place was once -the site of a German colony, and indeed the sole reasons why it does -not remain so to this day must be laid at the doors of climate, -surroundings, intermarriage, and the influence of all three. As it is, -chastened by the all-powerful atmosphere of the spot, Teutonic -features, customs, and language have already become modified almost to -the extinction of the original type. - -The phenomenon affords only one more of the innumerable instances of -the tremendous power of absorption that is latent in the South -American continent. In contrast to the mutability of all things -intrinsically human, the industry of the community remains the same as -when the first colonists, strangers and foreigners, introduced it to -the spot. Cheese-making is still the staple trade of Cardoso, and the -district is not a little famed for the art. - -This particular neighbourhood, however, is to be noted for something -of more enduring importance than cheese. It is here, indeed, that the -soil of the land, after many tentative swellings, each more ambitious -than the last, takes upon itself to change its outline in a determined -and conclusive fashion. The universal, gentle swell of the undulations -has given way to steeper walls of green surmounted by curiously level, -flat surfaces. Thus the face of the Campo is now dotted, so far as the -eye can reach, with a collection of table-lands, each separate and -differing slightly from the rest in the details of its pattern, but -each marvellously distinct and clearly cut. The feature is -characteristic of central northern Uruguay, and is continued well -beyond the frontier into Brazil. - -Obeying the sociable instinct that so frequently links the railway -line with the highway in these parts of the world, the main road runs -close alongside the locomotive track. Where it goes the dark, rich -soil gleams moistly in every dip, and each cup in the land holds its -pool, for heavy rains have preceded the brilliant sunshine of the day. - -For many leagues the broad surface of the way has been broken by -nothing beyond the inevitable attributes of such thoroughfares--the -occasional pathetic heap that stands for the dead body of a horse or -cow, or the bleaching framework of bones that gleam out sharply after -the vultures' and caranchos' feast. But here at length comes a body of -riders, half a dozen Gauchos, enveloped in ponchos of various -patterns, who are pricking onwards at the easy canter that renders the -conquest of any space whatever a question of mere time. - -Thudding over the hill-tops, splashing through the mud-holes below, -the progress of the grim, silent centaurs is as inevitable and -certain as the presence of the knives at their belts or the mate-bowl -slung by the saddles. Then the train has sped ahead, dragging after it -a world of its own as remote from the atmosphere that surrounds the -six diminishing horsemen as is the clank of the engine from the light -jingling of the silvered bridles. - -The crop of stone upon the land has become more prolific. The rock has -come to adorn the sides of the table-lands more especially, breaking -out with precision at the spot where each slope of the green eminences -starts out abruptly from the level, after which it continues, -unbroken, to the summit. The material, however, has been made to serve -for purposes of utility, and here and there are corrals and walls of -loosely piled stones, a novel sight to one who is working his way -upwards from the south. - -The scarce ranchos, however, continue on much the same pattern that -has characterised them throughout the journey. The crudeness of many -of these is scarcely to be excelled in any part of the world. To -imagine an edifice composed of the lids and sides of kerosene tins, -roofed and finished off at the odd corners by straggling tufts of -reed, is to picture the abode of by no means the most humble settler. - -One or two are embellished, it is true, by a rough trellis work from -which the vine-leaves hang thickly, while others are decorated by -nothing beyond a variety of multi-coloured garments that hang out in -the sunshine to dry. Clustered together, the modest homesteads would -appear sordid and mean. As it is, the open solitudes of which each -stands as the human centre lend it a certain dignity that is not in -the least concerned with the pattern of the structure itself. - -The train has halted at a couple of small "Camp" stations, and has -puffed onwards again, leaving the respective brick buildings, with -their scatter of outhouses, to sink back into the lethargy that the -passenger train disturbs but for a few minutes every other day. In the -neighbourhood of Achar, the latter of these halts, the surrounding -country has broken out into an exceptional blaze of flower. The purple -of the flor morala stains hillsides entire; the scarlet verbena glows -in spreading patches that from a distance might well be mistaken for -poppy-fields, while all about are other flower carpets of yellow, -blue, and white. - -The wealth of blossom continues unbroken as far as Piedra Sola, or -Solitary Stone--a spot aptly named from a curious square block of rock -that reposes upon the top of a mound in so monumental a fashion that -it is difficult to believe that it is the work of Nature rather than -of human beings--and beyond it, adorning a country that grows ever -bolder until Tambores is reached. - -All the attributes in these primitive parts savour of Nature and of -its simplicity. The very nomenclature is affected by this influence. -Thus no historical significance is to be looked for in the name of -Tambores--drums. The origin of the word lies in the surrounding -table-lands that have grown loftier and more accentuated here than -their brethren to the south, and whose shape resembles not a little -the instruments of war. - -Tambores is a place of comparative importance. It is true that no -architectural beauties are to be looked for at the spot, since the -quaint collection of edifices that are scattered in the neighbourhood -of the station are almost without exception the tin and reed -structures common to the district. Such rare exceptions as exist, -moreover, hold out merely minor claims to aristocracy in the shape of -an entire sheet or two of corrugated iron. Yet these modest precincts -guard a really important cattle and wool centre, and even now many -hundreds of bales are lying in readiness in their wagons, while cattle -stamp impatiently in the trucks that will bear them southwards to -Montevideo. - -Passing to and fro by the honeysuckle hedge that flanks the platform -is a motley collection of folk. The majority of the men are in -sad-coloured ponchos, and in _bombachos_ that frequent staining has -imbued with an earthy hue. In addition to the railway officials, -beshawled women, children, dogs, and hens complete the gathering. A -feature that is especially noticeable here is the number of dusky -complexions that have come to assert themselves in the midst of the -fresh-coloured Uruguayan faces. Quite distinct from the swarthiness of -the Indian, the tint here savours undoubtedly of the African. It -becomes, moreover, steadily more marked as the Brazilian frontier is -approached. - -Indeed, the evidence of variety is everywhere. Even the conventional -aspect of the train itself and of its passengers has undergone no -little alteration since the start. As it pulled out from Montevideo -the train was undoubtedly a model of its kind that took no little -pride in its well-ordered level line of day coaches, and sleeping and -restaurant cars. - -Once well out into the country, however, the democratic influence of -the land has overcome its patrician make-up. A passenger coach or two -has dropped away at one station; some trucks and goods-vans have been -added at another, until its appearance has become as heterogeneous as -that of a Uruguayan volunteer soldier in a revolution. In fact, the -farther from the capital it gets and the nearer to its destination, -the more _neglige_ and doubtless practical does its appearance -become. Like to a man who starts out for a walk on a hot summer's day, -it is metaphorically trudging along bareheaded, with its coat slung -over its shoulder. - -In the case of the passengers the same may be said without the apology -of metaphor. It is in the occupants of the first-class coaches that -the transformation is most evident. Many of the men remain in at least -portions of the same clothes of metropolitan cut that served them in -Montevideo. But ponchos have now been brought out and donned to hide -what lies beneath--ponchos of fine texture, these, that stand quite -apart from the meaner drapings of the _peon_, but nevertheless -essentially national and of the land. - -As for the women, the few who have remained constant to the train -since the beginning of the journey remain in much the same trim as -when they first entered the carriage. The persistence may be due to -the vanity that is alleged by man to be inherent in woman, or merely -to the laudable desire of giving the country cousin an object-lesson -in costume. - -It must be admitted that the garments of these latter tend to comfort -somewhat at the expense of appearances. The loosest of blouses, wraps, -and skirts are wont to make up a figure in which a waist may at times -be suspected, and even occasionally hoped for, but is never seen. -Decidedly the procedure savours of rigid honesty on the part of the -country cousin. For frankly to promise nothing is surely more -admirable than the transient advertisement achieved by the manufacture -of merely temporary space in the position rightfully sought for by -superfluous material. - -Many of these country ladies with the honest and unaccentuated figures -are accompanied by their maids, these latter for the most part -negresses. The bond between mistress and maid is very close here. -Indeed, in Northern Uruguay such episodes as a "month's warning," a -demand for an extra "night out," the right to "followers," and all -other similar bones of contention that arise in more populous centres -between employer and employed are unknown. - -Here the maid, whether she be negress, mottled, or white, obtains an -assured, if minor, footing in the family circle. Not only her love -affairs but her appetite will call forth the ready sympathy of her -mistress. Seated together, their meals will be shared in common, as -indeed is occurring in the case of sandwiches and wine in the railway -carriage even now. To complete the patriarchial atmosphere, the -railway guard has joined one of the groups in question in order to -assist, purely platonically, at the impromptu meal, and his manner is -equally courteous towards senora and maid. - -It is certain that he who travels in the remoter parts must put aside -all preconceived notions of degree and appearances. Close by is seated -a group of young men who are discussing the opera in Montevideo with -critical fervour. After a while the conversation, as is inevitable, -turns upon politics, and the arguments and views are bandied to and -fro with the eloquence common to the race. - -But there is original philosophy here, whether sound or otherwise. -Schemes for alleviating the lot of the humble worker follow hard upon -the heels of topics of municipal reform, parliamentary procedure, and -the vexed and intricate question of where the Uruguayan-Argentine -frontier floats in the broad dividing river. The phrases are -wonderfully apt, the proposals astonishingly daring. During a pause in -the political discussion one of the debaters explains his own walk in -life. He is a jeweller's assistant. Another is head waiter in a -Montevidean hotel. These products of the land are undoubtedly -bewildering. Each has been talking like a prime minister. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -FROM MONTEVIDEO TO THE NORTHERN FRONTIER - ---_continued_ - - A remarkable transformation in Nature--The Valley of Eden--The - gateway of the garden--An abrupt descent--From bare plain to - sub-tropical forest--Picturesque scenery--Eden station--Some - curiosities of nomenclature--Beggary as a profession--The charity - of the Latin lands--The cliffs of the valley--Varied aspects of - the vegetation--The everlasting sweet pea--Some characteristics - of the mountains--A land of tobacco--Negro - cultivators--Appearance and dwellings of the colonial - population--Some ethics of climate and customs--Tacuarembo--A - centre of importance--A picturesque town--Scenes at the - station--Some specimens of local humanity--A dandy of the - Campo--The northern landscape--The African population--Nature and - the hut--The tunnel of Banada de Rocha--Paso del Cerro--On the - Brazilian border--Rivera--A frontier town--Santa Ana--The - Brazilian sister township--A comparison between the two--View - from a neighbouring hill--The rival claims to beauty of the - Uruguayan and Brazilian towns. - - -Tambores has been left behind, and the train is speeding once again -through the undulations and table-lands of the pastures. Although the -new-comer is unaware of the fact, the climax of the journey is drawing -near, and one of the most remarkable transformations in Nature is -about to reveal itself with the suddenness of a pantomimic -stage-shifting. - -That the stranger to the land should remain unaware of what lies -before him is not surprising. The rolling downs have encompassed him -in unbroken sequence from the moment that the outermost suburb of -Montevideo was left behind. They are about him now, sinking and rising -until their smooth green sweeps upwards in long waves against the blue -horizon. Never was a fresher, blowier country, with its every inch -open and bare to the sunlight and breeze. It is difficult to imagine -such a land rubbing shoulders with a landscape less frank and -guileless. Its only fitting boundaries are white cliffs, and, beyond -them, the wide ocean. - -Yet if Nature aspired to human ideals of consistency the hills would -go hopping to many a queer tune. After all, it is best to leave it to -arrange its surprises in its own way. The first symptom of a coming -change is afforded by the appearance of a growth that has remained a -stranger to the landscape until now. Rock plants, with thick, heavy, -silver leaves and snowy blossoms rise up thickly of a sudden to whiten -the ground. Then without warning the train is speeding downwards -through the rock walls of a cutting that seems to have opened out from -the ground at the call of an Open Sesame steam-whistle. Two or three -hundred yards of a steep descent that makes a precipice out of the -stone side on either hand, then a rapid widening of the barrier to the -view--and the thing is done! The train has entered the Valley of Eden. - -Just as Adam in his fig-leaf gasped in dismay at his eviction from the -garden, so does the modern traveller in boots and buttons exclaim in -surprise as he passes through the stone gateway of this later Eden. -The two or three hundred yards have made an incredible memory of the -open downland. In its place are rugged cliffs to right and left, at -the base of which dense sub-tropical forest sends its waves upwards to -cling to the stone sides as far as they may. - -In the centre of the valley is a stream that goes rippling over its -rocky bed, overhung with a curtain of flowering trees that hold -strange nests within their branches, and the festoons of the lianas -that plunge thickly downwards towards the earth. The scene, in fact, -holds all the enthusiastic variety of the sub-tropics. Nothing is -wanting to the picture. The rock, leaves, flowers, palms, and the -vivid patches of smooth green by the edge of the stream have as -accessories the turkey-buzzards and black vultures carving their lazy -circles above, and the brilliant host of butterflies beneath that -float airily to and fro as though to outflash even the wonderful -feathers of the local woodpecker. - -The train, as though itself entirely taken aback by these new aspects -of Nature, has been proceeding at little beyond human walking pace. -Now it has drawn up by the side of a modest building and a few -surrounding huts that are almost smothered in the verdure. Eden -station! The sight of the place is far less incongruous than the -sound. As a matter of fact the valley itself is well named. No spot -could better endow with its glamour the simple life that endures until -the inevitable boredom leads to the death of innocence. Nevertheless, -the railway company should reserve special accommodation for the -garden. Let the traveller proceed to Margate or Southend as he likes. -But a third-class ticket to Eden! The thing is inconceivable, yet it -is done every day. - -The advent of the train, however, affords a harvest to at least one -inhabitant of this secluded and fair corner. An aged negro, who was -undoubtedly born a slave across the Brazilian frontier, is slowly -hobbling the length of the train collecting toll from the passengers -as he goes. In South America are two professions that stand apart from -all the rest. Failing the status of a millionaire, become a beggar by -all means! As regards a profitable occupation, not one of the -intermediate walks of life can equal the extremes at the social poles. -That of politician is perhaps nearest akin to both; but, -intrinsically, the phrase is transitory, since a rapid absorption at -one end or the other is practically inevitable. - -The aged negro is collecting his dues with grave complacency. A -general dealer in receipts, his profits are by no means restricted to -mere cash. Business in centavos is amazingly brisk; but so are the -transactions in cigarettes, cigars, fruit, and morsels of food. Ere -the train starts the benignity has grown deep upon the old man's face. -When the place is lonely and still once more he will totter back to -his tiny reed hut, with its insignificant patch of maize, and will -smoke, and eat, and drink, in senile enjoyment of the lengthy holiday -that separates his tri-weekly half-hours of work. He may thank the God -of beggars that he was born in a Latin land. - -The train is moving onwards once again, and the bold grey cliffs and -bluffs recede as the valley widens. Although the first full beauty of -the scene has lost by the expansion, the wealth of colour remains. The -forest trees for the most part are flecked with brilliant yellow, -while the surface of the swamps that now cover the centre of the -valley are thickly spangled with the pure white of their own broad -blossoms. - -[Illustration: OXEN DRAWING RAILWAY COACH.] - -[Illustration: BEFORE THE FAIR: TACUAREMBO. -To face p. 186.] - -But an attempt to describe the various growths would be the task of a -botanist. One alone must be described for its striking propensities if -for nothing beyond. In all directions are bushes of glowing mauve -flower--or, at least, so they appear at the first glimpse to the eye. -The sight is not a little amazing, since many of the shrubs, a dozen -feet in height, are covered from top to bottom with an unbroken coat -of petals. A nearer inspection solves the mystery some while after. -The flower itself is a parasite, an everlasting sweet pea, that goes -the length of concealing from sight the bush on which it depends. - -In the meanwhile the valley has widened until the well-defined cliffs -that hemmed in its beginning have disappeared altogether. But the -country remains entirely distinct from the open Campo that preceded -the gate of Eden. There is pasture here, it is true, but it is pasture -broken and intersected by woodland, river courses, ravines, and -mountains. It is curious to remark that among the latter, although -many are bold and lofty, there is not a peak to be met with. In -obedience to what appears to be a hard-and-fast law of the hills, the -top of each is shorn evenly across, leaving a flat and level summit. - -The country is one of tobacco now as well as of maize, and the aspect -of the cultivators coincides to a great extent with the popular -notions of the _mise en scene_ of the tobacco-fields. The population -of the tiny mud huts that decorate the land is almost entirely negro, -and the inevitable piccaninny is much in evidence, having apparently -escaped in shoals from the London music-hall stage. The costume of the -younger boys, however, would scarcely pass muster in a more -conventional neighbourhood. The sole garment of many of the younger -ones consists of a shirt, and a very frayed one at that--a costume -that is eminently suitable to the palm-tree, but criminal beneath the -oak. - -The next halt is at a place of importance, one of the chief features, -in fact, of the Far North. Tacuarembo numbers a population of almost -eight thousand, which, although the figure may not impress the outer -world, renders the spot something of an urban giant in the -neighbourhood. As though to compensate for its lack of imposing -buildings, Tacuarembo is exceedingly picturesque. With its avenues of -tall trees, and its houses peering everywhere from beneath the shade -of an unusual richness of vegetation, the place is sufficiently -delightful and striking in its own fashion. - -The station itself gives the keynote to the aspects of the place. -Within half a dozen yards of where the white steam goes hissing -upwards from the engine the green young peaches hang in thick clusters -from their branches. To their side is a hedge of blossoming roses that -continues until the flowery architecture changes abruptly to a wall of -golden honeysuckle. At the rear of this, surrounding the outer yard of -the place, are poplars and eucalyptus, while the heavy scent of the -purple paraiso-tree overpowers the fainter colours of the mimosa. - -A dozen or so of the local "coches" are waiting in the shade of all -these and in that of the vines that clamber upwards by their side. -They are crude affairs, whose lack of paint and polish is more than -counteracted by the dictatorial attitudes of the brigand-like drivers -who lounge at ease upon the boxes. It must be admitted that the -manners of these latter are far less formidable than their appearance. -Indeed, they smile far more graciously than the corresponding -metropolitan tyrants of South America as they drive off one by one, -bearing away their patrons beneath the shady avenues. - -The majority of folk, however, remain for some while to chat together, -since in these parts the railway station is an accepted centre of -sociability. The queer medley of the crowd possesses its own charm. A -group of officers in dark uniforms and red kepis rub shoulders with -Gauchos and peones in dark clothes and black or blue _bombachos_. -Beyond is a knot of women in the homely and loose costume of the -district, bare-headed, and with hair drawn tightly back to be wound -into a plain knot at the back of the head. An elaborate dandy, dressed -ostentatiously in the favourite black from head to foot, is extracting -a few centavos from the pockets of his shining velvet waistcoat with -which to endow a couple of dissolute-looking beggars who have drawn -near. - -Although the jet-black faces of the negroes and the browner tints of -the half-castes are much in evidence, the countenances of the true -Uruguayans remain remarkably fair and fresh. Indeed, the features of -many are unusually handsome, and curiously untouched by the stress of -heat and climate. - -Perhaps the most striking of all in the neighbourhood is the tall -figure of one who has detached himself from a group of friends, and is -walking toward where a line of tethered horses is waiting. Like the -other who has been distributing alms to the beggar, he is clad from -head to foot in black. Nevertheless, the aspects of the two are as -different as night and day. The one is a walker of the streets, this -latter a true lord of the Campo. Unmistakably a landed proprietor of -no little consideration, his costume affects the Gaucho to a marked -degree. With scarf wound negligently round his neck, loose jacket, and -broad bombachos, the spotless black of the finest material is finished -off by the light boots of the man whose life is spent in the saddle. -In his hand the _rebenque_--the inevitable riding-whip--glistens with -its silver carving, a work of art. - -None could deny the coquetry of his appearance; but this is the stern -coquetry of the warrior and hunter, as a glance at his grave, rather -hawklike features will confirm. A strikingly handsome figure of a -man, he stalks with assured tread, raising his sombrero with a simple -gesture to acquaintances, until he reaches the spot where the line of -horses are tethered. His mount is a magnificent bay, whose leathers -and bridle are silvered as thickly as they may be and yet remain -flexible, while the saddle and stirrups are heavily coated with the -same material. He has swung himself into the saddle now, and is riding -away, forcing his horse with consummate ease into a series of curvets -and caracoles that evoke admiration even from the numerous -professional centaurs in the crowd. But the rider never once looks -back as he swings away in the shade of the trees. The romantic figure -is either unconscious of admiration or too accustomed to the tribute -to be concerned. In any case, he is a product of the land, a veritable -paladin. - -To the north of Tacuarembo are grass hills overshadowed by the -inevitable tall table-lands. Where the rock juts out from the side of -these the fronds of many varieties of fern sprout thickly, and by -their sides are clumps of evening primrose, everlasting pea, and a -wealth of far more brilliant blossoms of the tropical order. In the -hollows the vegetation of the wooded streams grows ever more -luxurious, and here the flowers star the banks in the wildest riot of -profusion. - -Seeing that it is springtime, all this is as it should be. But there -cannot be many parts of the world whose inhabitants are permitted such -a striking reminder of the season as is the case just here. In the -neighbourhood of one of these enchanting streams is a very humble mud -hut. Its dwellers are pure Africans, and they are just without, -enjoying a sun-bath with all the zest of the race. - -But the interest of this particular spot is not concerned with them at -all; it is centred upon the modest homestead itself. The mud walls -have responded in an amazing fashion to the call of the year. Not -content with a background of lichen and moss, they have flung out -lengthy streamers of fern, from amidst which peer shyly the blossoms -of various plants. Obedient to the impulse of spring, each of the four -sides has garbed itself thus. In less exuberant parts the effect would -be strained for with toil and achieved with triumph. But here the -black inhabitants regard their eloquent house as a matter of course. - -Just after leaving the small station of Banada de Rocha is a tunnel. -This fact may appear totally unworthy of mention--anywhere else but -within the countries bordering on the River Plate. Here a tunnel is an -object to be paused at, and to be inspected with not a little -curiosity. Although it is possible that some minor burrowings may -exist, to the best of my belief the three republics of Argentina, -Uruguay, and Paraguay can count no more than two regular tunnels -between them. The wonderful shaft bored through the heart of the Andes -is one--the other is before us here at Banada de Rocha. As the only -specimen of its kind in Uruguay, therefore, it is not without -distinction, and is worthy of at least a passing remark. - -After passing through the tunnel the line drops down into a fairly -wide plain, hemmed in by numerous low ranges of the inevitable -flat-topped hills, while a few elevations of the same curious nature -dot the country in the nearer neighbourhood of the track. In a short -while, however, the more broken country has surged up all about once -again, bearing upon its surface quaint rocky projections, some shaped -exactly as tables, others in the form of sugar-loaves, while yet -others resemble giant mushrooms sprouting cumbrously from the soil. - -Ere reaching the station of Paso del Cerro a great grove of -carolina-trees rises majestically, and in the grateful shadow of the -branches a long line of bullock-wagons, each vehicle loaded with the -wool for which the region is noted, goes winding its way towards the -station in the stolid fashion of such processions. Paso del Cerro is -delightfully situated, facing as it does a range of hills whose -surface is dotted with ranches that appear picturesque enough in the -distance. Beyond this point lofty cliffs of rock soar aloft, pressing -near to the line. In the nooks and crannies of the great walls are -dwarf trees of fantastic shapes that make pleasant breaks here and -there in the bare rock of the surface. - -A little farther on the colour of the soil begins to undergo a -transformation, and soon the red sandstone--the colour that is typical -of the same, as well as the more northern, latitudes in the -surrounding republics--is stretching everywhere to join with the green -in dominating the landscape. A few more wayside stations, and then -Rivera and the Brazilian frontier are drawing near, while the mountain -ranges that mark the Brazilian territory are already in sight. - -Rivera is a town of no little local importance, small though its -extent may be as it nestles in a hollow in the midst of the hills. The -soft pink of its buildings and the red of its roads and hillsides -contrast delightfully with the green foliage and brilliant flowers -with which the spot is so liberally endowed. Rivera, moreover, is a -place that can lay claim to some quite notable characteristics of its -own. It possesses, for instance, a magnificent avenue, the Sarandi, -that stretches for over a mile, shaded by trees for all its length, -from off the central portion of which lies the pretty little plaza. - -[Illustration: FRONTIER STONE AT RIVERA.] - -[Illustration: TUNNEL AT BANADA DE ROCHA. -To face p. 192.] - -The best view of both the town and of the surrounding country is to -be obtained from the solitary hill near by that marks the boundary -between the two republics, and that bears upon its summit an old and -battered boundary-stone. Viewed from here the panorama is fascinating. -To the north, and immediately below, lies Santa Ana, the Brazilian -sister-township of Rivera, that sends out its buildings almost to join -walls with those of the Uruguayan. Santa Ana itself presents a -picturesque enough prospect with its white houses and luxuriant -gardens, its wide, unpaved, shadeless streets, its rambling barracks, -and its red-bricked bullring. As a background to this bright, sunlit -picture, and one that throws it into strong relief, rise range upon -range of the dark hills with their shaven summits, starting up -abruptly in the first instance from the confines of the town itself, -and fading away gradually into the misty distance of the province of -Rio Grande. Skirting the base of the hill to the east is a short -avenue devoid of buildings that serves as the frontier line, and marks -with no little emphasis where one town ends and the other begins. The -significance of the spot is accentuated by the sight of the -sentry-boxes of the frontier guards and custom officials. To the -south, reclining in its own hollow, lies Rivera, with its shady -avenues and its conspicuous round-towered church. - -The aspects of the two towns are curiously different, considering the -fact that from their absolute propinquity they form to all intents and -purposes a single city. In the first place the difference in the tint -of each is marked. The general colour of the Rivera houses is red, -while that of Santa Ana is pure white. The distinction is merely the -result of differing national customs. The houses of both places are -constructed of precisely similar stone, but the Brazilian prefers to -face his walls with plaster. _Autres pays, autres moeurs_; but it is -seldom that the contrast may be viewed from so near at hand. The -architecture, moreover, of the Santa Ana buildings is of a much -squarer and older design than that of those in the Uruguayan town. The -former city, as a matter of fact, is considerably more ancient than -the latter, to which not only the growing timber but the buildings as -well bear witness. In Santa Ana the trees, although not nearly so -numerous, have attained to far grander proportions than has been the -case with those across the border. - -If one should not judge humanity from outward appearance, the -procedure is even less wise in dealing with a collection of human -habitations. Feminine powder and rouge are as mere toys in the matter -of guile compared with the alluring scenic effect that a city is -capable of producing by means of bricks and mortar. Judged from the -summit of the hill without, Santa Ana presents an even more inviting -appearance than that of Rivera. Once within the walls the aspects of -the situation alter abruptly. Santa Ana possesses one spot of beauty, -it is true. Its luxuriant and shady plaza where the date-palms -flourish is an oasis of delight set in the midst of sordid -surroundings and dusty heat. With this exception, it must be admitted -that the place is shadeless, dirty, and evil-smelling. - -The streets of Rivera, on the contrary, are clean, well paved, and -sheltered from the rays of the sun by the innumerable green branches -that stretch so pleasantly above. The townsfolk, moreover, differ less -from those of Montevideo than might be imagined, although the heat of -the climate has been responsible for a rather sallower and swarthier -type. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -HERE AND THERE IN URUGUAY - - Uruguayan roads--A comparison with those of Argentina--The - benefits of stone--Some fine metalled highways--The road to San - Jose--On the way to Pando--The journey as effected by - motor-car--A smiling landscape--Distant sand-dunes--A spotless - range--The mountains of Minas--The town of Pando--A typical minor - urban centre--The ending of the macadamised road--The track - beyond--An abrupt change in the order of going--The bumps of the - Campo--Piriapolis--A budding pleasure resort--Completeness of the - enterprise--Eucalyptus forests--A vehicular wreck by the - way--Unsuccessful Samaritans--The work of Senor Piria--The - Castillo--An imposing home--View from the spot--The Pan de - Azucar--A landscape of mountain, valley, forest, and - sea--Architecture of the Castillo--Piriapolis Bay--A centre of - future bathing--Preparations already effected--The hotel and - casino--A wonderful feat of private - enterprise--Afforestation--Encouragement of the industry by the - Uruguayan Government--The work of Mr. Henry Burnett--The - transformation of arid soil into fertile land--Commercial success - of the venture--The Maldonado sand-dunes--Fulgurites--A curiosity - of the sands--Discoveries by Mr. C. E. R. Rowland. - - -A feature that is not a little remarked upon by those who have entered -Uruguay from the stoneless Pampa of Argentina is the excellence of the -roads that surround Montevideo, and of several, indeed, that penetrate -for a considerable distance inland. The highway to the town of San -Jose, for instance, that extends for ninety-six kilometres is -macadamised throughout its length, and is, moreover, excellently -constructed and sustained. - -The benefits of convenient deposits of stone are strikingly emphasised -here. Now that a start has been made, there is no reason why -efficient roads of the kind should not pierce the countryside in all -directions. For, notwithstanding the natural fertility of its soil, -there is scarcely a corner throughout the whole length and breadth of -the Republic that is not seamed to a smaller or larger extent with -these layers of useful stone, the eruption of which frequently marks -the surface itself of the land. - -The road to San Jose, as a matter of fact, is by no means the only -important one of its kind. There are various similar specimens, -equally well constructed if of less imposing length. A very admirable -road leads from the capital to the small town of Pando in the -neighbouring province of Canelones. The journey by motor-car is an -easy one, and renders an admirable insight into the nature of the -country in this particular district. - -Curiously enough, the least smooth portion of this highway is -represented by a mile or so of its length on the outskirts of -Montevideo itself. This point once passed, however, the undulations in -the surface of the road die away, and the broad grey thoroughfare -stretches with remarkable smoothness over hill and dale. The car can -snort along at the utmost speed its power will permit, since the grey -band opens out ahead with a refreshing openness that is totally devoid -of secrecy, and only at the lengthiest intervals is its surface -darkened by the form of a rider or of a lumbering country cart. - -The progress is of the switchback order, with long-drawn-out rises and -falls that are effected with alternate exuberance and strainings, -while on either hand the fields, verdure, and masses of fruit blossom -speed by in very pleasant sequence. For a spring shower has laid the -dust, and when the Oriental landscape smiles, its countenance is -supremely fascinating. As though to add just the tinge of sombreness -that is requisite for the accentuation of the delightful scene, a -dark forest of eucalyptus stands out here and there by the way, the -massive serried trunks and branches painting the landscape with a -heavy splash of gloom. - -For the first few leagues the aspect of the country--although the -great variety of its attributes preserves it entirely from the taint -of mere monotony--remains much the same. After a while, however, the -skyline to the right becomes lightened in a rather remarkable fashion. -The foreground is a medley of green, brown, and purple--rendered -respectively by the hills, trees, orchards, and a patch or two of -ploughed soil. At the back of these rich colours a range of very lofty -snow-white sand-dunes has risen up. The gleaming barrier marks the -frontier-line of the land; upon its farther side, invisible, of -course, from inland, are the breakers of the South Atlantic Ocean. -Indeed, the effect of this spotless range, when viewed from the -shoreward side, is doubly curious, since the verdant landscape that -leads right up to them gives no other indication of the propinquity of -the sea. - -To the north-east elevations of quite another kind have been slowly -rising upwards from the horizon as the car speeds along. As the town -of Pando itself is more nearly approached, the distant mountains of -Minas have swollen into view to assert themselves in a fashion that is -not to be overlooked. Great rounded masses piled in dim purple against -the horizon, their aspect presents a sharp contrast to that of the -dunes close by. The latter are shadowless things, clear-cut and -wanting in depth for all their purity; the inland mountains are deep -and secretive, with an outline that confounds itself mysteriously with -the sky. - -The town of Pando itself is remarkable for little in the way of -commercial or industrial development beyond forming the centre of a -very flourishing agricultural district. The place possesses a quaint -red-brick church, the walls of which are adorned with a curious number -of balconies. With this exception the buildings are unpretentious; but -almost every one is lent its own particular charm by the wealth of -gardens and shade-trees with which the spot is endowed. Pando, indeed, -is one of those very pleasant minor urban centres with which Uruguay -is so plentifully besprinkled, with its delightful surroundings of -orchards, vineyards, and cultivated land planted here and there with -eucalyptus forests and with groves of other trees. In the near -neighbourhood of the town runs a typical Uruguayan stream, its banks -thickly lined with verdure, more especially with the weeping willows -whose branches droop downwards in a thick green curtain over the -water's edge. - -[Illustration: EUCALYPTUS FOREST: PIRIAPOLIS.] - -[Illustration: THE CASTILLO: PIRIAPOLIS. -To face p. 198] - -It is at this placid rural centre that the macadamised road ends. -There is no mistaking the terminus of the metalled highway. One turn -of the wheels of the car has left the smooth, hard surface behind--and -then begins quite another order of going. The progress of an -automobile over a representative local road of the country partakes of -many elements, amongst others of those of steeplechasing, toboganning, -and of the switchback railways common to those centres less well -provided with natural forms of excitement. The mounds and valleys of -the way provide an unbroken succession of surprises to which the car -responds by lurching and dipping wildly, although the dexterity of the -driver keeps it staggering upon its four wheels. Nevertheless, a very -little of this goes a long--or an incredibly short--way. So after a -while the nose of the car is turned--a manoeuvre that demands as much -caution as putting a small boat about in a gale--and the vehicle -bumps its way back again through the smiling outskirts of Pando to -come to rest, as it were, upon the hard, grey road again. - -The sand-dunes of which a glimpse has been obtained at Piriapolis are -characteristic of almost the entire length of the Uruguayan coast that -gives upon the Atlantic Ocean. There are many spots along this open -shore that are well worthy of a visit. Not the least of these is -Piriapolis--a place that is in the act of making a very bold bid for -popularity as a pleasure resort. Piriapolis is a spot of no little -interest. Situated a little to the west of Maldonado on the southern -coast that faces the open Atlantic, the place is a budding town, and -is noteworthy as much for what it promises in the future as for its -present aspects, interesting enough though they are. Piriapolis is -remarkable in being a one-man place--by which no connection is implied -with the one-horse epithet of tradition--in that it has emanated from -the mind and pocket of a prominent Uruguayan, Senor Francisco Piria. - -Piriapolis lies to the coastward side of the railway line that is -being prolonged in the direction of Maldonado, and, as matters at -present stand, it is necessary to board a construction train, and to -proceed soberly along the unballasted track to the point where the -coach, with its four horses abreast, waits in readiness to complete -the journey. It must be admitted that the road that goes rising and -falling over the hilly country is not good. The future will doubtless -endow the district with a network of highways of quite another kind. - -But Piriapolis is young. Hence the unfortunate wagon that is lit upon, -shortly after the start, stuck hard and fast in the deep mud of a -hollow. In the way of good Samaritans, horses are detached from the -coach to assist in the struggle; but the tenacious mud clings in -unyielding obstinacy to its wheeled prey. In the end the contest is -abandoned for the time being; the lent horses return to their place in -front of the coach, and the driver of the wagon departs gloomily to -scour the neighbouring country in search of oxen. - -As the coach proceeds, the way lies through a wild and mountainous -country that bears not a little resemblance to portions of the South -West of Ireland. But here in the place of the whitewashed Irish cabins -are mud ranchos, almost every one of which reposes beneath the -sheltering branches of its own particular unit or group of ombu-trees. - -After a little more than an hour's drive the aspect of the country to -the front changes abruptly, and presently the coach enters the cool -shade of a great forest of eucalyptus and pine. It is difficult to -conceive these stretches of giant trees as not having covered the soil -for generations. Yet less than twenty years ago the face of this -particular district was as bare as any of that of the surrounding -country, since it is only eighteen years ago that Senor Piria planted -the first sapling that went to form this present forest land. - -Roads of a better order now prick their way the length of the woodland -aisles, and after a while a lonely little store and post-office stand -out from amidst the trees. A little beyond evidences of civilisation -appear quite unexpectedly. A pair of fine wrought-iron gates are to -the front. Once through these an avenue, adorned by statues at -intervals of a few yards, leads to a square turreted building that is -known as the _castillo_, or castle, of Senor Piria himself. The -dwelling is a pleasant one, with its broad stone terraces that -overlook pretty grounds, covered with semi-tropical trees, shrubs, and -flowers, laid out after the Italian style. - -The view obtained from the upper terrace here is decidedly beautiful. -Beyond the gardens spread broad orchards and vineyards, and at the -back of these again on one side is a belt of forest that covers the -ground for seven miles and more until the edge of the sea itself is -reached--a sparkling line of blue that is visible in the distance from -here. On the opposite side rises a rugged hill of immense queer-shaped -boulders, from the interstices of which grows a dense tangle of scrub. - -By far the most conspicuous object, however, in the whole panorama is -the aptly named Pan de Azucar, or Sugar Loaf Mountain, that rises to a -height of some two thousand feet on the west of the castle. The hill -is a bare mass of serrated rock, and represents one of the highest -points in the Republic. It is the dominating feature in a landscape -that affords a wonderful combination of mountain, valley, forest, and -sea. - -The architecture of the castillo itself is somewhat original. The -ground floor is almost entirely occupied by the guests' bedrooms, -apartments with great vaulted ceilings that open promiscuously the one -into the other. The living apartments are on the first floor, and the -walls of the central hall are hung with many old Italian paintings. -Above this again is the square tower that stands as the summit of the -house. I mention the architecture more particularly, since it is -entirely unusual, the ordinary country houses of Uruguay being almost -without exception constructed on a single floor. - -The seven miles of eucalyptus forest that intervene between the -castillo and the sea afford a delightful drive to the shore of -Piriapolis Bay. This portion of the coast consists of a shelving sandy -shore eminently suited for the purposes of bathing, and is backed by -an imposing vista of forest and mountain. The hill immediately behind -the bay, by the way, is locally known as the Sierra de los Ingleses, -having been employed, it is said, for the purposes of smuggling in the -old days by English sailors. - -It is at this point that the future town and pleasure resort of -Piriapolis is to be situated. Some considerable start in this -direction has already been made, as will be evident when it is -explained that a great hotel has already been constructed, and is now -complete, and ready for the day when it shall be officially opened. -The place is of quite a palatial order, and is provided with no less -than 120 bedrooms, as well as with a magnificent dining-room and very -spacious apartments and lounges. A broad terrace runs the entire -length of the building on the seaward side, and the tide, when at its -highest, reaches to within twenty yards of the hotel itself. A very -useful addition to the place is a large vegetable and fruit garden -that holds everything of the kind that is needed. The plants and trees -flourish amazingly well here, although, curiously enough, their roots -are planted in no more satisfying a soil than sand. - -The enterprise, however, has not contented itself with the erection of -the hotel. In the neighbourhood of this building is a small casino, -destined to be employed for the purpose of games of chance, and almost -the entire margin of the bay is dotted by little, square, four-roomed -chalets. At some distance from the hotel a stone mole is in the course -of construction, and it is here, of course, that the pleasure steamers -will land their passengers when the place is once in the full swing of -its active life. - -[Illustration: THE PAN DE AZUCAR MOUNTAIN.] - -[Illustration: THE NEW HOTEL: PIRIAPOLIS. -To face p. 202.] - -At present the place stands empty--a prepared shell awaiting this -influx. As a feat of private enterprise Piriapolis must take a high -rank; for the difficulties of transport have added vastly to the -labour of the undertaking. It is a beautiful spot, in any case, and -the pleasure resort should meet with all the success it deserves. - -The topic of Piriapolis brings us to the question of afforestation. On -this portion of the coast the science is undoubtedly one of supreme -importance, and one to which of late years a fitting amount of -attention has been paid. The Government of Uruguay has very wisely -done much towards the encouragement of tree-planting and the -transformation of apparently arid areas to regions of genuine -fertility. - -As an instance of this liberal and progressive policy it may be -mentioned that in 1909 Mr. Henry Burnett, the British Vice-Consul at -Maldonado, was awarded a gold medal and a bonus of three thousand -dollars for having been the first to plant a collection of over ten -thousand maritime pines. The labour in the first instance of inducing -these young trees to grow was arduous, and time after time the budding -plantation was buried beneath the masses of driven sand. With the -eventual survival, however, of the first screen the remainder of the -task proved easy, and Mr. Burnett has now in his possession over one -hundred thousand maritime pines. - -Encouraged by this example, numerous other landholders of the district -have succeeded in cultivating similar plantations, and the result has -proved highly beneficial, not only in the transformation of the -country but from the commercial point of view as well. For districts -that until recently were absolutely worthless are now valued at -anything from ten dollars to forty dollars the hectare. - -A peculiar characteristic of these Maldonado sand-dunes is to be met -with in the fulgurites that are found there--the vitrified sand-tubes -caused by the action of lightning that are referred to by Darwin on -the occasion of his visit to the spot. Similar phenomena obtain in a -few other corners of the world, but those found here are by far the -largest in size, some extending to no less than five feet in length. -Owing, however, to their extremely fragile nature, it is impossible to -extract these larger specimens in any fashion but in comparatively -small fragments. - -Mr. C. E. R. Rowland, the British Vice-Consul at Montevideo, has taken -especial interest in these fulgurites of the Maldonado Sands. The -British Museum contains some very fine specimens sent by him, and he -has supplied the national museum at Montevideo with its first -specimens of these curiosities. This same gentleman, by the way, quite -recently discovered two distinct species of Uruguayan lizards that, -sent for classification to the South Kensington Natural History -Museum, were discovered to be of kinds that until then had been -perfectly unknown. They remain in the museum to which they were sent, -dignified by the name of their discoverer. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -MERCEDES AND THE SWISS COLONY - - The journey to Mercedes--The outskirts of Montevideo--Santa - Lucia--A pleasant town--Native quince and gorse--San Jose--The - terminus of a great highway--Some feats of engineering--The urban - importance of San Jose--A modern flour mill--Mal - Abrigo--Character of the soil--A country of boulders--Some - animals of the Sierra de Mal Abrigo--The surroundings of - Mercedes--A charmingly situated town--The terminus of the - line--Some characteristics of Mercedes--Urban dwellings--The - delights of the patio--The disadvantages of economy in - space--Streets and plazas--The hospital--A well-equipped - institution--View from the building--An island in Rio Negro--The - Port of Mercedes--River craft--Some local scenes--An equine - passenger--Formidable gutters--The industries of the town--The - Hotel Comercio--Colonia Suiza--Situation of the Swiss - Colony--Uruguayan Campo dwellings--Method of - construction--Simplicity of household removals--Aspect of - deserted huts--The houses of the Swiss Colony--Habits in general - of South American colonists--The range of nationalities--Liberty - accorded--Population of the Colonia Suiza--Its industries--A - dairy-farming community--An important butter factory--An instance - of a rapid rise from poverty to riches. - - -The railway journey from Montevideo to the town of Mercedes, on the -Rio Negro, is of ten hours' duration. The first portion of the run is, -of course, through the pleasant suburbs of the capital that have -already been sufficiently described. At Juanico, some forty kilometres -distant from the starting-point, the denser plantations and orchards -have already fallen away, and the country has definitely assumed its -natural grazing character, broken into here and there by large areas -of alfalfa. The place, as a matter of fact, is an important dairy -centre, from which Montevideo obtains a considerable proportion of its -butter, milk, and cheese. - -Santa Lucia, the next halt, is another of those smiling Oriental towns -embowered in gardens and orchards, and surrounded by tree-dotted -pastures. Close to the confines of the town runs the Santa Lucia -River, with its banks thickly bordered by willows and poplars that at -one point give way to a wide avenue of the popular and gigantic -eucalyptus. The spot is much patronised in the summer for the purpose -of picnics; for--to his credit be it said--the Uruguayan is a great -connoisseur of the _al fresco_ and its charms. - -On leaving Santa Lucia the railway line makes a sweeping bend, and -then crosses the river by an iron bridge that proudly claims the -distinction of being the longest on the system. Upon the farther side -of the stream the country is brightened by the innumerable blossom -sprays of the many wild quince-trees, and by the broad clumps of -glowing gorse. Soon, however, the aspect of the landscape alters -again, and the train is speeding once more through the open Campo of -pasture-land and of wheat and barley fields. - -San Jose, the next town of importance to be reached, is remarkable as -being the terminus of a splendid macadamised road that runs a distance -of ninety-six kilometres from Montevideo to this point. This excellent -highway is constructed in a really imposing fashion, and is engineered -with a lordly disregard of all obstacles. Just before reaching San -Jose, for instance, it crosses the river in the neighbourhood of the -town by a magnificent bridge no less than 360 metres in length. This -work was commenced by an Uruguayan engineer in 1906, and was completed -in 1909, at a cost of nearly two hundred thousand gold dollars. The -Uruguayans take a vast amount of very just pride in this structure, -which is probably one of the finest road bridges in existence. It -forms a fitting conclusion, moreover, to the best road in lower South -America. - -The town of San Jose itself is fairly important from the point of view -of population, since it numbers thirteen thousand inhabitants--a fact -that places it in the first rank of the country towns of the Republic. -Its chief church dominates all the remaining buildings, and affords a -notable landmark for many miles around. With the exception of this, -San Jose contains little of interest. It is, in fact, merely a typical -"camp" town that serves the surrounding agricultural area. A most -up-to-date mill that turns out daily twenty-one tons of flour is, -however, worthy of remark, since from the moment that the wheat is -dumped into the granary to that when it emerges as fine flour and is -mechanically poured into sacks, the whole process is effected by -machinery. - -Beyond San Jose the line climbs gradually to the summit of a small -sierra, whence a spreading panorama of the surrounding country is -obtained. On leaving Mal Abrigo, the next station, the character of -the landscape alters. The rich, black, vegetable soil has given way to -a rocky surface. Huge boulders of all shapes are strewn everywhere as -though flung by some giant upheaval into their tremendous confusion. -In the intervals of these great rocks grow thorny trees and shrubs. -Indeed, this Sierra de Mal Abrigo differs from anything that has gone -before. Hares abound in the neighbourhood, and at the approach of the -train great numbers of the animals speed away behind the sheltering -boulders. The armadillo, too, is especially plentiful in this region, -which seems to favour the partridge and martineta almost equally -well. - -Bizcocho is the last point of call before reaching Mercedes, from -which it is distant some twenty kilometres. From here the ground--once -again an open, treeless plain--slopes continuously as it descends -towards the valley at the Rio Negro. At the near approach to Mercedes -itself the country assumes the smiling aspect that seems the -inevitable attribute of the environs of the Uruguayan towns. Gardens, -orchards, streams, plantations, vineyards--all these flit past in -rapid sequence, until the train pulls up at Mercedes station, the -terminus of the line. - -This terminus of the line is well defined in more senses than one. The -station is situated on a bluff that hangs immediately over the Rio -Negro. It is merely necessary to proceed to the end of the rails, just -beyond the platform, in order to look sheer down upon the water of the -river some hundred feet below. A thoughtful act on the part of the -railway company to halt on the very brink, and thus to supply a -panorama in the place where the rails can no longer travel! - -[Illustration: MERCEDES: FROM ACROSS THE RIO NEGRO. -To face p. 208.] - -As a town Mercedes is attractive to a degree. The place can boast of -no great size, it is true, since its population does not exceed ten -thousand. Yet it is exceptionally fortunate both in its situation and -in the style of its buildings. The main portion of the city consists -of some half-dozen streets running parallel to the river, crossed by a -rather greater number of thoroughfares that lead directly from the -water's edge. The houses are almost without exception of the older -style of architecture--rather low, spreading buildings, each of which -encloses one of those charming patios that, alas! are now growing -steadily fewer with each year. Surely nothing is more delightful than -this verdure-filled courtyard set in the midst of the house--the small -stone-bound garden with its flowers, shrubs, and palms, on to which -give all the lower rooms of the establishment! They would doubtless -continue to exist for centuries were it not for the growing power and -insistence of their chief enemy, economy of space! - -The streets and plazas of Mercedes are fairly animated, for the town -is the centre of considerable social life. The majority of folk here -are of rather darker complexion than those of the capital, but the -women are almost equally good-looking. _Coches_ are plentiful in the -town; each of the two-horsed buggies will seat six people with ease, -and even then will speed along at an exhilarating pace, for the steeds -of these public conveyances are both willing and well cared for. - -The highest point of the town is occupied by the hospital. This, like -so many other Uruguayan institutions of the kind, is a very fine -establishment, well appointed, and provided with large, airy rooms and -corridors. From the roof of this hospital is revealed a magnificent -view of the town and its surroundings. The entire panorama is one not -easily to be forgotten. So far as the river itself is concerned, it is -possible from this point of vantage to follow its windings for miles -in both directions. The river here, by the way, attains to very nearly -a quarter of a mile in width--no despicable stretch of water even for -a tributary of the mighty Uruguay. - -In mid-stream just opposite Mercedes is an island--a gem of an island -embowered in luxurious vegetation, and completely fringed by large -weeping willows, whose drooping festoons of green all but touch the -waters. In conformity with the utilitarian spirit of the age, a scheme -is on foot for the construction of an hotel in this place, and surely -no more alluring spot could be lit upon for the purpose--although the -danger to the landscape from the erection of an unsuitable building -would be very real. - -Between this island and the buildings of the town is the port. Here -the topsail schooners and the various river craft of all descriptions -lie at anchor, including the small stern-wheel steamers that serve for -the passenger traffic into the far interior of the land, and a few -large barges piled high with the bones of cattle. Jutting out into the -stream near here is a small mole, from which point a small motor-ferry -is wont to ply to and fro, and thus give connection with the Fray -Bentos road upon the opposite shore. Just to the left of this, -anchored in mid-river, lies a large houseboat, which serves as the -headquarters of the local rowing and swimming clubs. - -It is, of course, in this neighbourhood that the river life is at its -busiest. Upon the rocky shore are groups of women in bright-coloured -dresses busily employed in washing household linen and various -garments--a sight, as a matter of fact, that may be anticipated with -certainty upon any populous Oriental river bank. The motor-ferry, too, -has by no means the monopoly of transit, and numerous smaller craft -are continually passing from one shore to the other. Their occupants -are not necessarily limited to the human species. Here, for instance, -is a horse being brought across in a small rowing boat. The animal -appears quite unconcerned; he is doubtless accustomed to the aquatic -excursions in so tiny a skiff. - -Returning from the riverside, a peculiar characteristic of the -Mercedes streets should attract the eye, or, failing this, stumblings -will ensue of a certainty. On either side of the roadway is an immense -gutter of over a yard in depth and width. These portentous channels -serve to carry off the rainfall of the heavy storms that occur from -time to time, and on a dark night constitute formidable obstacles in -the path of an unwary foot-passenger. - -Mercedes possesses a fairly important _saladero_, and, in addition, -constitutes a centre of the charcoal-burning industry. A couple of -hundred tons of this commodity is frequently shipped from the place in -the course of a month. So far as hotels are concerned, the Comercio is -distinctly to be recommended. The establishment is well above the -average of those that the ordinary provincial town can boast, being -clean, airy, and comfortable, and provided, moreover, with a very -genial host. - -Colonia Suiza is situated, some twenty miles inland from the coast, -midway between Mercedes and Montevideo. In order to reach this very -picturesque spot from the former town by rail it is necessary to hark -back to Mal Abrigo, from which junction the run to the Swiss Colony is -a short one. The country through which the journey is made is of the -usual grazing order, sparsely populated, the ground being marked only -here and there by a typical Uruguayan rancho. - -The modest establishments of this particular district are worthy of -special mention. Each is contrived from square blocks of turf, -carefully cut, and placed one on top of the other with the grass edge -downwards. The exterior of the walls is left without any attempt at -facing or adornment, and thus presents a distinctly crude and peculiar -appearance. The dwelling, however, is rendered snug and waterproof by -being plastered from within. These walls are extremely well made, -considering the fact that their composition is not assisted by any -additional material. The roof is made of wood, cut in lengths, and -thatched over with wood or straw. - -Household removals on the Uruguayan campo are not necessarily matters -of weighty thought, whose occurrence is to be anticipated with dread -for many months beforehand. When the family who owns one of these mud -ranches decides to move, the procedure is very simple. The roof, -doors, and windows of the home are taken down and collected. After -which it is merely necessary for the party to pack these along with -them on horseback, until a suitable site is lit upon for a new -erection of turf into which the portable finishing touches may be -inserted. That effected, the owners are once more at home. As for the -discarded dwelling, it remains much as before, save that it is minus -roof, door, and windows. - -Many of these skeleton huts are to be met with on the rolling face of -the country. They possess this in common with birds' nests, that from -a distance it is difficult to ascertain whether they are occupied or -to let. If deserted, there is no reason why any chance family on the -move should not take possession by no more formal means than that of -affixing roof, door, and windows in the gaps that await them. Many of -these ranchos, by the way, are surrounded by very pretty gardens, and -hedged in by tall hedges of geranium and rose. - -Once arrived at the Swiss Colony, however, the aspect of the dwellings -becomes altogether changed. The houses here resemble strongly the -chalets of the Swiss mountains, for, like the remaining colonies of -the kind throughout the River Plate republics, the immigrants have -introduced their own ways and fashions of living. Indeed, the -existence of such bodies provides an ample testimonial of the -conditions of freedom under which life is conducted in these -countries. - -[Illustration: RIO NEGRO BRIDGE.] - -[Illustration: ON THE RIO NEGRO. -To face p. 212.] - -The number and strange variety of these self-contained colonies in -this part of the world is scarcely realised. They are, of course, -totally distinct from the ordinary, scattered immigrant dwellers. -When surveyed _en masse_ the result is not a little extraordinary. In -the three Spanish-speaking republics of Argentina, Uruguay, and -Paraguay that, together with Southern Bolivia, formed the old River -Plate provinces, exist distinct and important settlements of Swiss, -Austrians, Poles, Australians, Welsh, Boers, and Jews, besides -numerous lesser groups of many nationalities beyond. - -Within the frontiers of each perfect liberty obtains to continue -existence as it is led in the country from which the immigrants came, -and thus each is provided with its own churches and institutions. In -the case of the more recently founded it is almost as though a portion -of the foreign land had been translated bodily to South American soil, -while those of older standing have invariably yielded more or less to -the influence of their surroundings. But the choice of remaining -entirely aloof, or of assimilating the customs that prevail outside -their own frontiers lies entirely in the hands of the immigrant -communities. It is, of course, only natural that each section should -carry on that particular branch of industry to which it has been -accustomed in its country of origin. - -The Colonia Suiza constitutes an important body, containing, as it -does, no less than four thousand inhabitants. Here it is not -surprising that the staple industry should be that of cheese -manufacture and dairy produce. In addition to this a fair amount of -agriculture is carried on. The soil of the district is well adapted to -linseed, and numerous vineyards are responsible for the production of -a local wine of very fair quality. - -Consisting for the most part of small dairy farms, no regular township -exists in the colony, although a small village has sprung into being -in the neighbourhood of the railway station, and three hotels are -distributed at wide intervals across the area occupied. The community, -first established in 1862 by the arrival of seven Swiss families, is -flourishing, and its members have clung to their national habits with -more tenacity than is usual. - -The largest and most important butter factory in the place produces in -the springtime a daily quantity of no less than a ton of butter. Its -proprietor, ere he emigrated, played the role of a small shopkeeper in -his own country. His house was burned to the ground, but, fortunately -for himself, the property was insured. He employed the money derived -from this source for the purpose of the voyage to South America, and, -arrived at the Colonia Suiza, he found employment in the carrying -round of the milk. In a very short while he was employing others to -perform this service for himself, and is now a wealthy man, thus -affording one more example of those rapid rises from poverty to riches -that are so characteristic of South America. - -The general aspects of this colony are peculiarly agreeable. Situated -in one of the most pleasant districts of a smiling land, it is well -watered and timbered. The verdure of the place, moreover, is enhanced -by the numerous green lanes that intersect it. Indeed, no more -delightful situation could be imagined than that occupied by many of -the chalets of Swiss design. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -COLONIA - - An historical town--Rarity of ruins in the River Plate - countries--Specimens at Colonia--Situation of the town--Past - antagonism between the capitals of Argentina and Uruguay--Present - aspect of Colonia compared with the former--A sleepy - hollow--Periodical awakenings of the place--Impressions of the - old town--Its colouring and compactness--Fortifications of the - city of discord--A warlike history--Nations that have warred - together at this spot--The reddest corner in a bloodstained - land--Surroundings of the town--Crumbling masonry--A medley of - old and new--A Colonia street--Old-time scenes of peace and - war--Some pictures of the past--Cannon as road posts--The - Plaza--An episode in the wars with Portugal--The eternity of - romance--Real de San Carlo--A modern watering-place--Its - buildings--The bullring--A gigantic pelota-court--Popularity of - the spot--A miniature tramway--Attractions of Real de San - Carlo--Vegetation on the sands--A curious colour scheme--Pleasant - lanes--Buenos Aires as a supplier of tourists. - - -The small town of Colonia stands quite alone in many respects. Not as -regards situation, climate, and a reputation as a pleasure resort. In -all these three the spot is especially favoured; yet in each of these -it possesses a number of formidable rivals along the Uruguayan coast. -Excursionists flock to Colonia, it is true, but such flighty nomads -are more concerned with beaches and bathing than with the subtler and -deeper interests of the spot. - -To the historian and to the antiquarian Colonia represents a gem. It -must be admitted that the values of such treasures go strictly by -comparison. Uruguay is rich in the amethyst and topaz, but poor in -architectural ruins. Indeed, these romantic features are -distressingly--or pleasingly--rare throughout all the lands that made -up the provinces of the old River Plate. So far as I am aware, almost -the sole examples of any real antiquity are to be met with in the -Jesuit ruins of Paraguay and the Misiones Province, and in the few -fragmentary Inca relics upon the Andes slopes. Beyond these there is -Colonia. Therefore if the gem lack the full brilliance of some of the -specimens that an older continent can produce, its importance must not -be under-estimated, since it possesses the rare merit of being all but -unique in its own country. - -From the Uruguayan bank of the great river Colonia faces Buenos Aires. -The one is not visible from the other, since almost forty miles -separate the two cities--a distance that has frequently been found too -short for the peace of mind of both. For, although they now sit on -their respective banks in undisturbed peace, the past has only too -many instances to show of how the pair opposed each other with an -active hostility that worked its share in the building up of the -warlike history of Colonia. - -The present fate of Colonia is much akin to that of many of those -spots that serve as the decayed shells of old-time battles and -terrific alarums. In short, it is a sleepy hollow. There are certainly -times when a large river steamer comes to rest for a while against its -wooden jetty, and disgorges a crowd of tourists who wander aimlessly -about the quaint streets. But such spells are short, since the -interests of the spot can compare in the minds of very few of such -visitors with the great bullring and pelota-court, recently erected -some half-dozen miles up-stream, to which they are on their way. Thus -the place has barely time to shake its old walls, and yawn with its -blank windows, wondering at this sudden new life that has sprung up -within it, when the spasm has passed away, and Colonia sinks back from -its semi-conscious state into full slumber again. - -The first impressions of the old town, when viewed from the river, -present a rather strange medley of brown, yellow, grey, white, pink, -and green. Thrown together as abruptly as this, the colour scheme -doubtless sounds perplexing. Yet in reality the tints blend with -consummate harmony. The brown is rendered by the rocks that hem in the -little bays and inlets of the foreground, while the lichen that clings -to the stone accounts for a strangely brilliant yellow. The grey is -produced by the most important asset of the town, the ruined walls and -battlements of the fortifications that pile themselves sullenly upon -the rocks along the river bank, penetrating the waters at many points. -The pink and white gleam very softly from the more modern houses in -the background that mingle with the old, crumbling erections of grey, -while at close intervals the verdure of trees and shrubs sprouts out -thickly from amongst the masonry. To conclude with all this colour, so -far as possible at one fell swoop, the town is dominated by a -brilliant white lighthouse shaft and the twin red towers of a modern -church. - -Undoubtedly one of the most curious effects for which Colonia is -responsible is that of its compactness. There is scarcely a town in -Uruguay, or in Argentina either, whose outskirts do not straggle far -away from the centre into the Campo. To one who has inevitably become -accustomed to these architectural loose-ends the accurately defined -boundaries of the riverside town are not a little striking. The reason -is a very simple one. In the old days the city of discord was -completely surrounded by fortifications and, since it has performed -the feat--almost unique in the country--of failing to grow in extent -since that time, its original abrupt boundaries have remained. The -result, from an artistic point of view, is undoubtedly far more -imposing than that produced by the stress of modern development. - -Colonia is not a town to be skimmed over lightly. It is worthy of -almost as careful a reconnoitring as it has frequently suffered in the -past. For the place can boast of half a dozen regular sieges, and -pitched battles, sallies, and skirmishes galore. Indians and -Spaniards, Spaniards and Portuguese, Uruguayans and Spaniards, -Uruguayans and Portuguese--all these have fought together here on -countless occasions, and yet the list of the warring companies is not -ended. The red ponchos of Urquiza's Gauchos have charged up to the -grey walls, staining the brown earth crimson as they went; buccaneers -of all nations have come and gone, and the scarlet of a British -garrison has gleamed out against the background of stone. Colonia is -the reddest spot of all in a sadly bloodstained land. - -But, however much the aftermath of battles may brood, the aspect of -the place is as fair as could be desired. Just opposite its site are -the first green islands of the river, the oceanward outposts of the -lengthy series that rest in the midst of the waters upstream. This -shore of the mainland itself is picturesque in another fashion. Bright -semicircles and crescents of sand fringe the rocks of the innumerable -small bays. Upon the natural boulders, and ledges, and heaps of -masonry above are clusters of green leaves starred with blossoms. Here -and there a growth of more artificial kind is spread upon the stone; -for the sole figures upon the foreshore are those of two washerwomen, -busily engaged amongst the pools, whose variegated harvest is -increasing in area as it is spread out to dry. - -[Illustration: COLONIA: RUINED FORTRESS WALL.] - -[Illustration: A CAMPO GRAVEYARD. -To face page 218.] - -In places the surface of the old masonry is level and wide; in others -it is necessary to leap from point to point just as it is in the case -of the rocks below. Scrambling and walking thus for several hundred -yards, the way lies past a collection of ruined houses, the massive -walls of which prick upwards in gaunt desolation. Beyond these again -is a narrow passage, paved principally by the chance falling of the -masonry, that leads into one of the actual streets of the town. - -The medley here is fascinating from the mere force of its quaintness. -The first houses that flank the slender thoroughfare as it winds its -way uphill are a few pink erections, fairly modern, with windows -plainly barred, and open doorways, through which is visible the -foliage that decorates the patio within. Side by side with these is a -building of quite another type, an old grey house, stately and -imposing, though now little beyond a shell of ruins. Its front is -thickly set with the remnants of graceful balconies, and with broken -shields and coats of arms. Upon the massive doorway is an ancient -bronze knocker in the form of a human hand. But the hapless instrument -has been silent now for many a generation, since at the back of the -doorway itself is nothing beyond a confusion of tumbled stone into -whose crevices the roots of the intruding shrubs and flowers have -pressed themselves. - -The street is quite deserted; the temptation to raise the bronze hand -and bang out the echoes is almost irresistible. It is certain that one -could arouse nothing beyond the ghosts of the past. Yet the answer to -such an appeal might prove a little too intense for the modern -tranquillity of mind. Confined to the days of peace, the vision would -be well enough. The house, the walls, the patio, the fretwork of the -balconies, the carving of the coats of arms--all these would be -intact and hung about with humanity. In obedience to the most -commonplace demands of the all-pervading romance, breeched men, whose -long-draped cloaks hid the lace and buckles of their costume, would -send out their voices and the tinklings of their guitars towards the -senoritas, whose soft eyes glowed beneath a tremendous headgear, and -who wore their filmy wrappings and short skirts with true Iberian -grace. - -Within the courtyard the negro slaves would lounge at their ease, -while near them would repose the great guardian dogs of the house. Now -and again would sound a heavy rumble from the street without that -signified the advent of visitors in a cumbrous coach of state--an -interruption that would still the notes of voice and guitar string, -and that would excite the negro attendants into sudden life and the -dogs into a delirium of barking. After which many grave bows and deep -curtseyings would prelude the quiet ceremony of entertainment. - -But if instead of this peaceful scene the wrong half of the past were -to appear! For there were times when the heavy booming and uproar drew -ever nearer from without, and then the faces of the senoritas as they -peered through the elaborate bars were ashy pale. There were moments, -too, when the last doubts had turned to a bitter certainty, when the -forms of fleeing men passed the house, and those of others, who -stayed, reddened the ground before the door. And last of all!--the -apparition of the strange men in hostile garb, the lust of slaughter -in their eyes as they rushed on, making another place of the once -familiar street. Thirsting for blood, hungry for booty, and for all -things beyond--the cheeks of the shuddering senoritas have not paled -without reason. After all, perhaps it is better to leave undisturbed -the knocker upon the old door. - -Such mental apparitions, moreover, could be multiplied indefinitely, -for there are a dozen houses of similar design, if of varied ruinous -importance, in the town. Indeed, the place breathes strongly of the -past. At a street corner here and there is an ancient cannon, buried -muzzle upwards into the ground, that serves to fend off from the -sidewalk such wheeled traffic as exists. After a while the narrow -street falls away, and the wide sweep of the plaza extends to the -front. - -The place was once the site of a rather peculiar feat of frontier -delimitation. The occasion was that of one of the numerous cessions by -treaty to Portugal of the town that the Spaniards were wont to win by -force of arms. On receiving the order from the Court of Spain to -evacuate the province in favour of the temporarily reconciled enemy -the staunch old Spanish Governor lost patience. The town, he knew full -well, he must surrender, but he refused to give up more even at the -command of his royal master. So he raised the muzzle of a cannon in -the plaza, fired a shot to right and left, and told the Portuguese -that the land within the range of the balls was theirs, but no more. -And with this they had to be content. - -There are now no cannon in the plaza, where, indeed, the wild shrubs -and grasses alone thrive. Passing across it, the river is approached -again, for Colonia covers a small promontory. Ere reaching the water -on the farther side, however, it is necessary to pass by far the most -imposing ruin in the place. By the side of the white lighthouse tower -a tall fragment of grey fortress wall rears itself aloft. Some four -feet thick throughout, its crumbling embrasures are strongly lit up by -the blue sky behind. - -From this point the ground slopes abruptly downwards towards the -shore. Here are more rocks, more mounds of ruined masonry, more -washerwomen--and the forms of a girl and of a man seated apart from -the rest upon the stones. The girl is flaming in all the pride of red -skirt and kerchief and yellow blouse. For all I know the latter -garment may not technically be admissible within the strict category -of blouses, but, failing a more intimate knowledge, it must pass as -something similar! By comparison with the very brilliant butterfly, -the man looms a dusky moth, whose only glitter lies in the great, -round, silver spurs that protrude from his high heels. Yet the -business of the pair is the same as ever! Though wrought out more -frequently when Colonia really lived, it obtains still amongst the -ruins. It is comforting to reflect that even the most simple of these -rural chains of the affections continues with links far less unbroken -than those of war! - -Some three miles distant from Colonia, and situated likewise upon the -banks of the river, is Real de San Carlo. Although such close -neighbours, it would be difficult to find two spots that differed more -widely from each other. Real de San Carlo is a mushroom of a place -that has only known existence for some two or three years. Since it is -planned as a pleasure resort pure and simple, the nature of Real de -San Carlo is to a certain extent artificial, and the brand-new -buildings have yet to be toned down by the softening process of age. - -So far the new bathing-place is deficient in the private -dwelling-houses and chalets that characterise the majority of such -spots. On the arrival of the steamer at the imposing pier, the eye is -arrested at once by the sight of two very large buildings, and by that -of one of a more moderate size. Beyond these there is little in the -way of architectural development, with the insignificant exception of -the cottages that house the labourers upon the place. - -[Illustration: THE BULL RING. -To face p. 222.] - -Of the two great buildings the bullring is the more notable. Indeed, -the enormous circular erection of white concrete is visible for a -distance of many miles in all directions. One side of the ground -beneath, sheltered by the rising spread of tiers that hold the seats, -is occupied by an open-air cafe, while the appointments within are of -the usual order to be met with in bullrings. It is here that the -periodical bullfights are held, and it is here, moreover, that many of -the noted Spanish fighters perform. - -In the neighbourhood of the bullring is the pelota-court, which is -only just now being completed, in which the famous Basque game is to -be played. This is likewise constructed of white concrete, and, -although its magnitude cannot rival that of the bullring, it is of an -amazing size for a building of the kind, holding galleries above, as -it does, that must be capable of seating several thousand spectators. -Compared with these two tremendous affairs, the hotel is of modest -dimensions and of unpretentious appearance. Nevertheless, were it to -stand apart from such overwhelming neighbours, it would doubtless -appear imposing enough. - -Real de San Carlo is well equipped to cope with the crowds of visitors -that the steamers already bring to its shore; it does things, in fact, -in a certain elaborate style of its own. A narrow-gauge steam tramway -runs between the jetty and the bullring, although the distance does -not exceed a quarter of a mile, and behind the miniature engine a -number of cars are in waiting, each containing a row of seats facing -outwards on either side. At the moment of the visit the bull-fighting -itself is undergoing a temporary lull--a fact that, from one's own -point of view, is very little to be regretted. So the tramcars, -crowded now, roll merrily onwards to a ring devoid of espadas, bulls, -horses, and blood, and for the majority of the tourists the chief -business of the day is confined to the precincts of the cafe in the -shade of the great building. - -Apart from these more artificial attractions, Real de San Carlo will -undoubtedly prove popular as a bathing resort. The fine white sands -and rippling waters here possess an invaluable auxiliary in the -delightful air with which the place is blessed. In this springtime of -the year, moreover, the sands themselves are decorated in rather an -unusual fashion. From them sprout masses of silver-white, thick, silky -leaves, and stems that support blossoms that exactly resemble small -sunflowers. The effect that the great stretches of these present is -distinctly striking. Thickly spangling the white sand is a silver -glow, topped by the yellow of the blossoms above--a colour scheme that -gives a strangely fairylike and unreal impression. As though to lend a -touch of warmer colour, thousands of butterflies, all of a variety of -the painted-lady species, are hovering in clouds about the blossoms. - -Just inland, where the undulations of the real country begin, the -lanes are ablaze with passionflower and honeysuckle--but the steamer -is whistling impatiently in the distance, and the tourists are -flocking back to the tramcars. It is time to return, and to mingle -with the crowd once more, the great majority of which are returning to -Buenos Aires. For it is on the inhabitants of this city, within a -couple of hours' steam across the river, that Real de San Carlo -depends for its popularity, and consequent welfare. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -THE URUGUAY RIVER - - A great waterway--The river compared with the Parana--Some - questions of navigation--The lower stretch of the Uruguay--The - stream from Montevideo upwards--Montevideo--The docks--An - imposing array of Mihanovich craft--Breadth of the river--Aspects - of the banks--Various types of vessels--The materials of their - cargoes--The meeting of sister steamers--The etiquette of - salutations--Fray Bentos--The Lemco factory and port--A notable - spot--The paradise of the eater--The islands of Uruguay--Method - of their birth and growth--The responsibility of leaves and - branches--Uncertainty of island life--The effects of flood and - current--Sub-tropical bergs--The vehicles of wild creatures--A - jaguar visitation in Montevideo--Narrowing of the - stream--Paysandu--The home of ox-tongues--The second commercial - town of the Republic--Some features of the place--Variety of the - landscape--The _Mesa de Artigas_--An historical table-land--A - monument to the national hero--Salto--A striking town--Pleasant - landscape--The Salto falls--The ending of the lower Uruguay--A - rocky bed--Some minerals of Salto--Alteration in the colour of - the water--The beauty of the upper Uruguay. - - -As a waterway the Uruguay River is of infinite service to the Republic -whose western coastline it serves. It is true that, compared with the -Parana, the stream suffers somewhat both as regards length and -navigable facilities. Both rivers have much in common, in that either -has its source in the mountain ranges that fringe the coast of Brazil, -and either flows first to the west, then southwards until the junction -of the pair forms the broad River Plate. But, whereas the Parana rises -in latitude 22 deg. south the first waters of the Uruguay do not come -into being until 28 deg. south. The latter, in consequence, has to -content itself with a course of a thousand miles, rather less than -half the length of its neighbour. - -The lower stretch of the Uruguay holds an obstacle to navigation that -is unknown in the corresponding waters of the Parana. At Salto, some -two hundred miles above the mouth, falls extend from the one bank to -the other, and thus bar the passage of all vessels. Above this place, -however, is the starting-point for the lighter draught steamers that -continue their northward course for many hundreds of miles. - -As though to compensate for the barrier, the first two hundred miles -of the Uruguay represent a particularly noble highway of waters, far -broader and more imposing, indeed, than the equivalent stretch of the -Parana. Ocean-going vessels here penetrate to Paysandu, and beyond it -to the Lemco port of Colon on the Argentine shore, while the really -magnificent steamers of the River King, Mihanovich, produce their -finest specimens to ply to and fro here. But, as the banks of the -stream contain not only some of the most fertile lands in the Republic -but much of interest beyond, it is worth while to follow its course, -beginning at Montevideo itself, which, as a matter of fact, is -somewhat to anticipate the waters of the true Uruguay. - -By the quayside of the capital are grouped three or four of the -Mihanovich craft, large, two-funnelled vessels with an imposing array -of decks surmounted by an unusually spacious promenade that crowns the -whole. One of these is bound for Salto--or rather for the Argentine -town of Concordia that lies opposite that port--but just now it is not -advisable to be tied hard and fast to her broad decks, since she must -call at Buenos Aires on her way, and at many other spots outside -Uruguay and the scope of this book. - -We will therefore perform the strange feat of making a break in the -trip ere it is begun. In any case it is necessary to leave the quay -over whose broad, paved surface of reclaimed land the cabs are -rattling, and where the policeman and porters stand, and where, -moreover, a strong group of Salvationists are singing lustily, -surrounded by a motley but attentive group such as the precincts of a -port attract. But the graceful _Triton_ shall churn her way out into -the open without us, since we will cling so far as possible to the -Uruguayan shore, forging upwards through the yellowing waters, to halt -at Sauce with its willow-covered lands and Colonia with its rocky -beach, until Carmelo is passed, and at Nueva Palmira the River Uruguay -has been fairly entered. Even then, however, it is necessary to accept -the fact more or less on trust, and to confide in the accuracy of the -map rather than in that of the eyesight. For the faint line that has -recently appeared on the horizon to the left might as well stand for a -distant streak upon the waters as for the low-lying Argentine shore -that it actually represents. - -To the right, the Uruguayan bank is well defined. Here the undulations -of the land swell boldly out from the edge of the river, while in many -places rocks and boulders strew the sloping foreshore as though to -accentuate the frontier between stream and land that is so faintly -defined upon the opposite coast. Here and there the verdure of the -hills is broken by the darker green bands of the eucalyptus -plantations, through which from time to time gleam the white walls of -an estancia-house. At intervals the chimneys of a saladero prick -upwards from the nearer neighbourhood of the bank. About these centres -of their doom the speck-like figures of the cattle dot the surrounding -pastures, grazing in fortunate ignorance of their end. - -The traffic upon the river itself is by no means inconsiderable. -Native topsail schooners laden with jerked beef, fruit, and timber -come gliding serenely down the stream beneath their spread of sail. -One of these craft is especially indicative of the main industry of -the land. The vessel is laden as high as the booms will permit with -horns of cattle, the bleaching mounds of which must represent the -sacrifice of many thousands of animals. There are smart Government -tugs, too, that hold the official guardians of the mighty stream, and -great dredgers of queer and monstrous shape that steam slowly along to -find an anchorage where the bottom is shallow, and there remorselessly -to bite out mouthfuls from the unduly lofty bed. - -At rarer intervals appear the ocean-going craft and sailing vessels. -It would be safe to wager that there is not one of those passing -down-stream that is not laden with some portions or other of the -bodies bequeathed to humanity by the unconsulted yet generous bovine -souls. Nevertheless the exact species of cargo would be more difficult -to predict. It might be beef itself, or hides that will make leather -upon which to sit while consuming the meat, or horns which will -provide handles for the necessary complement of knives, or indeed many -other products useful for similar purposes. There never was such a -creature as the ox for the provision of a variety of articles that all -eloquently urge the benefit of his death! - -A tall and majestic structure has come into sight from round a bend in -the stream now, and is sweeping rapidly downwards. With grey hull, -white upper-works about her rows of decks, and twin black funnels to -cap the whole, she is one of the proud fleet of steamers that ply -throughout the entire system of the great rivers. If the vessel upon -which you may be found bears a corresponding =M= upon its -funnel--which in the case of a passenger craft may be taken as a -practical certainty--you may be assured that you will not be passed -without recognition, even if sheltered by a mere paltry stern-wheeler -that is bound for one of the small tributary streams. Combining -affability with size, the whale will blow out three deep roars of -salute from its great horn, that will be echoed by a like number of -shrill notes from the treble whistle of the minnow. Such is the -etiquette throughout the entire length of the rivers. The six blows -are sounding throughout the day from the tropics of Brazil downwards -to where the La Plata and the ocean meet. - -Upon the right-hand side Fray Bentos has come into view, marked in the -first place by a great collection of tall black chimneys glistening in -the sun. Beneath is verdure, and massive white buildings, and streets -of dwelling-houses, while to the front is the Lemco port with a small -forest of masts rising from its waters. The place, in a double sense, -represents the very incarnation of Uruguay's trade. A greedy spot that -swallows live cattle by tens of thousands to render them up again in -the pathetically diminished form of extract! Even now the odour of -soup floats heavily in the air from across a mile of water--a proof -that Fray Bentos is busily occupied in turning out its brown rivers of -fluid. - -The factory, the most notable in the country, is indeed strongly -symbolical of the land where starvation in ordinary circumstances of -peace has never yet been known. Havana may be the paradise of the -smoker, Epernay that of the champagne lover; but the eater's heaven is -undoubtedly situated in Uruguay, a paradise in which the spirits of -departed and honest butchers might well revel in perfect joy. - -Just above Fray Bentos the islands dot the river more plentifully -than in almost any other part of the great stream. As is the case on -the Parana, it is difficult enough at times to distinguish between -these and the true bank on the Argentine shore; both are equally lowly -and each covered with the same density of willows and native scrub. -Amongst these larger islands, however, whose surface may comprise -several square miles, are numerous smaller pieces of land, and some -quite diminutive specimens that can lay claim to no more than a few -yards of area. These are baby islands--young territories that have -only just succeeded in raising their heads above water. For an island -here is conceived, grows, and dies in a fashion that is vegetable -rather than purely earthy. The fact is not really curious, seeing that -vegetation is directly concerned in their birth. - -The conception of one of these is evident even now. A tangle of the -thick leaves of the camelota--the water plant with its mauve -hyacinth-like flower--has in its downward floating course fouled the -earth of a shallow in mid-stream. The arrested clump of green has -already inveigled other objects to keep it company in its trap. A few -sticks and branches and tufts of grass are already fast in the embrace -of the powerful stems and green leaves, while at the end that faces -the stream the water-driven sand has risen at the obstacle, and has -shyly protruded a small round hump or two above the ripples. The life -of the thing is as uncertain as that of a seedling or of a human -child. Under favourable conditions it will grow and solidify year by -year until from the few leaves and sticks will have extended some -square miles of tree-covered soil. On the other hand, it may be swept -remorselessly away in its earliest days ere the tentative formation -has had time to secure sufficiently firm hold of the earth. - -[Illustration: ON THE URUGUAY RIVER.] - -[Illustration: A URUGUAYAN STREAM. -To face p. 230.] - -In any case the life of these islands is comparatively short, and -fresh floods and currents are forming some and destroying others all -the while. During these periods of flood many of them would seem -possessed of the characteristics of icebergs. Detached by the -irresistible force of the currents, great fragments of the vegetation -and camelota plant that cling to their sides go swirling down the -stream. Though they can boast no polar bears, they are occasionally -freighted with other beasts whose neighbourhood is equally -undesirable. On such occasions snakes and many four-footed specimens -of northern creatures form the unwilling tenants of these frail rafts -of vegetation. It is said that many years ago one of unusually large -size struck the shore of Montevideo itself, disgorging four jaguars, -who entered the town as much to their own terror as to that of the -inhabitants. - -With Fray Bentos once left in the rear, the river becomes distinctly -narrowed, and, where no islands intervene, the features of either bank -begin to be clearly distinguished at the same time. The Argentine -shore has broken away from its dead level now, and is rising in gentle -undulations; the Uruguayan coast, too, as though in a determined -endeavour to retain its physical superiority, has taken to heap itself -in far loftier and more imposing hills than before. - -The next town of importance at which the steamer halts is that of -Paysandu, the great centre of ox-tongues. Indeed, were one to adopt -the popular figurative methods of certain magazines, amazing results -might well be extracted from the commerce of the place. Thus, -supposing a year's accumulation of Paysandu ox-tongues were able -jointly to give forth the notes that they were wont to render in life, -the effect of the combined roar would probably be to deafen the entire -populace of the Republic, and to blow every atom of water from the -river! The number of men they would feed, and the distance they would -cover if extended in a line I do not know; but it may be taken for -granted that the export of these preserved instruments of bovine -speech is very considerable. - -Paysandu ranks as the second commercial city in the Republic. It is -true that, so far as size is concerned, it is altogether dwarfed by -Montevideo, since the inhabitants of the smaller town number only -twenty thousand or so. Yet, the centre of a rich pastoral and -agricultural province, the place is of no little commercial -importance, and, although its architecture remains largely of the -pleasant but old-fashioned Spanish style, not a few new buildings and -boulevards have already sprung into existence. Like the majority of -towns of its kind, it is well equipped with electric lighting, -telephones, and other such modern appliances, although its tramcar -traction is still effected by the humbler methods of the horse. - -To the north of Paysandu the stream narrows, the islands become few -and far between, and the course of the river is distinct and -well-defined. The landscape, too, is more varied now than that of the -lower reaches. Among the Uruguayan rounded hills a few well-marked -tablelands spread their broad, level surfaces in the way that is -characteristic of so many parts of the Republic. Both the inland -valleys and river banks are covered with an added density of -vegetation, while beaches of shining white sand jut out at intervals -from the shore. As for the Argentine bank, it has quite suddenly -assumed a marked individuality of its own. It is covered with a -reddish yellow rolling soil, tinged only lightly with green, from -which close groves of palm-trees sprout upwards for mile after mile. -It is as though a portion of Africa on the one shore were facing a -rather wooded and broken portion of the South Downs on the other! - -The water itself has been growing more limpid all the while, now that -the dead-flat, soft, alluvial soil of the Argentine bank has given way -to a harder and more stony surface. It has become shallow in parts, -too, and the nose of the steamer often gives a tentative turn to the -right or left as she cautiously feels her way. The craft has -penetrated almost to the limits of the lower stretch of the great -river now, and the rising bed is a premonitory symptom of the end. - -On the right has now risen the loftiest bluff that has yet marked the -Uruguayan shore. It forms one of the walls of a striking and bold -table-land. The place is now known as the _Mesa de Artigas_--the table -of Artigas. It was upon the summit of this hill that the Uruguayan -national hero had his chief encampment, and it has been described as a -desolate and lonely spot, haunted by murdered spirits and by the -memory of horrors, that no living being cared to approach. The -description cannot be said to hold good at the present moment. The -green slopes are dotted with grazing cattle and sheep, while at one -point the distant figures of two mounted Gauchos are careering to and -fro, and the cattle in the neighbourhood are wheeling together and -lumbering forward as a result of their manoeuvres. - -On the summit of the tableland is a peculiarly tall stone pedestal -that rises from a great pyramidal base to soar high upwards against -the sky-line. The shaft is surmounted by a bust that represents -Artigas himself. The entire structure is on the colossal side, and the -effect of the bust poised on high against the blue of the air is -curious rather than effective. Viewing it from far below, it is -difficult to avoid the impression that the head and shoulders, placed -half-way between earth and heaven, are pleading with mute eloquence -for a body and legs with which to grasp more firmly the summit of the -sustaining shaft. In any case the monument is bold, and affords a -strikingly conspicuous landmark for an area of many leagues. - -To the north of the Mesa de Artigas the landscape of the river -continues bold and hilly. A score or so of miles up-stream from the -monument lies the town of Salto, the last place of real importance -upon this stretch of the Uruguayan frontier. With its buildings rising -to cover the hills of its site, the panorama of Salto is more imposing -in its way than that of any other town on the banks of the stream. -Indeed, piled on the summit of cliffs and bluffs, the white masses of -masonry, crowned by a few steeples and towers, are visible from far -inland upon the Argentine territory as well as from the remoter -neighbourhoods of its own soil. The river just here is exceptionally -populous, since facing Salto from across the waters is Concordia, a -large and thriving Argentine town. - -The population of Salto is slightly in excess of twenty thousand, and, -like every other town along the length of the stream, it serves as a -storehouse for the pastoral and agricultural industries of the -district. In many respects, however, the situation of the town gives -it a commercial scope greater than that of the more southern towns. -Although the climate lacks sufficient heat for the production of the -banana and similar sub-tropical growths, the variety of fruit is very -great. The orange flourishes in exceptional abundance here, and its -cultivation forms a valuable addition to the wealth of the district. - -[Illustration: CATTLE ON THE ROAD.] - -[Illustration: A CORNER OF THE FRAY BENTOS FACTORY. -To face p. 234.] - -Pleasantly situated, with shaded plazas and avenues, and with the -orchards, vineyards, orange-groves, and well-timbered country of its -outskirts, Salto lies at the end--or, to be more accurate, the -beginning--of the lower Uruguay. Just above the town a white foaming -line stretches from bank to bank during the periods when the river is -low. But these lower falls are navigable during a considerable portion -of the year, and not until Salto Grande, at a point considerably -higher up, is the permanent barrier to navigation reached. Between -Salto itself and Concordia the river is plentifully strewn with rocks, -and, although the channels are deep, it is necessary on this head for -vessels to use considerable caution, more especially as the tide races -fiercely just here. Indeed, the fluctuations of the stream at this -point are very great, and account for the tremendously lofty wooden -passenger pier that serves the town. - -It is in the neighbourhood of Salto that is found the curious water -stone that is referred to elsewhere in this book. It is in this -province too that exist the topaz and amethyst mines. The visitor, -however, need not trouble his head to start out upon any expedition -with the object of picking up any of these curiosities. The topaz and -amethyst fields are well-defined private property, while the -water-stone is as shy and elusive as a four-leaved clover at home. If -in quest of these objects, it is wiser to restrict the field of -adventure to the Salto shops. - -It has been noticeable all the time whilst ascending the river that -the water has steadily become less tinged with yellow. Above the -falls, however, the distinction is far more marked. The stream here is -peculiarly limpid, and the effect at a northern spot such as Santa -Rosa, almost on the Brazilian frontier, is entrancing. Here the river -is at times of a brilliant blue tint--a broad azure ribbon winding -between swelling banks covered now with dense folds of vegetation. -Viewed from the rising ground in the neighbourhood, the conviction is -inevitable that, although the northern waters may have lost a little -in commercial importance, the Upper Uruguay can lay claim to a degree -of beauty with which the lower reaches, for all their charm, cannot -compete. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -THE URUGUAYAN CAMPO - - Formation of the land--A survey of the country--Features of the - soil--Types of wild flowers--A land of hill, valley, and - stream--The glamour of the distance--"The purple land"--Breezes - of the Campo--An exhilarating country--The dearth of - homesteads--The Uruguayan Gaucho--His physique--The product of - the blowy uplands--Matters of temperament--His comparative - joviality--The Gaucho as worker, player, and fighter--The - manipulation of feuds--A comparison between Argentina and - Uruguay--Warrior ancestors of the Gaucho--His sense of dignity - and honour--Conservative habits and customs--Costume and horse - gear--Strenuous _bailes_--Some homeric feats of dancing--Stirring - revelry--The Uruguayan land-owner--Foreign elements in the - land--Negro inhabitants of the Banda Oriental--The numerical - status of the Africans in the north and in the south--Absence of - a racial question--The slavery of former days--The employment of - black troops in war--Lenient treatment of negro slaves--Harsh - measures applied to aboriginal Indians--A lesson in human - economy--Testimony of a contemporary writer--Immigrant colonies. - - -The Uruguayan Campo is not to be described without a certain amount of -hesitation. It would be simple enough for one who had caught only a -distant passing glimpse of the land of the pastures to put down the -country without further ado as rolling grass upland watered by many -streams. That such is the foundation of the Campo is undeniable. -Nevertheless to begin and end with such a phrase would be equivalent -to a description of the peacock as a bird who wears coloured feathers. - -The subtle charms of the Uruguayan Campo are not to be discerned -through the medium of the bioscope-like glimpses that so many -travellers obtain of it. Very rightly, it refuses to reveal itself -fully until a certain amount of familiarity has justified a nearer -acquaintance. From an aesthetic point of view it certainly holds far -more than might be expected from a country of such comparatively -limited attributes. - -If you desire to watch the moods of this rural Banda Oriental, ride -out to mount one of the higher shoulders of the downland, and wait -there, either in the saddle or out of it. You will obtain little -sympathy in the task. Eccentric to the mind of the estancieros, -frankly mad in the eagle eyes of the Gaucho--a calm survey of the -Campo is worth all such merely human depreciation! - -The aspect of the country in the immediate neighbourhood of where the -observer has taken his stand will be green in the main, although the -unbroken verdure by no means obtains throughout. Here and there the -ground is strongly marked by the occasional heaps of stones that come -jostling to the surface, and that recline in the fashion of small -bleak islands in the midst of the green waves. But, should the time be -spring, these latter are themselves flecked frequently almost to the -extinction of their own colouring. The great purple bands and patches -of the _flor morala_ lie thickly upon the land. These, however, stand -apart, since where they glow the serried ranks of blossom permit no -others to raise their heads. - -[Illustration: A PASTORAL SCENE. -To face p. 238.] - -But these, though the boldest of their kind, are by no means the sole -occupants of the landscape. Indeed, one of the chief characteristics -of the Banda Oriental Campo is the wealth of beautiful and -comparatively lowly plants that grow amidst the grasses. They are of -the type of English blossoms, peering out shyly from between the -green blades, blowing purely and sweetly in their innocence of the -heavy sickliness of the tropics. It is where the ground is chiefly -dotted with these fresh flowers that the smile of the Campo is most -brilliant. - -So much for the immediate surroundings up to the point where the more -intricate markings become merged in the broader tints of the -landscape. Down in the hollows are bands of dark, close green formed -by the trees that shade the streams. With scarcely a break in the -narrow walls of verdure they run from valley to valley, accurately -defining the banks of the small rivers whose waters they conceal. -Within these leafy lanes lurk the only spots upon the Campo, save for -the rare woodland, that do not stare frankly upwards, exposing all -their earthly soul to the blue sky. - -Away in the far distance there is a magic glamour. There the lands are -no longer green to the eye. The soft waves, as they rise and dip in an -accumulation of folds towards the final horizon line, are bathed in -warm purple. The Banda Oriental has been called "the purple land" by -one who knew it well, and never was a name better applied. Without the -foreground--that is itself strongly purpled by the banks of the _flor -morula_--all is purple and mystic. The land has its ordinary mirages -as well; but here is one that at all times confronts the -traveller--that wonderful land of the horizon that, unattainable, dies -farther away as it is approached. - -Yet, notwithstanding its soft romance, the place is essentially alive. -It is a blowy haunt of clean fresh airs that sweep the slopes and open -valleys to billow the grass tops and to refresh mankind. It is amidst -such surroundings that the Oriental of the country dwells. His type is -not very numerous, it is true, and--although the dearth of houses -suits the landscape itself most admirably--the scarcity of habitation -is a little lamentable in so wealthy and pleasant a land. It is -practically certain, as a matter of fact, that the pastures will bear -more roots in the near future than they have ever known in the past; -but in the meanwhile it is necessary to take them as they are, and -their inhabitants as well. - -Of these inhabitants the true _paisano_, the Gaucho, decidedly claims -the chief share of attention. The Gaucho of the Banda Oriental is not -to be confused with his brethren of the neighbouring countries. In -appearance he presents perhaps the finest specimen amongst the various -kindred families of his race. He is taller in stature, and, if -possible, even more athletic in his lithe frame than his neighbour. -His complexion, moreover, though frequently dusky and invariably -tanned, is peculiarly wholesome and fresh. It was inevitable that the -blowy downlands should have produced a fitting and appropriate breed -of amazingly healthy, hardy, and fearless men to whom the art of -horsemanship has become second nature, while the occasional enforced -spells of pedestrianism have degenerated into a mere unwelcome -accident of life. - -The temperament of the Uruguayan Gaucho shows corresponding -distinction from that of the rest. It goes without saying that he is -strongly imbued with the grim dignity of the race. Silent austerity -here, however, is modified by lighter traits. In the same way as the -higher social member of his country, he is more easily moved to -laughter than his neighbours, and indulges from time to time in frank -outbursts of joviality. - -For practical purposes it is necessary to regard this child of the -Campo from three standpoints--from that of the worker, the player, and -the fighter. It is rare enough that one of them is not called upon to -fill all these three roles on a good many occasions during his -lifetime. As stock-rider, he has proved his courage, fidelity, and -honesty of purpose to the full; his moments of recreation are taken up -by equestrian sports, guitar-playing, and chance affairs of the heart, -whilst in warfare he has had only too many opportunities of displaying -his reckless brilliancy--frequently, it must be admitted, at the cost -of discipline and order. - -In his private quarrels the Argentine Gaucho will bottle up his wrath -until his overflowing passion culminates without warning in the rapid -knife thrust or revolver shot. The conclusion of a serious dispute -between his Uruguayan brethren will almost certainly be the same; but -the tragic climax will be approached in quite another fashion. The -atmospheric effervescence of the Banda Oriental will enter into the -case. There will be shouting, vociferation, and not a little abuse. -Not until a fair exchange of all this has been bandied to and fro will -come the flash of steel or flame--and the red stain upon the grasses -of the Campo. - -That these dwellers upon the downlands should prove themselves born -fighters is no matter for surprise. For the dusky side of their -ancestry they claim the Charrua Indians, the fiercest and most warlike -of all the tribes in the neighbouring provinces. With this strain -added to the blood of the old Spaniards, and the mixture fostered and -nourished by the breezy hills, the result has been a being whose keen -sense of dignity and honour were ever in the very active custody of -knife or lance. - -As is perhaps natural enough in a land whose interests--as compared -with the agricultural development of the neighbouring countries--are -almost purely pastoral, the habits and customs of the Oriental have -remained unusually conservative. His poncho is a veritable poncho, -often of a bizarre and daring hue; his spurs are weapons that glitter -in huge circles at his heels, while his horse furniture is frequently -silvered to the very last degree. - -When the Gaucho undertakes a dance--a _baile_--moreover, he enters -into the performance with a zest that puts to shame the human products -of a later civilisation. In order to witness one of the most homeric -of these exhibitions it is necessary to suppose the revellers in the -peculiarly reckless and irresponsible mood that from time to time -falls to their lot. On such an occasion their wonted strict sobriety -is abruptly melted beneath the flow of the native spirit, cana, and -perhaps that of wine, and of beer. Then upon the open sward of the -Campo they will dance their _tangos_, stepping it manfully for hour -after hour. - -Indeed, strengthened by the intervals of rest, refreshment, and sleep, -it is not unusual for them to continue these tremendous terpsichorean -feats for two or three days on end. At the conclusion of which, having -danced themselves out and drunk themselves in, these astonishing -mortals are perfectly ready for their strenuous work in the saddle! - -Having concluded with the Gaucho, it soon becomes evident that the -main features of individuality that distinguish the Uruguayan from his -neighbours are very nearly finished with as well. The landowner, it is -true, still clings in parts to ancient customs and the remnants of -national costume rather more closely than elsewhere in the Southern -republics. But the distinctions here are less marked, and in the case -of the townsmen have disappeared altogether. An important factor in -the population is now provided by the large foreign element that has -settled itself permanently in the country. By far the most numerous -communities of these are those of the Italians and Spaniards; but in -addition there is scarcely a European country that is not more or less -strongly represented by its emigrants. - -The negro race, although its presence is more marked than in the -republics to the West, is quite insignificant numerically in the South -of Uruguay. Towards the north, however, the numbers of the Africans -are much increased, and as the Brazilian frontier is closely -approached, the black people tend rather to predominate over the -white. It is only in these remote districts that the possibility of a -racial question could be involved. As a matter of fact, such an -eventuality is quite undreamed of, and nowhere in the world is it less -likely to occur. In the absence of any drawn distinction the negro -appears to exist in more or less complete peace, and only meddles with -the affairs of the country during troublous times when instructed by -the true lords of the soil, whose actual superiority would seem all -the greater for the fact of its being unexpressed. - -Considering the number of slaves that were imported directly into -Uruguay as well as those that filtered southwards through Brazil, it -is perhaps somewhat a matter for astonishment that these blacks are -not numerically stronger than is the case. The explanation lies -largely in the numerous wars by which the country has been harassed in -the past, and in the policy that prevailed under the old Spanish -regime. Black troops were freely employed then, and it must be -admitted that they met with far less consideration than the rest. If a -desperate situation arose, they were wont to be sent out in search of -a glory that was very remote and of a death that was very near, not -necessarily because the Spaniards feared for themselves in the -attempt, but rather on account of the science of racial economy, and -on the principle of sacrificing the pawns before the more -aristocratic chessmen. And it is to these wholesale gaps in the black -ranks that the existing scarcity of the negro population in the South -is largely due. - -Not that it must be inferred from this that the general treatment of -the African slaves by the Spaniards was severe. Their fate has always -been entirely distinct from that of the unfortunate native Indians. -The blood of these latter, slain by the first generation of -adventurous _conquistadores_, flowed in red rivers almost the length -and breadth of South America, while tens of thousands more sank and -died beneath the superhuman tasks imposed upon them. - -Nevertheless they were not sacrificed from mere wanton love of -slaughter. Held as soulless instruments from whom the last possible -ounce of labour was to be extracted, these fearful slaughterings were -instigated as acts of discipline that should make more pliant and -serviceable material of the general body, while the cowed met their -slower, toilful death in order that their masters should obtain wealth -ere the advent from Europe of further competitors who might desire to -share their wealth with them. - -After a while the limitations both of the continent and of the labour -capacities of its natives became evident, and the first spasms of the -remorseless and feverish lust moderated. It was then that the -introduction of the negro occurred. With the maturing of the continent -came a milder and more settled form of civilisation, of which the -dusky imported labourers obtained the full benefit. That they were -well cared for in times of peace is testified to not only by the -native historians but by perfectly unbiassed English travellers. One -of these, who visited Uruguay during the last years of the Spanish -dominion, is particularly emphatic on the point. - -"There is one trait," he writes, "in the South American Spaniards -much in their favour. I mean the mild, humane, and gentle treatment -which their slaves receive. This one would scarcely expect from the -cruelty they manifest to animals. The condition of the Africans here -is without doubt happier than in any other part of the world where -they are held in slavery, and I will even venture to say, more so than -in their native country. A severe punishment is seldom inflicted; the -tasks imposed on them are light, and such as they can easily execute. -Indeed, they scarcely seem to be slaves." - -If any palliation for enforced human labour were possible it might be -looked for in evidence such as this. Nevertheless, since nothing of -the kind is admissible, it is well to remember that the slave era in -the River Plate countries is now a matter of comparatively remote -history. Moreover, as though in compensation for a former servitude, -however light, the lot of the African here is now undoubtedly happier -than almost anywhere else in the world. - -In addition to the ordinary foreign landowners and residents in -Uruguay are a few of the regular immigrant colonies the establishment -of which has now become so popular throughout the Southern republics. -Of these the most important is the Swiss Colony in the neighbourhood -of Colonia, to which reference has already been made. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -ESTANCIA LIFE - - Similarities between the farming routine of Uruguay and of - Argentina--The Banda Oriental a pastoral rather than an - agricultural land--Viticulture an asset in estancia - affairs--Wheat, maize, and linseed--Scarcity of - alfalfa--Excellence of the natural pastures--The possibilities of - private agricultural colonisation--Favourable outlook for grazing - countries in general--Lemco estancias--The estancia San Juan--A - comprehensive enterprise--Cattle, cereals, and viticulture--Stone - quarries--A Campo sketch--The cutting out of a bullock--A Gaucho - meal. - - -The Uruguayan estancia life resembles that of Argentina very closely. -And of this latter so much has been written in recent years that a too -lengthy description of the routine of one of the great cattle farms -would almost inevitably savour of repetition and superfluity. The -duties of both estanciero and his major-domo are, indeed, almost -identical with those of their brethren upon the other side of the -great river. There are similar rides of inspection in order to "revise -camp," similar great _rodeos_, or gatherings of cattle, and a general -method of life that is distinct from the other merely in minor -details. - -[Illustration: THE BICHADERO ESTANCIA.] - -[Illustration: HEREFORD CATTLE ON THE BICHADERO ESTANCIA. -To face p. 246.] - -In the main ethics of the farming itself, it is true, there are some -differences. Seeing that Uruguay is a pastoral rather than an -agricultural land, the system of setting apart a certain proportion of -a private estancia for the purpose of colonisation by crop-raising -tenants is almost unknown. On the other hand, as it happens that -the soil of a portion of almost every province is suitable for -viticulture, a great number of the Uruguayan landowners throughout the -republic cultivate vineyards--an industry that in Argentina is -confined almost entirely to the two great grape-growing centres of -Mendoza and San Juan. In many districts of the Banda Oriental, -moreover, fruit-growing forms part and parcel of the industrial -programme of an estancia, instead of necessarily forming an entirely -separate branch of commerce, as is the case in Argentina. - -Although I have referred to Uruguay as an essentially pastoral -country, it must not be inferred from this that the cultivation of -cereals and the like has no existence in the land. On the contrary, -many districts--notably that of Colonia, the most fertile in the -Republic--produce really important quantities of wheat and maize, and -a certain amount of linseed beyond, although this latter is grown in a -minor degree. Very few districts in the country are adapted for the -favourable cultivation of alfalfa, a fact that is undoubtedly to be -regretted, since the merits of this lucerne for the purposes of -fattening cattle are supreme. Yet this disadvantage is to a great -extent counterbalanced by the excellent pastures of natural grass with -which Uruguay is so plentifully endowed. - -It is likely enough, too, that the system of private agricultural -colonisation referred to above will in the future be seriously -undertaken. At the present moment experiments in this direction are -being undertaken, and, should the landowners become impressed with the -success of the departure, it is quite possible that the system will -spread with the same rapidity as was the case in Argentina. - -In the meanwhile the supreme interest of Uruguay remains pastoral; and -the bulls and the rams continue to be lords in the land. In a sense -this is undoubtedly just as well, for in all probability never was the -outlook for grazing countries more favourable than it is at the -present moment, when the exports of North America are rapidly dying -away, and the markets of Europe are opening their metaphorical mouths -in a clamorous demand for further supplies. - -Some of the largest and most imposing of the Uruguayan estancias are -situated in the western districts of the Republic. Many of these, such -as the Bichadero, Ombu, and others, are owned by the Lemco Company, -and constitute most imposing estates, stocked by pedigree cattle. - -The San Juan estancia is situated in the neighbourhood of Colonia, -and, under the able management of Mr. J. Booth, affords one of the -best possible examples of an estate whose lands have been aptly -utilised to serve various purposes. The estancia is noted in the first -place for the quality of its live stock--and with no little reason, -since it harbours over a thousand head of pedigree shorthorn and -Hereford cattle. - -But the energies of the San Juan estancia are not confined to the -raising of cattle and the production of maize. Viticulture is a matter -of great importance here, for the place enjoys a great repute for the -quality of its wine. Its vineyards, as a matter of fact, repose on a -subsoil of iron-stone rocks, which lends a particularly pleasant -flavour to the vintages. In addition to the great vineyards that -spread themselves over portions of the estate, the cellars of its -bodega are well worth a visit. The building is specially constructed -for the purpose, and contains air-spaces between the inner and outer -walls, thus rendering the interior to all intents and purposes -damp-proof. - -The cellars contain forty-two large casks, each with a capacity for -holding 3,600 litres, and, beyond these, twelve giant specimens, in -each of which eight thousand litres of wine may be stored. The extent -of the vineyards on the place is thirty hectares, and from this area -an average 250,000 litres of wine are produced annually. Thus it will -be seen that the vineyard industry of San Juan is of no mean -importance. - -Among the other branches of general industry in which San Juan is -interested is that of stone-quarries, the quality and extent of the -deposits here being considerable. A large bee-farm is also attached to -the place. In addition to this comprehensive programme there are, of -course, the ordinary side-issues of estancia production in the way of -both live stock and agriculture. Among the horses bred are not a few -racers of pedigree stock that have given a good account of themselves -in the neighbourhood and elsewhere. - -The estancia-house of San Juan is delightfully situated amidst orange, -wattle, and paraiso trees, from whose trunks and branches hang -festoons of air-plants and masses of yellow orchids. From the -picturesque, shaded building itself the view embraces miles of -undulating country on all sides, with a few distant peeps of the -waters of the River Plate to the south-west. It would be difficult to -conceive a pleasanter or a better managed spot. - -Such estancias as these, of course, represent the cream of the land, -and Uruguayan "camp" life must not be judged as a whole by such -particularly favourable examples. Even the foreigner in the Republic, -whose life is wont to be rather more fully surrounded with comfort -than that of his native-born brother, must perforce make a beginning, -and, as in all else, it is always the first steps that are the -roughest. It is said that one of the first requisites of a gardener -is a cast-iron back. In the same way the primary needs of the budding -estanciero are undoubtedly health and a good horse. In these respects -he is likely to be well suited, for the climate will attend to the -former and his _patron_ to the latter. - -I have already said that the scenes upon the Uruguayan estancias are -much the same as elsewhere, but the following sketch may serve to show -a little of the local colour with which the rural Oriental landscape -and life are imbued: - - * * * * * - -[Illustration: ESTANCIA HOUSE: SAN JUAN. -To face p. 250.] - -The bullock is grazing in the midst of his fellows, plucking stolidly -at the spring grass, whose close blades paint the undulations of the -Uruguayan Campo in soft green. No pedigree animal this, his lengthy -horns, rather pointed nose, and shaggy mottled coat being redeemed by -various features that tend to raise him from the mere ruck of the -disappearing country-bred. There is a trace of Hereford in the compact -form, straight back, and in the symptoms of red-brown and white that -endeavour to assert themselves from out of the confusion of his other -markings. Representing one of the earlier stages in the forward march -of the local breeds, he is of the type known to experts by the cryptic -word "useful"--a meritorious physical condition whose reward is wont -to fructify in an earlier death than that accorded to those of his -brethren who are less liberal in meat. At the present moment the -bullock is supremely content, although profoundly unconscious of the -charm of his surroundings. This is perhaps just as well, since his -ribs would undoubtedly emerge from their plump covering were he to -waste the precious moments of mastication in favour of less material -delights. As it is, he tramples carelessly on the patches of scarlet -verbena, and crushes the life from the white tobacco blossom and -the blue lupin flower with a ponderous impartiality. It is enough for -him that the warm sunlight beats down upon his back, and that the -plentiful grass rises to his cud in a ceaseless green stream. -Moreover, the few score of companions that surround him lend a -dimly-felt but comforting sense of comradeship. - -From the green of the foreground to the blue and mysterious distant -swellings of the horizon the face of the Campo has been devoid of -humanity. Near by a humble rancho, it is true, raises its diffident -walls from the earth, a lowly erection of turf and reeds, enlivened -here and there by a small auxiliary patch of corrugated iron, that -catches up the sun-rays to flash them back in brilliant defiance. But -there are no signs of life about the place beyond that afforded by a -couple of hens of worn and frayed appearance that make rapid and -spiteful passes at the dust with their beaks. Only when the sun is -falling near to the horizon does the first sign manifest itself of -more active stirrings. The figures of two horsemen have emerged from -behind a distant clump of eucalyptus that stands out like a green -island from the midst of a rolling sea. - -As the riders draw nearer it is plain that they are Gauchos--Gauchos -in a workaday mood, and consequently in attire far less picturesque -than that which lends colour to their feast days. Yet they afford -striking enough figures of men in their sombreros, kerchiefs, white -shirts, broad trousers, horse-hide boots, and giant spurs. Each part -and parcel of his horse, they come loping easily along with that -curious air of careless alertness that is characteristic of the -Gaucho. With the first warning of human approach the cattle have -raised their heads in the wary and rather resentful stare that the -presence of such visitors demands. When no doubt longer remains that -the grim-faced riders are heading directly for their own company, -doubt turns to active alarm. There is a flinging up of heels and -tails, a bunching together of scattered units, and a surging to and -fro, while the horns wave in a panic of indecision. The bullock with -the traces of Hereford markings has run to a common centre with the -rest. - -A moment later the horses are cleaving the ranks of the cattle, and -the cumbrous bodies of the horned creatures go floundering to right -and left just as they have floundered a dozen times before, with -precisely the same degree, moreover, of dread and confusion. Dodging -and twisting ponderously, they rush to and fro for a while, then flee -with a thunder of hoofs from the impact, ending up in a breathless -halt at length to turn their horns upon one another in a fury of -terror. All but the bullock with the scanty Hereford markings. He has -raced and charged with the rest, only to find on each occasion a -horse's flank or chest barring the way to safety, and a threatening -human arm raised on high that sent him without further ado to the -right-about. And now the situation is doubtless quite inexplicable, -since the rumbling of his companions' hoofs has died away, and he is -racing across the Campo quite alone save for the horseman who gallops -remorselessly on either flank--fatal attendants who are no more to be -shaken off than the hairs of his hide. A lasso circles lightly in the -air, uncoiling as it goes like an aerial snake: the noose falls with a -gentle rattle on the hurrying animal's horns. A terrific jerk shakes -him from tail to nostril. But the bullock has kept his legs, and -stands firm now, pulling with all his might against the strain that -follows, heaving from side to side in his fight with the rope that -never slackens. There is a thudding of horses' hoofs at his quarters -now. Enraged at the presence of a second foe, the bullock kicks -wildly, and the action is the signal for his doom. Another rope has -whistled through the air, and has encircled his fetlock in some -demoniacal fashion. In consequence, he gives a strenuous jump into the -air--his last, for ere his feet have touched the ground his legs are -wrenched away from under him, and the heavy body of the creature, -flung full upon its side, strikes the earth with a crash. Ere he can -move the beat of galloping horses' hoofs has drawn near, and ceased. -Two men have sprung to the ground, and are securing his legs with -ropes; then one rises to draw the blade of a huge knife from its -sheath at his belt. A minute later there is a pool of darker crimson -by the side of the verbena patches. A couple of hours later there is a -log fire upon the Campo, and the beef is being cut into long strips -from where it is spitted above the blaze, and eaten wholesale as -Gaucho appetite demands. In the meanwhile the carancho birds are -gathering thickly above, for meat is cheap upon the open pastures, and -they will be economically-minded Gauchos indeed who do not leave them -the greater share of the carcass. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -URUGUAY AS A PASTORAL COUNTRY - - Origin of the live stock of the country--Influence of the climate - and pastures upon the first animals introduced--Live stock census - of 1909--Importance of the breeding industry--Various - ramifications--Principal items of home consumption--Articles of - export--Quality of the first herds introduced--Type of original - sheep and horses--Goats and pigs--The introduction of a superior - class of animal--The _criollos_ and the _mestizos_--Breeds - imported--Durham, Hereford, Polled Angus, and Devon - cattle--Dutch, Norman, Flemish, and Swiss cattle--Growth of the - dairy industry--Popular breeds of sheep and horses, and - pigs--Principal countries from which the animals are - derived--Growing value of the local-bred live stock--The - manipulation of an estancia--Well-found estates--Uruguayan - agricultural societies--Work effected by these--Government - support--The Rural Association of Uruguay--Financial results of - agricultural shows--Side products--Tallow--Hams--Tanning--"La - Carolina"--A great dairy farm--The factory of Breuss and - Frey--The _saladeros_, or meat-curing establishments--Number of - animals slaughtered--Method by which the meat is - cured--_Tasajo_--Countries to which it is exported--The frozen - meat trade--"La Frigorifica Uruguaya"--Important growth of the - new industry--Shipments of frozen meat. - - -The great numbers of the live stock which to-day constitute the chief -wealth of Uruguay owe their origin to the animals introduced by the -Spanish _conquistadores_ at the beginning of the seventeenth century. - -These animals, which, of course, were drawn from the breeds that -existed in Spain at that period, found themselves surrounded by -conditions that were eminently favourable. Thus, beneath the -influence of a temperate climate and of the rich and nourishing -pastures that cover almost the entire surface of the Republic their -numbers rapidly multiplied. It is for these reasons, moreover, that -the breeding and traffic in these animals constitutes at the present -day the principal industry of the inhabitants. - -The live stock census organised by the Government in the year 1909 -gave the following results concerning the numbers of the live stock -that are now in existence in the Republic: - - Sheep 16,608,717 - Cattle 6,827,428 - Horses 561,408 - Pigs 93,923 - Mules 22,992 - Goats 20,428 - ---------- - Total 24,134,896 - -These figures might reasonably be increased, since it was necessarily -impossible for the census to deal with the complete numbers of the -animals that exist throughout the country. Thus, without danger of -exaggeration, it may be supposed that some thirty million head of live -stock actually graze upon the pastures of the land. These figures -suffice to show the enormous importance to which live stock breeding -has attained in Uruguay. - -The ramifications of this industry are naturally numerous. For home -consumption and internal commerce meat, milk, and tallow form the -principal items. For the export trade the list is considerably more -comprehensive. Live cattle, frozen, chilled, tinned, and dried meat, -beef extracts, wool, horns, hides, tallow, fat, guano, and the various -other products now make up a commerce of an annual value of thirty -millions of gold dollars, or of rather more than six million pounds -sterling. Chilled or frozen beef and mutton form the principal items -of this export trade, after which hides and extract of meat rank next -in importance. - -The main breeds of animals introduced by the Spaniards at the time of -the conquest, although they served their purpose well enough at the -time, were by no means of the type which the exigencies of modern -times require. The cattle of former years were wanting in many -respects. They were wont to possess, for example, a superabundance of -bone, were badly built, and were notably backward in development. The -sheep were possessed of the same faults, and, in addition, were wont -to yield inferior wool. - -The horses, on the other hand, although of light build and lacking -somewhat in shape, have proved themselves particularly well suited to -the country. Hardy and of great power of endurance, they have adapted -themselves completely to the natural conditions of the land. From this -stock a breed has sprung that fulfils admirably the equine duties of -the Campo. The tendency of these horses has been to improve and to -increase in size. Both the pigs and goats that were imported from -Spain were of an inferior order, although the latter showed favourable -results in the yielding of milk. - -By the aid of these breeds alone it is certain that the live stock of -Uruguay could never have attained to that degree of excellence in -quality such as it can legitimately boast to-day. From these, for -example, cattle could never have been produced of the class that the -freezing works now demand, nor the valuable wool that is -characteristic of the day. The beginning of this later progress dates -from the middle of the last century. It was then that the more -progressive breeders became aware of the limitations of the _criollo_ -races, as are termed the breeds imported from Spain that have -flourished and taken root in the land. To this end these were crossed -with others of a superior type, and thus the much-improved _mestizos_, -or cross-breds, were obtained. These now preponderate in many regions -of the Republic, in which, by the way, no true criollo animals now -remain. - -In order to effect this improvement in the cattle various English -breeds have been introduced. Of these the two most important are the -Durham and the Hereford, both of which are excellently adapted for the -production of meat. By the crossing of these with the criollo a -mestizo steer is obtained, capable of turning the scale at six hundred -kilos and more, that provides excellent meat whether for the purposes -of live shipment, freezing, salting, or extract. In addition to these -more important breeds others have been introduced, such as the Devon, -Polled Angus, and a few further varieties--all these, however, in a -lesser degree. - -It will be evident from this that the improvements in stock have been -effected chiefly with the view of increasing the quantity of meat -produced. Nevertheless, there are others that have been imported for -dairy purposes alone. The chief of these are the Dutch, Norman, -Flemish, and Swiss. It must be remarked that the popularity of these -is rapidly growing, on account of the progress and extension of the -dairy industry. - -So far as sheep are concerned, the breeds that have been found most -suitable for the country are the Merino, Lincoln, Shropshire, -Hampshire, Romney Marsh, and Southdown. The Merino race amidst its new -surroundings provides an especially fine class of wool that is -appreciated throughout the world; from the crossing of the Merino with -the English breeds animals are obtained that provide the best meat -for the purposes of export, and those types of wool that are most in -demand for general commercial purposes. - -The horses principally employed for saddle purposes and for light -draught are the thorough-bred, Yorkshire, Anglo-Norman, Irish, and -Russian, while for heavy draught the Percheron, Clydesdale, and Shire -strains are the most popular. - -The improvement in pig-breeding has been effected by the introduction -of several English species, such as the Yorkshire and Berkshire, the -French animals of the kind being rarely employed. - -It is by means of the crossing with all these above-mentioned breeds -that the general live stock of the country has been raised in degree. -The result has been distinctly favourable, since the healthy climate -and the pastures are eminently suitable for the finest strains as well -as for the cross-breds. - -The annual importation into Uruguay of sires, bulls, and of the -remaining stock is now large. The countries whence they are derived -are England and other European lands, Australia, Argentina, and North -America. Amongst these many valuable animals are to be met with. Thus -recently two champion rams have been imported from Australia, various -champion bulls and rams from England, while from France came the noted -Durham bull "Tamarin." - -[Illustration: CHALET AT COLONIA SUIZA.] - -[Illustration: THE VINTAGE: ESTANCIA SAN JUAN. -To face p. 258.] - -Uruguay, however, does not now depend entirely upon importations from -abroad for its pedigree stock. It already possesses a number of -_cabanas_, or breeding establishments, from which emerge cattle and -sheep of a grade sufficiently high to meet with success in the -agricultural shows of other countries. These are to be distinguished -from the estancias, the farms of larger area upon which the general -live stock of commerce thrives. - -The ordinary estancia consists of a number of paddocks, separated the -one from the other by wire fences, of the natural pastures that abound -in Uruguay. The advance that has been effected in these great -enterprises is on a par with that of the rest. They are as a rule well -provided with sheds for the housing of the pedigree stock and with -plantations of trees for the shelter of the less valuable type of -animal, as well as with cattle-dips, water deposits, and stockyards, -and, in fact, with every installation that is requisite for the -purpose of the industry. - -In every department of the Republic societies have been founded in -order to encourage scientific breeding, and to organise the -agricultural shows that are now held throughout the country. These -agricultural meetings have served a most useful purpose in fostering -an interest in breeding and in the various other branches of the -general national industries. This fact has been recognised by the -Government, which, in consequence, has done its utmost to stimulate -the holding of such functions. It has thus during the past few years -spent an annual sum of fifty thousand dollars in the subsidising of -these events, an outlay that has undoubtedly borne good fruit. In -providing these subsidies it is stipulated that at least a third part -of the sum provided shall be expended in cash prizes, and that the -chief attention in this respect shall be devoted to those particular -branches of industry that appear in a less advanced condition than the -rest, and that, therefore, are the most in need of encouragement. - -Many of these agricultural societies possess extensive grounds of -their own in the near neighbourhood of the provincial capital. In -these places permanent buildings are frequently to be met with that -are employed for the annual shows. These usually owe their -construction to private enterprise, assisted by the Government. In -Montevideo, too, there is a ground specially set apart for this -purpose. Here the Rural Association of Uruguay holds the great annual -championship meeting, and the Government has just allotted the sum of -a hundred thousand dollars for the purpose of improving the spot, and -for the introduction of the very latest innovations. These -agricultural shows have proved highly successful in facilitating the -actual commercial transactions having reference to live stock of all -descriptions. Thus during the past few years the principal meetings -alone have been responsible for an annual sale of over half a million -dollars' worth of animals. - -Although, as has been explained, numerous products of the pastoral -industry are exported in their natural state, there are others which -require special treatment and preparation in their country of origin -ere shipment, and which are daily gaining in importance. The most -important institutions that deal with these are the meat-curing -factories, the freezing works, and the establishments for preserving -meat and for extracting its essence. These chief industries we will -deal with at some length later, enumerating first of all some of the -side products of lesser importance, such as the manufacture of tallow -and of hams, and that of tanning. - -Another industry that bids fair to be of supreme importance in the -future is that of dairy-farming. At the present time this is worked on -a comparatively modest scale, since the great majority of farms are -content with the breeding and selling of the cattle. Nevertheless, -there are several important establishments that produce milk, butter, -and cheese for the purposes of both home consumption and of export. - -The chief amongst these establishments is that of La Carolina, -belonging to Don Francisco Fontana, which occupies an area of eight -thousand hectares in the department of Rocha. No less than five -thousand milch cows graze on this property, which is provided with -steam-driven machinery of the most modern type. In the department of -Colonia, too, exists the colony of Swiss, who devote themselves -especially to this particular branch of industry. The principal -factory here is that of Breuss and Frey, which deals with thirty -thousand litres of milk daily, and can turn out twenty-four thousand -kilos of butter in a month. This factory likewise contains the most -up-to-date machinery, and is provided with freezing and sterilising -apparatus. This concern exports cheese as well as butter. - -These few facts will give an idea of the point to which the -dairy-farming industry in Uruguay may develop in the near future, -since there exist several millions of cows of a type eminently -suitable for the purpose. - -In the Republic there are actually twenty saladeros in existence, of -which thirteen are situated in Montevideo, seven on the banks of the -River Uruguay, and one at Paso de los Toros, in the interior of the -country. - -The number of the animals slaughtered at these saladeros will give an -idea of the importance of the industry. During the years 1904 and 1908 -the total amounted to no less than 2,763,855 head of cattle, thus -making the average for the year over half a million head. During these -five years 223,872,000 kilos of _tasajo_, or dried meat, were -prepared, which represent a yearly average of forty-five million -kilos. The average yield of the steers was ninety kilos of tasajo, -that of the cows sixty kilos. - -The manner in which this dried meat is prepared in the saladeros is -fairly simple. After the cattle have been slaughtered and the -veterinary examination has proved the absence of any taint or disease -the bones are separated from the meat, which is then shaped into -various portions known respectively as _mantas_ and _postas_. Once -dried, these are placed in brine-pans, and piled up, well covered with -salt. According to the state of the weather and the condition to which -the meat is required to attain, it is placed in special vessels in the -sun for a period varying between four and six days, until it is -perfectly dry and ready to be baled. - -As will be seen from this, salt and sun heat are the two principal -agents that enter into the manufacture of tasajo, two powerful agents -that, it is claimed, perform their task in the simplest and most -hygienic fashion possible. The slaughtering season in the saladeros -generally begins in the month of November, and is continued until -January of the following year. - -Tasajo, when its manufacture is completed, is classified into four -grades, in accordance with the fatter or leaner propensities of the -meat. The former kinds are exported principally to the markets of -Brazil, while the latter are for the most part destined for -consumption in Cuba. Beyond these, however, there are various other -fields in which tasajo plays a popular part. It is, for instance, sent -in fairly large quantities to the Portuguese colonies, to Puerto Rico, -and to Spain and Portugal themselves, as well as to numerous less -important places whose inhabitants have learned to appreciate this -particular form of dried meat. The product contains certain advantages -in that its treatment is simple throughout. Thus, when once in the -hands of its actual consumers, the salt has merely to be dissolved -from the meat in order to render it in a condition prepared for the -oven. - -It is several years now since Uruguay has commenced to export frozen -meat. Six years ago an important freezing establishment, La -Frigorifica Uruguaya, was founded in the department of Montevideo on -the bank of the River Plate. The place occupies a large extent of -ground, and is capable of slaughtering daily two hundred head of -cattle and two thousand sheep. This establishment is fitted up with -the most recent inventions that have been brought to bear on the -freezing process. The frozen beef is classified into three qualities, -according to type and weight, and is packed in quarters in a double -covering that completely preserves it from the danger of contact with -other substances. The carcasses of the sheep, following the usual -custom, are shipped entire, and covered in the same way. - -The Frigorifica Uruguaya began operations in 1905. The rapid increase -in the extent of its shipments may be judged from the following -figures. Thus, in 1905, the year of its inception, the establishment -exported two thousand tons of frozen meat; in 1906 the shipments had -increased to four thousand tons, whereas in 1907 the total amounted to -seven thousand and in 1908 to nine thousand tons. This increase has -continued unchecked during the past couple of years, and the shipments -for 1910 are estimated to have amounted to no less than twelve -thousand tons. The machinery has now been added to, and the result -will certainly go to swell these figures considerably more in the near -future. - -The benefit that this concern confers on the pastoral industry is of -course very great. Not only does it increase the facilities for sale -of the cattle, but its existence tends in addition towards the -improvement of breed in general, since only the animals of a superior -class are suitable for the purpose it serves. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -DEPARTMENTS, CLIMATE, AND NATURAL HISTORY - - The nineteen divisions of Uruguay--Their populations, areas, - towns, and industries--Canelones--Florida--San - Jose--Durazno--Flores--Colonia--Soriano--Rio - Negro--Paysandu--Salto--Artigas--Tacuarembo--Rivera--Cerro - Largo--Treinta y - Tres--Rocha--Maldonado--Montevideo--Climate--Favourable - conditions throughout the Republic--The Atlantic coast line--The - summer season--Pleasantly tempered heat--A land of cool - breezes--Its attractions as a pleasure resort--Climates of the - interior and of the north--Draught--Locusts--Comparative immunity - of a pastoral country--Uruguayan fauna--Some common creatures of - the Campo--Bird life--The ostrich--Its value as a commercial - asset--The trade in ostrich feathers--Measures for the protection - of the birds. - - -A list of the nineteen departments of Uruguay with their more salient -features will go far towards explaining in detail the various areas, -populations, and resources of the Republic. - -Canelones, situated in the midst of the departments of Montevideo, San -Jose, Florida, Minas, and Maldonado, with a coast-line upon the River -Plate, possesses an area of 4,751 square kilometres. It is one of the -most populous departments, containing over ninety thousand -inhabitants. Three railway-lines connect the district with Montevideo. -Its chief towns are Guadeloupe, Santa Lucia, Pando, and Las Piedras, -each of which contains some eight thousand inhabitants. Canelones is -mainly devoted to pasture, agriculture, viticulture, and general -fruit-growing. - -Florida is situated directly to the north of Canelones. Its area is -12,107 square kilometres and its population fifty thousand. Two lines -of railway connect it with Montevideo. The chief town is Florida, the -capital of the department, a city of ten thousand inhabitants. Until -recent years Florida has been almost altogether given up to the -pastoral industry; but of late agriculture has made great strides. - -San Jose is situated to the west of Canelones, and likewise possesses -a coast-line on the River Plate. Its area is 6,932 square kilometres; -population about fifty thousand. The department is connected with -Montevideo by two railway lines. The principal town is San Jose de -Mayo, with a population of just over twelve thousand inhabitants. -Rather more than half the department is made up of rich pasture-lands, -although the agricultural districts are increasing. In addition to -fruit-growing and viticulture, the timber industry of San Jose is -important, consisting of wood both for building purposes and for fuel. - -Durazno, to the north of Florida, is the most central department in -the Republic, and contains a population of fifty thousand inhabitants. -It is connected by a railway line with Montevideo, and its chief city -is San Pedro del Durazno, whose inhabitants number eleven thousand. -The department is essentially a pastoral one, and is especially well -watered, being served by the Rivers Negro and Yi, and by countless -tributaries and smaller streams. - -Flores, situated to the west of Durazno, contains twenty thousand -inhabitants. Almost half this number are residents of the capital, -Trinidad. Flores is not yet served by a railway, and it is probably -for this reason that so many of its districts, admirably adapted for -agriculture, still remain essentially pastoral. In Flores is a very -curious grotto, sustained by natural arches and columns, that has -been the source of much geological controversy. - -Colonia is the richest and most important department of all in the -Republic. Lying to the west of San Jose, it has the advantage not only -of railways but of a lengthy coast-line on the River Plate. -Agriculture here has attained to a high pitch of development, and -dairy-farming constitutes one of the most important industries of the -department. Fruit culture and viticulture are in an equally advanced -condition, while the quarrying of building stone is now being -energetically carried on. In Colonia is situated the Swiss Colony, the -inhabitants of which apply themselves to agriculture and -dairy-farming. - -Soriano lies to the north of Colonia, and its western boundary is -likewise washed by the waters of the river--no longer the River Plate, -but the Uruguay. The area of the department is 9,223 kilometres, and -its population rather exceeds forty thousand. Soriano is connected by -railway with Montevideo. Its chief town is Mercedes, the population of -which amounts to ten thousand inhabitants. The principal industry is -pasture, although agriculture and general fruit-growing is carried on -to a certain extent. Timber, charcoal-burning, and stone-quarrying are -responsible for a certain amount of labour. A fair quantity of -minerals such as iron, silver, copper, and lead is met with here. - -Rio Negro is situated on the Uruguay River to the north of Colonia. -Its area is 8,470 kilometres and its population twenty thousand. The -department is now in the act of being linked up with the main centres -by railway. Its capital is Fray Bentos, a town celebrated as one of -the chief centres of the manufacture of meat extract, with a -population of seven thousand inhabitants. Rio Negro is essentially a -pastoral province, and is the chief centre in the Republic for the -breeding of live stock, which attains here to an exceptionally high -grade of quality. Rio Negro is one of the most favourably situated -departments as regards water communication. In addition to its 120 -kilometres of coast-line on the Uruguay it possesses 200 kilometres of -river frontage on the River Negro. - -Paysandu bounds Rio Negro to the north, with a lengthy frontage on the -Uruguay River. Its population is forty thousand, of which twenty-one -thousand inhabit the capital, Paysandu, the second town of importance -in Uruguay. The area of the department is about 14,000 square -kilometres. Paysandu is connected by railway both with the capital and -the northern centres. Its industries are chiefly pastoral and -agricultural, and a number of meat-curing establishments exist. - -Salto is the neighbouring province to the north upon the River -Uruguay. It contains an area of 12,500 square kilometres and a -population of rather over fifty thousand. Its chief town is Salto, -that in actual size is said to exceed that of Paysandu, numbering as -it does rather over twenty-two thousand inhabitants. The department is -served by railway. The principal industry is that of pasture. The -department, moreover, is one of the chief wine-producing centres of -the Republic. Salto is rich in minerals, and quartz and precious -stones are met with in fair quantities here. - -Artigas is the northernmost province on the Uruguay as well as in the -Republic. Its area is 11,300 square kilometres, its population thirty -thousand. Its capital is San Eugenio, situated on the Brazilian -frontier, a town of nine thousand inhabitants. The railway runs as far -as this point, and thus serves the length of the province. Artigas -contains many districts notable for minerals, and is well endowed -with precious stones such as the amethyst and topaz. Owing to the -northern situation of the department grazing and agriculture are -carried on to a lesser extent than in the majority of others. The -variety of timber is important here, hard woods being found as well as -the softer varieties. - -Tacuarembo is situated in the northern centre of the Republic. That is -to say, its frontiers extend from the centre to within a comparatively -short distance of the Brazilian frontier. The department is the -largest in Uruguay, its territories extending over more than -twenty-one thousand square kilometres. Its population, however, does -not exceed fifty thousand, and it is thus the most sparsely inhabited -department of the country. It is served by a railway. The principal -town is San Fructuoso, which possesses eight thousand inhabitants. -Tacuarembo is for the most part devoted to agriculture. Tobacco -flourishes in the province, and recent experimental rice plantations -have met with a fair amount of success. Gold and manganese are met -with in various districts. - -Rivera is bounded on the south by Tacuarembo and on the north by -Brazil. It is a fairly extensive department containing comparatively -few inhabitants, but the precise figures of neither the one nor the -other seem available. The chief town of the department is Rivera, a -city situated on the Brazilian frontier that has a population of ten -thousand. The industries of Rivera are similar to those of Tacuarembo. -The gold mines here are of considerable importance, and are in active -working. The department is served by railway, Rivera being the -northernmost Uruguayan point of the line from Montevideo. - -Cerro Largo is situated on the south-east of Rivera, and is bounded on -the north-east by Brazil. The area of the department is nearly fifteen -thousand square kilometres; population about forty-five thousand. Its -capital is Melo, a town of fourteen thousand inhabitants. It is the -terminus of a recently constructed railway-line, the entry of which -into the country has had the effect of benefiting local commerce to a -considerable extent. The principal industry is pastoral, but, in -addition, a certain amount of agriculture is carried on. - -Treinta y Tres, which lies to the south of Cerro Largo, possesses an -area of 9,550 square kilometres and a population of thirty thousand. -It has not the advantage of being served by any railway, although this -will shortly occur. The principal town is Treinta y Tres, whose -inhabitants are about eight thousand in number. Up to the present time -the pastoral industry predominates here, that of agriculture being -scarcely known. It is anticipated, however, that the coming -development of the province will alter this condition of affairs. The -department is well wooded, and the timber industry here is an -important one. Treinta y Tres is bounded on the east wholly by the -great Lake of Merin, upon the further shore of which lies Brazil. - -Rocha, to the south of Treinta y Tres, is also bounded for the great -part of its eastern frontier by Lake Merin, although a small portion -of Brazil and a long stretch of Atlantic Ocean complete its boundaries -in this direction. The department contains an area of eleven thousand -kilometres and a population of forty thousand. It is not traversed by -a railroad. Its chief industry is grazing; but in some districts -viticulture is in an advanced state. The seal fishery affords an -important revenue, and the mineral products of the country are -considerable. Copper, gypsum, alabaster, marble, and jasper obtain in -considerable quantities. The chief town is Rocha, a centre of -unimportant size. - -Maldonado is situated on the Atlantic Ocean, to the west of Rocha. -Its extent and population are not officially given. In a short while -the department will be adequately served by the railway, which has -already entered its frontiers. Like the great majority of the -departments it is principally devoted to pasture. A certain amount of -agriculture and wine-growing obtains, and in the southern districts -much timber has been planted. The seal fishery in the neighbourhood of -Lobos Island, off its coast, is important. The capital of the -department is Maldonado, a small coastal town. - -Minas, to the north of Maldonado, has a population of about sixty -thousand. In addition to its pasture and agriculture, the department -is exceptionally well endowed with minerals. The capital is Minas, a -city of fourteen thousand inhabitants, that forms the terminus of the -railway-line from Montevideo. - -The department of Montevideo constitutes the small extent of territory -in the neighbourhood of the capital itself, a considerable portion of -which is taken up by the outer suburbs of the main town. The country -in the neighbourhood here is very fertile and highly cultivated. - -There is probably no climate in South America that offers greater -attractions than that of Uruguay. Throughout the Republic the -conditions are favourable; but it stands to reason that those which -obtain upon the coast-line facing the Atlantic are the most ideal of -all. The climate in these neighbourhoods is essentially temperate, and -may be likened to that of the Riviera of France, without, however, -suffering from the occasional winter frosts and intense summer heat -that characterise this latter seaboard. Nevertheless the winter -temperature of the Uruguayan littoral when a southern wind is blowing -can be quite as keen as is compatible with comfort. - -As is the case in the majority of temperate countries, there is no -accurately defined rainy or dry reason, although the rains are wont to -be far more abundant in the winter months. The heat of summer in the -south-eastern provinces is very seldom oppressive; indeed, one of the -most striking characteristics of the warm season is the continuance of -the refreshing and bracing airs that temper the heat, and that render -midsummer itself as enjoyable as the delightful spring months. The -climate of Buenos Aires is distinctly pleasant, but, so far as the -summer season is concerned, the difference between that of the -capitals of Argentina and Uruguay is curiously marked, when it is -taken into consideration that not more than 120 miles of water -separate the two. The exceptionally pleasant conditions that prevail -on this portion of the Oriental coast are acknowledged by none more -readily than by the Argentines, who flock there in great numbers for -the purposes of bathing and general climatic refreshment in January -and February. - -The wind-swept uplands of the interior are favoured in a similar -degree when compared with the districts of the other countries in -corresponding latitudes. In the northern provinces upon the Brazilian -frontier the increase in the normal temperature is, of course, very -distinctly perceptible, and for the first time the vegetation gives -undoubted evidence of an approach to the tropics. - -[Illustration: STREAM ON THE SAN JUAN ESTANCIA. -To face p. 272.] - -In consequence of this temperate climate that it enjoys the natural -plagues of the Banda Oriental are few. Drought, although it occurs -from time to time, cannot be looked upon as a genuinely characteristic -chastening influence of the land. The visitations of locusts -constitute a more serious matter. These, as in the case of the -neighbouring countries, occur in cycles, and the periods marked by the -presence of the small winged creatures with the insatiable -appetites are unpleasant enough for the agriculturalist. Owing to the -great pastoral predominance in Uruguay, however, the country in -general suffers far less than one more devoted to the production of -cereals. With the spread of agriculture that is now in progress the -question is likely to become more serious. But by the time that a -reasonable proportion of the Republic has been brought under -cultivation it is possible that one of the many plans that are -continually being brought forward for the extermination of the locust -curse may have taken effect. Nevertheless, too much reliance is not to -be placed upon this very desirable consummation. - -The great majority of Uruguayan fauna are identical with those of the -River Plate countries in general. The animals most commonly to be met -with in a journey through the Campo are the carpincho, a large, -tailless water-hog; the nutria, a creature that closely resembles a -gigantic rat, although its hind feet are webbed; the skunk, the -opossum, the iguana, and the armadillo. - -In the region of bird life the larger varieties most in evidence are -the carancho, a cross between a vulture and a hawk; the chimangu, a -smaller carrion-hawk, and a kestrel-hawk with brown body and bright -grey wings. Far rarer are the large grey eagle, and the cuerbo, or -black vulture. Heron of various species are very plentiful. - -Of the smaller birds the teru-tero, a variety of crested plover, is by -far the most numerous, although certain districts exist in which the -duck and teal run them a close second in point of numbers, while -partridge and martineta are to be met with in abundance in others. - -Amongst the more gorgeous winged specimens of the country are the -flamingo, parrot, woodpecker, humming-bird, and the little black -pecho colorado with its brilliant scarlet breast. Both the scissor -bird and the _viuda_ (window) bird are aptly named. The former -rejoices in a very long, divided tail; the latter is of a pure white -colour with a well-defined black border to its wings. The "bien te -veo, bicho feo" is a mocking-bird whose call closely resembles the -phrase by which it is known, and the ornero, or oven bird, is so -called from the curious structure of its mud nest. The small owl, too, -is a notable inhabitant of the Campo, as are the dainty miniature -doves. But to enter fully into the animal life of the Banda Oriental -would require a book in itself; therefore it is necessary to be -content with a list of the varieties most commonly to be met with. - -In dealing with the category of birds I have purposely left the -ostrich to the last, as that particular biped stands, as it were, in a -class of its own. The _Rhea Americana_ represents a commercial asset -of no little importance, and the grey companies of these rather -awkward-looking creatures are carefully watched now as they strut -solemnly to and fro over the pastures. The feathers, it is true, -cannot as a rule rival in quality those of the African bird, although -occasionally some very fine specimens are to be met with. Indeed, it -is said that the large, specially selected feathers are sold at prices -that range from fifteen dollars to twenty-five dollars the kilo. The -great majority of the coarser feathers are of little value, and are -employed for dusting brushes and such similar purposes. - -That the commerce in these ostrich feathers is of no little importance -becomes evident when the shipments of the article are considered. In -1908 the exports of these to France, the United States, Spain, and -Germany amounted to fifteen thousand kilos, while in 1909 they had -increased to twenty-five thousand kilos. The numbers of the ostriches -themselves, however, have tended to decrease of late years, and it is -estimated that at the present time there are not more than fifty -thousand in the country. Realising the danger incurred by this -diminution, the Government is now taking measures towards the -protection of these very useful birds, and there is no doubt that -judicious legislation will cause their number to increase once more. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -INDUSTRIES AND NATURAL WEALTH - - England's financial stake in Uruguay--British capital invested in - the Republic--Its monetary importance compared with that of other - South American nations--General commercial development of the - country--A satisfactory outlook--Progress of grazing and - agriculture--Marked increase in commerce--Uruguay's - exports--Cured meats and frozen carcasses--Diminution of the - former trade; increase of the latter--Reasons for the - transformation of industry--An outcome of Brazilian - protection--The breeding of fine cattle for the European - markets--Present situation of the world's meat market--The - British Isles as importers of meat--The position in the United - States--A change from the role of exporter to that of - importer--The increase in River Plate shipments--Closeness of - touch between South American and English markets--Probable - admission of foreign meat into European countries--Intervention - of the United States Beef Trust--Purchase of - Frigorificos--Possible effects of a monopoly upon the - producers--South American views on the subject--Favourable - general position of the River Plate--The balance of power in - beef--Extract of meat--The Lemco and Oxo Company--Ramifications - of the enterprise--The town of Fray - Bentos--Agriculture--Wheat--Maize--Barley. - - -The financial interest that England possesses in Uruguay is not -generally realised. As a matter of fact, the amount of British capital -invested in the Banda Oriental amounts to over forty-four millions of -pounds sterling, and there are thus only two nations, Argentina and -Brazil, that possess a greater share of the total of those funds -invested in the South American continent. To the ears of the majority, -it must be admitted, the names of Chile, Peru, Venezuela, and -Colombia sound more familiar than that of the country with which we -are at present dealing. Yet in the matter of these investments Chile -alone can approach the status of the small Republic on the River -Plate, and, indeed, falls behind it only to the extent of a few -hundred thousand pounds. Peru, however, is interested to scarcely more -than one-half of the extent, while Venezuela, the next in order, -cannot lay claim to one-sixth of the amount. - -A comparison such as this will show the real financial importance that -Uruguay represents to England, and, such being admitted, the condition -of its commerce must be a matter of proportionate interest. To deal -first of all with the general commercial development of the country, -the outlook is undoubtedly satisfactory. In order to obtain the -broadest possible survey of the situation it is necessary to lump -together the national imports and exports. Taking a recent number of -five-yearly periods, the results obtained are: - - $ - 1862-68 109,886,156 - 1869-73 158,468,043 - 1874-78 148,443,857 - 1879-83 195,757,038 - 1884-88 234,618,354 - 1889-93 261,877,934 - 1894-98 274,137,052 - 1899-1903 286,580,824 - 1904-08 338,009,777 - -The dollar quoted in this table--and wherever this unit is employed -throughout the book--is, it should be explained, the Uruguayan gold -dollar, the rough value of which may be estimated at four shillings -and twopence. - -This steady development of commerce is not a little striking in view -of the fact that up to the present only a very small percentage of -the resources of the country have been brought to bear. It is true -that the chief national wealth is likely, in the future as in the -past, to remain centred in the rich natural grazing lands. But the -progress of agriculture is now such that this branch of industry -cannot well fail in the course of a few years to rank as a moderate -second in importance to the business of grazing. Moreover, the -development of this latter itself is only now being proceeded with in -a manner worthy of the great resources that exist. The marked increase -in the general commerce that is evident between the years 1899 and -1908 is due to a very large extent to the introduction of modern -methods into the estancia life of the country. - -It is necessary now to turn to a more detailed consideration of -Uruguay's exports. The chief of these, as has already been explained, -is represented by live stock, and by meat in various forms. Of recent -years these particular branches of industry have been undergoing a -certain amount of transformation. For generations, indeed for -centuries, Uruguay has represented the chief source of Brazil's supply -of animal food. Not only were the herds of cattle and flocks of sheep -driven northwards with ceaseless regularity across the frontier, but -the millions of bales of dried beef flowed along the same channels -too. - -Recent events have caused a certain diminution in this commerce. With -the course of time Brazil has become more and more desirous of seeing -her own southern and comparatively temperate provinces more liberally -stocked with cattle. With the idea of fostering the local grazing -industry, the northern republic has increased the duties upon both -imported cattle and meat. The immediate result naturally proved -unfavourable both to Uruguayan graziers and saladero owners. In the -end, however, the outcome has proved beneficial rather than -detrimental to the landowner. As may be imagined, for the manufacture -of tasajo a high grade of cattle is not necessarily required. The -secret of the actual quality of the meat is to a great extent lost in -the dried and hardened bales of the preserve. Moreover, in order to -suit the taste of local consumption in Brazil a far slenderer class of -animal was necessary than the fattened type that the colder climates -demand. - -Thus, when it became necessary to make up for the deficit in these -neighbourly exports by the opening up of fresh markets and by catering -for the overseas demand, one of the first means to be taken in hand -towards attaining this end was a yet more close attention to the -question of a quality of meat suitable for European consumption. There -were many who foresaw numerous difficulties in attaining to this -standard, principally owing to the comparative absence of alfalfa in -the land. It is true that this fattening lucerne thrives only in -limited areas of Uruguay. But to what extent the excellent pastures of -the land have made up for this disadvantage is plain enough from the -amount of frozen carcasses now shipped to Europe. The situation as -regards the export of pastoral products has, in consequence, become -improved. Less dried meat and fewer live cattle are sent to Brazil, -but the deficiency is more than counterbalanced by shipments of a -superior order to the new markets now established in Europe. - -The present situation of the meat markets throughout the world has -reached so vitally important a stage that a few comments on the -position cannot well come amiss in view of its inevitable direct -influences upon Uruguay, and the similar stock-raising countries. -Naturally enough, the primary centres of interest are to be found in -the United States, and in its Beef Trust. Ere coming to this point, -however, it would be as well to review the general situation. - -Until the present moment the British Isles have been the chief -importers of frozen and chilled meat from both North and South -America. The demand has, naturally enough, shown an annual increase -corresponding with the growth of the population. A similar state of -affairs has, of course, existed in North America, but here the -increase of the inhabitants has been so rapid and so overwhelming that -the breeding of cattle has been entirely unable to progress in the -same ratio. The result of this is that the United States can now -produce only a comparatively insignificant surplus over and above the -quantity of animal food that is required for consumption by its own -inhabitants. Of late, therefore, the shipments of North American beef -to the British Isles have decreased with a rather startling celerity, -and there can be no question that in the near future the trade will -have ceased altogether. Exactly when this will occur--whether in two -years or half a dozen--it is impossible for even the experts to tell, -since so many elements of the unexpected enter into the question. But -that it will come about is certain, and it is, of course, equally -inevitable that the conclusion of the period of exportation will mark -the beginning of another era when it will be necessary for the United -States to import her animal food supply from countries outside her own -frontiers. - -[Illustration: THE CATTLE DIP.] - -[Illustration: DRYING JERKED MEAT. -To face p. 280.] - -In the meanwhile Argentina has stepped into the gap that North America -had of necessity left vacant, and the establishment of its frigorifico -will now enable Uruguay to take a hand in this business of shipping. -The River Plate countries are undoubtedly in a position to cope with -the situation for an indefinite period of years, although its effects -are already evident to a certain extent upon the local markets of -Argentina. In the latter country I have been present at the -stockyards in November when the herds of cattle that had arrived from -the Campo were being sold. The faces of those estancieros who were -present were beaming, for prices were ruling quite exceptionally high. -The reason lay in the demand for the London Christmas beef that had -sent its stimulus all this distance--an emphatic proof of the -closeness of touch that now obtains between the River Plate and the -British Isles. - -Were the position to begin and end at this point it would be simple -enough. Some developments, however, have occurred of late that render -the outlook for the future far more complicated. There seems very -little doubt that the time will come when England will no longer enjoy -the practical monopoly of imported beef. The desire for the admission -of this commodity in several of the great European countries is -becoming more and more accentuated, and it is highly probable that the -agitation that is now being carried on in favour of this new departure -will eventually result in the breaking down of the barriers that at -present oppose the trade. It is, of course, impossible to estimate the -full extent of the consequences of a move of the kind, but that it -must cause a rise in the price of beef in the English markets is -inevitable. - -In the face of these possibilities the prospects of the River Plate -countries are, of course, more favourable than ever before. With the -markets of Europe open to their cattle and meat, the added stimulus to -the industries of these countries cannot fail to be enormous. But here -again an element has come into being that, although it will have no -effect upon the industry, taken as a whole, must necessarily threaten -many of the interests involved. The Beef Trust of the United States -has been keenly alive to the great pastoral developments in South -America. Accurately foreseeing that the importance of the present day -is merely a prelude to what is to come, the great corporation has now -descended wholesale upon the shores of the River Plate, has already -bought up a number of frigorificos, and it will be through no want of -endeavour of its own if it does not sooner or later acquire the -remainder. - -I have no desire to tilt against the Beef Trust, which is very -probably an excellent institution, but one that, since it openly lays -no claim to a purely philanthropical policy, cannot be expected to -safeguard the welfare of concerns that do not tend towards its own -advancement. Should this corporation, therefore, attain its present -object of securing the frigorificos, and the consequent monopoly of -the purchase of cattle for export, the actual producers of the live -stock will find themselves face to face with a situation of which they -have previously had no experience. It is quite possible that it will -suit the corporation to buy the cattle at prices similar to those -which now obtain--or it may not, since it is well known that the -estanciero continued to exist in a more or less affluent fashion when -his cattle sold at lower rates than is the case at the present day. - -In any case the matter seems to be taken fairly lightly in the South -American countries most concerned. The prevalent idea is that, should -the danger be realised, it is easy to legislate against trusts--a -theory that may, or may not, be correct. Putting aside for the moment, -however, these possible complications, it will be clear that the -position of the River Plate countries as regards the shipment of their -beef is quite exceptionally favourable. So much so, indeed, that it is -not without the bounds of possibility that the spread of agriculture -may at some future period receive a check in favour of the purely -pastoral industry. For the wheat and maize-producing lands are -considerably in excess of those that raise cattle in sufficient -quantities for serious export. Fresh areas suitable for wheat-growing, -moreover, are continually being lit upon, whereas the discovery of new -grazing lands is obviously more limited. It is true that our own -colony of Rhodesia promises to take an important share in the -cattle-breeding industry--a promise the fulfilment of which may be -anticipated with confidence. With this exception, the countries of the -River Plate will undoubtedly hold the balance of power in all matters -appertaining to that very, very important article beef. - -In addition to that of the carcasses themselves, another very -important product of Uruguay is the extract of meat produced by the -Liebig (Lemco) Company. Fray Bentos was the original home of this -industry, with which the place has been associated since 1865. Of late -years the Lemco interests have spread far beyond their original -frontiers, for of the total of nearly five million acres at present -owned by the concern many hundred thousands of acres exist in -Argentina, Paraguay, and even in Rhodesia. As a matter of fact, the -working power of the recently constructed factory at Colon in Entre -Rios, upon the Argentine bank of the river, exceeds that of Fray -Bentos. Nevertheless, the importance of this latter place will be -evident enough when it is explained that in 1910 over one hundred and -seventy-nine thousand head of cattle were slaughtered there in order -to provide the necessary extract of meat. - -The Lemco town of Fray Bentos is by way of being a model specimen of -its kind. The establishments of the managers here, and the dwellings -of the workmen are each admirable of their kind, and very replete with -the comforts and luxuries that appertain to the various walks of -life. The streets, moreover, are broad and well-engineered, and the -schools and various institutions denote a liberal spirit on the part -of the directors of the concern. - -To turn from the meat industry to that of agriculture, we come, -naturally enough, to a far less imposing condition of affairs, but -one, nevertheless, that is increasing in importance each year. The -chief cereal of Uruguay is wheat. At the present moment nearly three -hundred thousand hectares have been devoted to the raising of this -crop. Although the discovery of fresh lands suitable to the production -of wheat has caused this particular area to increase, the main centres -in cultivation up to the present have been rather strictly localised. -The provinces that contain the really important wheat districts are -those of San Jose, Colonia, and Canelones. The lines of railway, -however, that have recently been constructed to the east and west of -the Republic are opening up much land that is undoubtedly admirably -suited for the production of this cereal. Wheat, it may be explained, -is a crop the nature of which renders it more immune than the majority -from the attacks of the voracious locust. By the time the -all-devouring insect is wont to make its appearance, the ears of the -wheat are as a rule hardened to a sufficient extent to render them -unpalatable. Wheat therefore, frequently escapes, wholly or in part, -where the maize crop suffers severely from the ravages of the locusts. - -The production of maize is only very slightly less than that of wheat. -The yield of this commodity in 1909 amounted roughly to one hundred -and seventy thousand tons, while that of wheat fell just below two -hundred and thirty-four thousand tons. Generally speaking, it may be -said that the districts where wheat is grown are suitable for the -cultivation of maize, and thus in Uruguay the two are wont to -flourish to a large extent side by side. It is worthy of note, -however, that whereas the wheat area has remained more or less -stationary, although its development is now practically certain, that -of maize has increased to a marked extent--from one hundred and -forty-five thousand hectares, in fact, in 1900 to over two hundred -thousand hectares in 1909. - -The production of oats and barley--although that of either still -remains comparatively insignificant--has increased rapidly during the -past decade. In 1900 the output of oats only just exceeded thirty -tons, whereas in 1909 it had amounted to nearly seven thousand tons. -Barley has a similar, although a somewhat more gradual, tale to tell, -since in the corresponding period its production rose from four -hundred to three thousand tons. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV - -INDUSTRIES AND NATURAL WEALTH (_continued_) - - Minerals--Past obstacles to the proper working of - mines--Gold--Auriferous prospects--Situation of the goldfields of - Uruguay--Past and present workings of the mines--Influence of - politics on labour--The Corrales mines--Manganese--Districts in - which iron ore is met with--Mineral centres--Minas--Maldonado-- - Silver--Copper--Marble--Gypsum--Slate--Sulphur--Asbestos--Precious - stones--Diamonds and rubies--Jasper--Agate--The amethyst and - topaz--The water-stone--A peculiarity of Uruguay--Viticulture-- - Date of the introduction of the vine--Vicissitudes at the start-- - Subsequent rapid progress--Vineyard area of the present day--The - introduction of suitable plants--Countries of origin--Production - of grapes and wine--Departments most suitable to the industry--The - seal fisheries--Originally carried on by the Indians--Habits of the - seals--Development of the industry--Government grants--Conditions - and concessions--Number of skins obtained since 1873--Islands - inhabited by the seals--Method of killing and curing--Waste of - seal life--Suggestions for the improvement of the industry-- - Scientific measures necessary--A diplomatic incident in - connection with the seal fisheries. - - -It is quite possible that Uruguayan minerals may yet cause something -of a sensation throughout the world. In the past her deposits of the -kind have lain comparatively undisturbed, owing to similar reasons -that have hampered the industry in Peru and Bolivia--want of transport -facilities. With the rapid spread of the railways, however, these -disadvantages will shortly become minimised, when no doubt -considerably more will be heard of the mineral wealth of the country. - -Let it be clear that I am not making the following remarks in the -character of a mining expert. The latter profession, according to -vulgar report, is at times not averse to fiction; but the gap that -separates an author from a goldfield is uncomfortably wide. This -apparently frivolous foreword is not altogether uncalled for, since to -speak with undue optimism of the presence of the yellow dross is -dangerous to the layman writer, and profitable only to the expert. -Nevertheless, the auriferous prospects of Uruguay, so far as such can -ever be assured, give no small promise of success. - -The chief goldfields of Uruguay lie in the northern province of -Rivera, and are situated in the neighbourhoods of Corrales, Cunapiru, -and Zapucaya. A district here of from thirty-five to forty miles in -length and of about seven miles in breadth is thickly interwoven with -auriferous reef. The knowledge of the wealth in this particular spot -is no new thing, as ancient superficial workings on the part of the -Indians prove. From that time the mines had apparently fallen into -disuse until comparatively recent years, when they were in a sense -rediscovered by a French company. The concern, it is true, met with a -consistent lack of prosperity. The actual working is said to have been -carried on in a fashion that was both half-hearted and old-fashioned. -The period, moreover, was a peculiarly disturbed one from a political -point of view, and the province of Rivera has always been famed as the -birthplace and chosen haunt of revolutionary movements. An English -company, however, has now assumed control of the mines, a modern plant -is at work, and gold is actually being yielded. - -Such are the bare historical facts of the chief mines at Corrales. -According to the experts, reefs have been met with that will yield -five ounces to the ton, and, should the reefs prove deep, the -prospects are practically limitless. But this remains to be seen. In -the meanwhile the earth has promised! But its promises, like its crust -in parts, are sometimes of pielike material. In this case, should the -anticipations be realised, there will be no little stir in the -province of Rivera--and elsewhere. - -In the neighbourhood of these mines are enormous deposits of manganese -that are just now beginning to attract special attention. The -quantities of iron, too, that are to be met with here are rather -exceptional. Rivera, however, constitutes by no means the sole mineral -district of Uruguay. The provinces of Minas, Artigas, Maldonado, -Salto, Paysandu, Montevideo, and San Jose are all more or less well -endowed with the various species. - -Of these remaining centres Minas is probably the richest. Traces of -gold are to be met with here, although in a minor degree, and silver, -copper, marble, gypsum, slate, sulphur, and asbestos would probably -all repay organised handling. Minas also produces lead, but this, too, -has suffered from considerable neglect. Indeed, I believe that one of -the very few ransackings of the mines that have occurred was for the -purpose of manufacturing bullets for the armies during the -revolutionary and civil wars at the beginning of the nineteenth -century. - -The province of Maldonado contains copper, iron, marble, gypsum, -sulphur, and slate, and here, too, the mineral field has remained -almost unexploited up to the present. Montevideo holds manganese and -iron, Salto copper, Florida iron, Paysandu copper, and San Jose -asbestos. These, at all events, constitute the principal centres of -the minerals specified, although there are others of comparative -insignificance in many other districts. - -Uruguay, too, is by no means without its precious stones. Odd rubies -and diamonds have been met with from time to time, and the jasper and -agate are fairly common. The stones, however, that obtain in really -considerable numbers, and that are consequently of the chief -commercial interest, are the amethyst and the topaz. Of both these -some magnificent specimens are to be met with in the Province of -Artigas. These very handsome stones are now attaining a distinct -popularity amongst the visitors to Montevideo. To those who have not -the opportunity of visiting the remote province of Artigas itself, it -may be mentioned that Agosto Wild, in the Calle Veinte Cinco de Mayo -in Montevideo, is a most trustworthy and reliable dealer. - -A peculiarity of Uruguay is the water-stone that is met with in the -neighbourhood of Salto. This consists of a rounded portion of stone, -more or less knobbly and opaque or smooth and transparent as the case -may be. In the latter the water that is enclosed within it is almost -as plainly seen as though it were held within rather dull glass, and -with every movement of the crystal-like material the motion and -bubblings of the water are very clearly evident. There have been some -mental gymnastics ere now concerning the advent of the apple within -the dumpling: but the presence of this water within the stone suffices -to puzzle the more scientific minds. So far as I am aware, no adequate -explanation of the phenomenon has yet been vouchsafed. - -Viticulture is one of the more recent industries of Uruguay. It has -now, however, obtained a firm hold, and the future of the commerce is -distinctly promising. It was as late as 1860 that the first tentative -plantings of the vine occurred, and it was not until 1875 that a -couple of really important vineyards were established, one at Colon -and the other at Salto, in the north-west of the republic. Even then -the undertaking did not meet with immediate success, and it was some -while ere the type of plant was discovered that would lead to the most -favourable results in the local soil. - -This, however, once discovered, the progress of viticulture has -proceeded almost without a check. The rapidity of its increase may be -gathered from the following figures. In 1880 the number of vineyards -in Uruguay was 16; in 1890, 181; whereas in 1895 the total had swollen -to 748. Since that time the industry has continued to spread. Thus in -1897 the vineyards had increased in number to 824, while in 1905 the -viticultural census showed the very respectable total of 1,453. - -It is only natural that this great increase in vineyards should have -been accompanied by the introduction of a greater variety of suitable -plants. The types of vines that now flourish in Uruguay hail from -France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Germany, the importance of the -various kinds being in accordance with the seniority rendered them in -order here. Of the French species introduced the most popular are the -Sauvignon, Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Castel, Merlot, Verdot, Semillon, -Sauvignon blanc, Clairette blanche, and some half-dozen others; of the -Italian the Piamonte, Grignolino Negro, Asprino, Docetto, Leonarda, -Lambrusca, Cipro Negro, and Verdea. The favourite Spanish varieties -are the Carinana, Morrastel Bouchet, Murviedo, Malvosia Blanca, Pedro -Ximinez, while from Portugal have been introduced the black and the -white grape, and from Germany the Riesling. - -The cultivation of the vineyards is attended by the greatest expense -in the south of the country, where the comparatively humid climate -lends itself more readily to the propagation of the various diseases -to which the vine is subject. Here the American grape, owing to its -immunity from phyloxera in a great degree, flourishes admirably. The -departments in which viticulture is chiefly carried on are at -Montevideo, that possesses a vineyard area of 1,426 hectares; Salto, -719 hectares; Canelones, 699 hectares; Colonia, 490 hectares; -Maldonado, 330 hectares; Paysandu, 177 hectares; Florida, 132 -hectares; Soriano, 125 hectares; and Artigas, 97 hectares. In the -remaining departments the viticultural industry is of small account. - -The later increase in the actual production of grapes and wine will be -evident from the following table: - - -------------+---------------------+------------------- - | Kilos of Grapes. | Litres of Wine. - -------------+---------------------+------------------- - 1904 | 16,387,738 | 10,458,119 - 1905 | 20,304,850 | 11,569,314 - 1906 | 16,408,077 | 9,469,674 - 1907 | 19,385,569 | 11,461,817 - 1908 | 28,753,259 | 18,563,496 - -------------+---------------------+------------------- - -The sealing industry of Uruguay is of considerably greater importance -than is generally supposed. Mr. C. E. R. Rowland, the British Consul -at Montevideo, is the leading English authority on the subject. The -following article, then, which he has kindly supplied, may be taken as -authoritative: - - * * * * * - -The aboriginal races of this part of South America were known to have -resorted to the coast-line during the summer months for their fishing -expeditions, the Indian race of the Charruas occupying the coastline -from above the river town of Colonia to the borders of the Brazilian -frontier at al Chue, on the Atlantic. - -Traces of their encampment grounds are still to be found along this -coast, principally from Maldonado to the Brazilian frontier, where -many of their primitive weapons and utensils are still to be met with, -and also the remains of what must have been their watch-fires, mounds -of burnt bones, containing amongst the rest bones and teeth of seals -which crumble under touch. - -This coast in these former times evidently abounded in seal life, as -the natural conditions offered every attraction to these now timid -animals. A storm-beaten coast, with plentiful havens, in the mouth of -a large estuary abounding with fish, enticed the seals to the shore -and made them an easy prey to the Indians, but time has driven them to -the present rookeries which now afford them protection. - -The first record of the sealing industry on the coast of Uruguay -having been put to practical purposes is that in the year 1834 they -were rented by the Government for the period of ten years to Senor -Francisco Aguilar for the sum of $80,000. The condition was imposed -that he should erect a suitable edifice to be used as a public school -in the town of Maldonado. This latter condition was altered insomuch -that the building, when completed, was used as a chapel, and has -remained so ever since. - -[Illustration: A SEAL ROOKERY.] - -[Illustration: BASKING SEALS. -To face p. 292.] - -From the termination of this contract up to the year 1858 this -industry was worked by various tenants, but in this latter year the -Government passed a Law imposing a tax of 20 centavos per skin and 4 -centavos per 10 kilos of seal oil, to be paid in equal proportions to -the municipalities of Maldonado and Rocha Departments, on whose coasts -the islands are situated. A further Law in the year 1896 doubled -these taxes, which were destined by the said Law to be applied by the -municipal authorities to the public works and the creation of -artificial parks. - -The following tables will show the number of skins produced from these -islands since the year 1873: - - Year. Skins. - - 1873 8,190 - 1874 9,449 - 1875 9,204 - 1876 11,353 - 1877 11,066 - 1878 14,493 - 1879 14,093 - 1880 16,382 - 1881 14,473 - 1882 13,595 - 1883 12,483 - 1884 14,872 - 1885 12,245 - 1886 17,072 - 1887 17,788 - 1888 21,150 - 1889 15,700 - 1890 20,150 - 1891 13,871 - 1892 15,870 - 1893 14,779 - 1894 20,763 - 1895 17,471 - _____________|__________________ - | | - Island Coronilla Island Lobos - 1896 11,096 12,543 - 1897 9,091 10,143 - 1898 8,908 8,778 - 1899 9,339 7,796 - 1900 8,983 9,845 - 1901 8,023 8,215 - 1902 9,785 11,468 - 1903 5,899 7,929 - 1904 5,114 5,765 - 1905 2,246 3,387 - 1906 4,871 7,212 - 1907 2,880 7,612 - -The islands inhabited by seals on the coast of Uruguay are: - - Castillos Rocks 4 small islands - Polonio 3 " - Paloma 2 " - Lobos 2 " - -The Castillos Rocks are very difficult of access on account of the -heavy swell breaking on them. The Polonio group consists of three -small islands lying directly off the cape of same name, and are called -Raza, Encantado, and De Marco. - -The sealers' huts and boiling-house are on the mainland in a small bay -to the north-east of the lighthouse. The seals when killed on these -islands are skinned with the inside lining of fat attached and are -brought on shore, when the inside lining of fat is taken off and -boiled down. The dead carcasses are left on the island, and in my -opinion the presence of so many dead seals destroyed by human agency -must have some effect upon those animals frequenting these islands, -making them wary and cautious in returning again to a place where the -remains of their companions are so visible. - -Coronilla Islands consist of two large islands, covered with herbage, -and one small "_islote_," or reef, generally awash with the sea. - -On the largest of these islands the sealers live during the season for -the purpose of salting the skins and boiling down the carcass of the -seals for oil. At the end of the season the skins and oil are brought -into Montevideo by tug-boats. - -On Lobos Islands the killing is carried out in a different manner. A -large corral is erected on the middle of the island, and, when seals -are plentiful and the wind and weather are specially favourable, a -drive is made by about fifty men with clubs, who, getting between the -seals and the sea, drive them gently towards the corral. This is done -without much difficulty, and perhaps two thousand may be enclosed in -one day. Once enclosed they are allowed to wait until all preparations -for killing are complete. They are then driven out in batches of -twenty or thirty to the skinning-shed and boiler-house, where they are -dispatched at leisure. - -By this mode of killing I am inclined to think that there must be a -great waste of seal life from an absence of a proper knowledge as -regards the animal killed. No selection is made from those driven -down, and every animal is killed even if the skin is worthless or -mangy. The majority of the animals slaughtered are females, -consequently the stock of production is gradually lessened. Were a -skilled sealer employed for the proper classification of the animals -before killing, it would do away to some extent with the extermination -of seals whose skins at that season were practically worthless. - -On the Paloma Islands very few seals are killed. - -The seizure of the Canadian schooner _Agnes G. Donohoe_ in the year -1905 on the alleged grounds of sealing in jurisdictional waters--that -is, within the three miles limit--caused the intervention of the -British Government. The master and men were under arrest for a period -of ten months, but the case, diplomatically handled at that time by -her Majesty's Representative, Mr. Walter Baring (Minister), and Mr. -Robert Peel (Charge d'Affaires), was finally settled with satisfaction -to both Governments by the tactful procedure of his Majesty's present -Representative, Mr. Robert J. Kennedy, Minister Plenipotentiary and -Envoy Extraordinary. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI - -COMMUNICATION AND COMMERCE - - British enterprise in South America--The various industries - controlled--The railways of the Southern continent--A remarkable - record--The opening up of new lands--Some possibilities of the - future--Sound basis on which the extension of the lines is - founded--Products and transport facilities--Probable influence of - communications--Uruguayan railways--A high standard of - enterprise--Comfortable travelling--Some comparisons between - Uruguay and Argentina as railway countries--Level country - _versus_ hills--Stone _versus_ alluvial soil--Questions of - ballast--Importance of the new ramifications--Railway - construction in Uruguay--History of the lines--Government - obligations--Mileage and capital of the companies--Interest paid - on capital--Various railway systems--Areas served--The Central - Company--Sketch of lines and extensions--Important - developments--The communication with Brazil--Financial position - of the Company--Midland Uruguay Railway--Development and - extension of the line--Receipts and expenses--The North Western - of Uruguay and Uruguay Northern Railway--Montevidean - tramways--Local, British, and German enterprise--Steamer service - of the River Plate--The Mihanovich line--Ocean passenger - traffic--Montevideo the sole port of call--The Royal Mail Steam - Packet Company--The Pacific Line--The Nelson Line--Other British - companies--Position of British exports--Sound consular advice. - - -British enterprise throughout South America is admittedly remarkable. -If one except the retail and local trades that are carried on by the -native-born inhabitants of each republic, or by the Spaniards, -Basques, Italians, and Turks, each of which have taken some particular -trade under their own protection, there is probably not a single -branch of industry in which the British are not interested in a more -or less important degree. - -From mining and banking to farming and general commerce, the scope is -sufficiently broad. In no other kind of enterprise, however, has -intelligence and skill been so freely lavished as upon that of the -railways. The British have not the sole monopoly of these great -undertakings, it is true. There are the local Government lines, -numerous French railways, and others of various nationalities that are -ably served and administered. Yet almost every one of the most -important lines throughout the entire Southern continent owes its -existence to British capital, and is managed by British officials. The -record is a remarkable one, and the full tale of its magnitude has yet -to be written. It is true that in many branches of industry the ratio -of British increase has not been in proportion with that of other -countries--a falling off that may be inevitable, but that in any case -is regrettable. Fortunately, this is not the case with the railways. -Indeed, when the progress that is now being made is taken into -consideration, it becomes evident that the results that must ensue -within the space of a few years cannot well fail to affect the entire -world. - -Of the feats of this kind that are at the present moment being -achieved some of the most important are concerned with Bolivia, -Paraguay, and the hinterland of Brazil. The opening up of many of the -hitherto inaccessible regions of these countries means more than the -enclosing within the fold of civilisation vast areas of rubber, -timber, and general agriculture. It promises, in fact, some -revelations in the way of minerals and mines that, although the -possibility of a disappointment must never be lost sight of, are -likely enough to prove of an astonishing nature. - -The tales of gold in the untravelled lands where the Indian still -holds sway do undoubtedly not emanate merely from the imagination of -the few travellers who have penetrated within certain of the -districts. The reluctance of the aboriginal to disclose the spots from -which they derive the precious metal is an acknowledged phase of his -character. But it is not solely upon the unwilling testimony of the -Indians that such hopes are based. It is well enough known that when -the expulsion of the Jesuits occurred, and when many of the remoter -districts in which they had established precarious missions returned -to a state of savagery and seclusion, numbers of the mines that were -even then known were abandoned when in the full flush of their -yield--a yield that the primitive native implements could never make -complete. - -But it is not in anticipation of such developments as these that the -railways have been built. The ordinary products of the countries in -question are more than sufficient to demand their existence. The -possibility of greater mineral fields than are at present suspected is -merely a side issue in the general scheme. The influence of steam -transport, however, upon many of the silver-mines cannot fail to be -marked, since the utter want of transport facilities now renders -imperative an astonishing number of mines of this kind the productive -power of which is very great indeed. - -The Uruguayan railways form no exception to the prevailing South -American rule. The three companies in existence in that Republic are -all British, and the standard of each is as high as that of the others -in the remaining republics. Although the enterprises naturally enjoy -lesser advantages in the way of skilled labour and technical -conveniences than those here at home, there can be no doubt that the -degree of comfort enjoyed by the traveller on a Uruguayan line -compares very favourably with that experienced on an average British -railway. The service and observation of punctuality are both to be -commended, while the dining and sleeping cars are not only admirable -of their type, but extremely well adapted to the needs of the country. - -The natural facilities that the Uruguayan country offers for railways -differ considerably from those of the Argentine. In the central -provinces of the latter many hundreds of miles may be travelled -without any gradient whatever becoming apparent. The absence of -streams here, moreover, obviates almost entirely the necessity for -bridge building. It has already been explained that the -characteristics of the Uruguayan Campo are entirely different. -Although it possesses few hills of any really imposing height, its -stretches of dead level ground are equally rare. Thus, although the -gradients may be gentle and sufficiently easy, they are almost -continuous. In some places, moreover, the rise and fall of the line is -necessarily accentuated, and even abrupt--at all events, compared with -the neighbouring areas. - -Although, however, Uruguay may not be quite so favourably situated for -railway purposes as regards its levels, it possesses one very -important advantage over Argentina. In the central and richest -provinces of the latter one of the most serious drawbacks lies in the -total absence of any local material with which to ballast the track. -For hundreds of miles on all sides no stone--not even the merest -pebble--is to be met with, since the land consists of nothing beyond -the rich, alluvial soil. Thus, if stone be required for the perfection -of the tracks, it is necessary to import it from afar, and the haulage -of the material inevitably forms a weighty item in the cost and -upkeep of the line. In this respect Uruguay is far more favourably -provided for. Stone abounds, not only in certain districts but -throughout the country--although, of course, there are many centres -where the quality of the material is far superior to that of others. -Thus the question of ballast and embankments is solved in a very -simple fashion here, and in a land of numerous rivers and streams the -construction of stone bridges is made possible. - -As regards the present position of Uruguayan railways, it is -impossible to over-estimate the importance of the new ramifications -that are now spreading through the country. Uruguay contains no -mysterious hinterland, it is true. But, although every corner of the -Republic is known, the resources of many of its regions have of -necessity remained quite untapped for want of the railway -communication that was essential for the transport of the produce in -whatever shape or form it might emerge from the soil. - -I am indebted to Mr. V. Hinde, the secretary of the Midland Uruguay -Railway, for the following information concerning the railways of the -country: - - * * * * * - -The construction of railways in Uruguay may be said to have commenced -in the year 1866, when a concession was granted for a line from the -capital (Montevideo) to Durazno, a distance of 130 miles. The -construction of this line was followed by the building of a short line -from the city of Salto towards the frontier of Brazil. In 1877 an -English company, the present Central Uruguay Railway Co., Ltd., was -formed to take over the former and complete the line to the town of -Rio Negro, which extension was finished in 1886. - -In the meantime the Uruguayan Government had devoted considerable -attention to the question of railways, and in the year 1884 a law was -passed by the Chambers embodying a definite scheme of railway -communication with various parts of the Republic, the executive being -authorised to contract for lines as outlined, and to guarantee an -income equal to L560 per annum per mile of line for a period of forty -years. A result of this enactment was the formation of several -companies in England, and railway construction was rapidly proceeded -with. By the year 1891, 1,000 miles of line were opened for traffic. -In respect of which some 670 miles enjoyed the Government guarantee, -equal to 7 per cent. on a capitalisation of L5,000 per kilometre. - -At this point, however, further development received a check by the -Government finding it necessary to rearrange its obligations. This -rearrangement took the form of a reduction of the interest on the -External Debt, including railway guarantees, from 7 per cent. to 3-1/2 -per cent., the service at this reduced figure being secured on 45 per -cent. of the Custom House receipts specially hypothecated. Punctual -payment of guarantees at this rate has always been made. - -In 1889 the Central Uruguay Western Extension Railway Company was -formed to construct a line from San Jose to the towns of Mercedes, -Sauce, and Colonia. This line does not enjoy a Government guarantee, -and reverts to the Government in the year 1862. - -The railway system of the Republic to-day amounts to some 1,432 miles -of line opened for traffic and 78 miles in course of construction. - -The following shows the capital of the respective companies and length -of lines: - - --------------------------------------------+-------+--------------------- - |Mileage| Capital. - | Open. | L - --------------------------------------------+-------+--------------------- - Central Uruguay Railway, including Western | | - Extension and North Eastern of Uruguay | | } Worked - Railway Co., Ltd. | 482 | 5,403,018 } by - Central Uruguay Eastern Extension Co., | | } Central - Ltd. | 277 | 2,033,400 } Uruguay - Central Uruguay Northern Extension Co., | | } Railway - Ltd. | 182 | 1,627,150 } Co. - Midland Uruguay Railway Co., Ltd. | 229 | 2,378,462 - North Western of Uruguay Railway Co., Ltd. | 111 | 1,435,517 - Uruguay Northern Railway Co., Ltd. | 73 | 855,562 - Uruguay East Coast Railway | 78 | 309,980 - +-------+--------------------- - Total |1,432 |14,044,089 - --------------------------------------------+-------+--------------------- - -The amount of interest, &c., paid on the above capital may be seen in -the table on the following page, which is equal to rather over 4-1/5 -per cent. on the whole capital of L13,444,089. - -The railway system of Uruguay may be said to be represented by the -following companies: - -The Central Uruguay Railway and its allied lines. - -The Midland Uruguay System, which joins that of the Central and forms -a means of communication with the cities of Paysandu and Salto, with a -branch to the town of Fray Bentos, now almost completed. - -The North Western of Uruguay, continuing the railway from Salto to the -frontier of Brazil at Cuareim. - -In addition there are the short lines in the nature of branches--that -of the Northern Uruguay Railway Company, branching from the -North-Western system at Isla de Cabellos connecting with the frontier -of Brazil at San Eugenio; and the Uruguay East Coast Railway from a -junction with the North-Eastern Uruguay system at Olmos to Maldonado, -a distance of seventy-eight miles. - - ------------+-------------------------------------+----------+--------- - L | Interest paid on Capital. | Per Cent.| L - ------------+-------------------------------------+----------+--------- - 2,000,000 | Central Uruguay Ordinary Stock | 5 | 100,000 - 400,000 | " " Preference Shares | 5-1/2 | 22,000 - 953,018 | " " Debenture Stock | 6 | 57,181 - 1,000,000 | " " Western Railway | | - | Extension Debenture | 4 | 40,000 - 250,000 | Central Uruguay 2nd Debenture Stock | 6 | 15,000 - 400,000 | North Eastern of Uruguay Preference | | - | Shares | 7 | 28,000 - 400,000 | North Eastern of Uruguay Ordinary | | - | Shares | 7 | 28,000 - 775,000 | Central Uruguay Railway Eastern | | - | Extension Ordinary Shares | 3-3/4 | 29,062 - 775,000 | Central Uruguay Railway Eastern | | - | Extension Preference Shares | 5 | 38,750 - 483,400 | Central Uruguay Railway Eastern | | - | Extension Debenture Stock | 5 | 24,170 - 1,000,000 | Central Uruguay Railway Northern | | - | Extension Ordinary Shares | 3-3/4 | 37,500 - 627,150 | Central Uruguay Railway Northern | | - | Extension Debenture Stock | 5 | 31,357 - 600,000 | Midland Uruguay Railway Ordinary | | - | Stock | nil | ---- - 600,000 | Midland Uruguay Railway Prior Lien | | - | Debenture Stock | 5 | 300,000 - 1,179,462 | Midland Uruguay Railway Debenture | | - | Stock | 5 | 58,973 - 120,120 | North Western of Uruguay Ordinary | | - | Stock | nil | ---- - 293,172 | North Western of Uruguay 2nd | | - | Preference Stock | nil | ---- - 583,850 | North Western of Uruguay 1st | | - | Preference Stock | 2 | 11,677 - 400,000 | North Western of Uruguay 1st | | - | Debenture Stock | 6 | 24,000 - 38,375 | North Western of Uruguay 2nd | | - | Debenture Stock | 6 | 2,302 - 100,000 | Uruguay Northern Railway Ordinary | | - | Shares | nil | ---- - 250,000 | Uruguay Northern Railway Preference | | - | Stock | 1 | 2,500 - 449,400 | Uruguay Northern Railway Debenture | | - | Stock | 3-1/2 | 15,729 - 56,162 | Uruguay Northern Railway Prior Lien | | - | Debenture Stock | 5 | 2,808 - 125,000 | Uruguay East Coast Railway Ordinary | | - | Shares | nil | ---- - 184,980 | Uruguay East Coast Railway | | - | Debenture Stock | nil | ---- - ------------+-------------------------------------| |--------- - L14,044,089 | | | L599,009 - ------------+-------------------------------------+----------+--------- - -_Central Company._--By far the most important system is that of the -Central Company, including leased and worked lines. The lines of this -system extend from the capital to the frontier of Brazil at Rivera, -with branches to the city of Mercedes in the west, and the towns of -Melo, Treinta y Tres, and Minas on the Eastern and North-Eastern -Extension. The railway from the capital passes through a -well-populated agricultural district for a radius of about thirty -miles; this radius is gradually extending, stimulated by the -increasing importance of Montevideo and the gradual breaking up of -lands in the fertile regions of the western and eastern extensions. - -The extension now finished to Melo opens up another district suitable -to the cultivation of cereals, from which considerable traffic is -being derived. - -An extremely important matter in connection with the future -development of these lines, and, in fact, all the railway interests of -the Republic, is to be found in the completion of the port works at -Montevideo. Until the port works were taken in hand the embarkation of -cargo at this principal outlet of the Republic had been greatly -hampered by natural difficulties, and consequently heavy charges in -connection with the lighterage from the railway wharf to the ocean -steamers. The deepening of the inner port and the construction of -extensive wharfs and piers at which ocean steamers can berth will -doubtless lead to an increase in traffic, not only from Uruguay but -the neighbouring State of Rio Grande do Sul. - -An important connection with the railway system of Rio Grande do Sul -is made at the terminus of the Central Uruguay Northern Extension -Railway at Rivera, and by the completion of a connecting link between -the Sao Paulo Rio Grande Railway System and the lines of the Cie -Auxiliare de Chemins de Fer au Bresil, a Company which controls -practically the whole railway system of the State of Rio Grande do Sul -(now almost completed), direct railway communication will be -established between Montevideo and Rio de Janeiro. - -The following table shows the result of working of the Central Uruguay -Main Line, exclusive of extensions, which, as far as expansion in -receipts is concerned, may be regarded as indicative of those lines: - - -------------------------------------------------------- - Year. | Receipts. | Expenses. | Profit. | Dividend. | - --------------------------------------------------------| - | | | | Per Cent. | - 1904-5 | 414,228 | 190,165 | 223,572 | 4-1/2 | - 1905-6 | 442,083 | 212,465 | 229,618 | 5 | - 1906-7 | 493,682 | 244,922 | 248,760 | 5 | - 1907-8 | 508,044 | 272,104 | 235,940 | 4-1/2 | - 1908-9 | 557,122 | 287,505 | 269,617 | 4-1/2 | - 1909-10| 577,489 | 287,959 | 289,530 | 5 | - -------------------------------------------------------- - -The increase in gross receipts is perhaps not quite so marked as in -the case of neighbouring lines in the Argentine Republic, and a reason -for this is to be found in the fact that, favoured by magnificent -grazing camps, cattle raising is still the principal industry of -Uruguay. Agricultural development, although more marked of recent -years, has been slow, but an increase in this is probably due to -efforts which are being made by the Government to promote colonisation -and the extension of lines in the Eastern provinces. - -_Midland Uruguay Railway._--This Company's line passes through an -entirely pastoral district, and its traffic is principally derived -from the carriage of cattle, wool, and general merchandise. An -important extension is now practically completed to Fray Bentos, the -headquarters of Liebig's Extract of Meat Company. The River Uruguay at -this point is navigable for large ocean steamers, and a pier has been -erected to accommodate these, which will put the railway system of the -north of the Republic in a more favourable position to handle the -various products of cattle-killing establishments, both in Uruguay and -on the Brazilian side of the frontier of Rio Grande do Sul, an -industry of increasing importance. - - ------------------------------------------------------------- - Year. | Gross Receipts. | Expenses. | Profit. | Dividend. | - -------------------------------------------------------------| - 1905-6 | 60,533 | 50,304 | 10,229 | | - 1906-7 | 75,887 | 60,833 | 15,054 | | - 1907-8 | 72,172 | 67,153 | 5,019 | | - 1908-9 | 81,503 | 71,114 | 10,389 | | - 1909-10 | 88,165 | 67,479 | 20,686 | | - ------------------------------------------------------------- - -At the present time a considerable tonnage is transported by river -from Salto for shipment from Buenos Aires. It is possible, therefore, -that the extension of the Midland Company to Fray Bentos will play an -important part in the development of its line and those of the -companies north of Salto, and Fray Bentos should very shortly become -the second port of the Republic. - -The receipts in Uruguay of the Midland Company have shown some -expansion of late years, having increased from L55,000 in the year -ending June 30, 1904, to L88,165 in 1909-10 (see opposite page). - -_The North-Western of Uruguay Railway and Uruguay Northern -Railway._--The remarks with regard to the nature of the country and -the traffic of the Midland apply also to these lines. At the terminus -of the North-Western Line at the River Cuareim arrangements exist for -the interchange of traffic with the Brazil Great Southern Railway, and -the respective Governments have sanctioned a project for the -construction of an international bridge to connect the lines at this -point. It is probable that this bridge will be constructed within the -next few years, as the interchange of traffic due to the extension of -the Brazil Great Southern Railway to San Borju is likely to be -considerably enhanced. - -The excellent tramways with which Montevideo is served are -administered by three companies, local, British, and German. The local -enterprise is considerably the smallest of the three, the extent of -its lines not exceeding twelve miles. The concern, moreover, is -dependent solely upon horse traction, with its attendant -disadvantages. - -The British enterprise, the United Electric Tramway Company, is the -most important in the capital. It possesses eighty-two miles of line, -195 passenger-cars, and sixty-eight trailers. By the terms of the -concession at least two-thirds of the employees must be citizens of -the country. The Compania Alemania Transatlantia is a German Company, -with a length of seventy-five miles of electric tramlines. - -The steamer service of the River Plate and Uruguay is almost entirely -in the hands of the Mihanovich Company, as, indeed, is that of the -entire system of these great rivers. The Company is an extremely -powerful one, possessing a very large fleet that comprises all classes -of steam vessels from the small, puffing tug to the largest and most -modern liner of the fresh waters. Many of these latter are peculiarly -fine specimens of their type, graceful in build, powerfully equipped, -and provided with broad and roomy decks. Although the larger of these -craft will carry between two and three hundred passengers, the cabin -and saloon accommodation is contrived on a most liberal and imposing -scale. Indeed, there is no doubt that the Mihanovich boats are a -credit to the broad rivers on which they float. - -So far as the ocean passenger traffic is concerned, Montevideo is the -sole Uruguayan port at which the liners call. The capital affords a -port of call for the magnificent vessels of the Royal Mail Steam -Packet Company that, notwithstanding their size, are now enabled by -means of the recent harbour improvements to enter the inner waters of -the port. Of the other British lines concerned, the most important are -the Pacific (that is now incorporated with the R.M.S.P.) and the -Nelson Line, that possesses a fine new fleet of ten-thousand-ton -boats. The other great British shipping companies whose vessels call -at Montevideo are the Lamport and Holt, Houlder, Prince, Houston, the -New Zealand Shipping Company, and the Shaw, Savill. - -Thus it will be seen that in all monumental undertakings of the kind -the British are holding their own in a satisfactory fashion. As -regards ordinary commerce and the exports of manufactured goods, the -progress, unfortunately, is by no means so evident. I have so -frequently laid stress upon the narrowness of the home commercial -ideas in this respect that still obtains in so many quarters that I am -glad to be able to quote the words of another that admirably fit the -case. The following is from the Consular Report on Uruguay issued in -1910, and the sentences undoubtedly sum up the situation with a -commendable accuracy: "It has been pointed out to me that careful -investigation into the commercial methods of our competitors reveals -several reasons why British trade has failed to retain the proportion -of the imports it held a few years ago. For instance, greater -attention to detail is paid by the foreign merchant than by his -British rival, who, as a rule, adheres in catalogues and invoices to -British standard weights and measures and prices, without giving their -equivalent in terms of the country. In tenders for public works German -firms study the specifications with minute care, and tender for every -item, leaving nothing in doubt, besides drawing up their applications -in so clear and simple a manner as to give the minimum labour in -examination, and the maximum of facility in comparison to the -authorities who deal with them; whereas British tenderers sometimes -merely quote a lump sum, ignoring all details, and often, when details -are given, the price of many items is left vague, 'As may be agreed -upon.' When goods are imported into the country from Germany, France, -the United States of America, &c., a detailed statement in Spanish of -the contents of each package is generally furnished, with metric -weights and measures, which facilitates their rapid examination and -dispatch, whereas British firms as a rule content themselves with the -brief statement, 'Case containing machinery' or 'hardware,' &c., -leaving to the Custom House official the task of working out details -and calculations. - -"Then, again, as regards languages, the British commercial traveller, -armed with British catalogues and price lists [although I note with -pleasure that some are now printed in Spanish], knows no language but -his own, but the German invariably speaks Spanish and English, and he -has carefully studied beforehand the needs of the market which he is -visiting and the financial position of merchants. This gives him a -great advantage over his British rival, who rarely has previous -knowledge of his would-be customers, and is dependent on such chance -information as he may pick up to be subsequently confirmed by -inquiries at the banks. Time is thus lost, and irritation is caused to -respectable buyers, who resent what appears to them impertinent -suspicion." - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII - -POLITICS AND REVOLUTIONS - - The Constitution of Uruguay--Government of the Republic--Deputies - and senators--Their duties--The Civil Code--Marriage--Rights of - foreigners--Law--The Commission of Charity and Public - Welfare--Hospitals--Orphan asylums--Infirmaries--The charity - hospital lottery--The distribution of political parties--The - Colorados and the Blancos--Policy of both--Feud between the - parties--Old-standing strife--Explanation of the - nomenclature--Origin of the feud--Rivera and Oribe--Inherited - views--Attitude of the foreigners--Revolutions--Manner of their - outbreak--Government precautions--The need of finance and - arms--Some rebellious devices--Rifles as Manchester goods--The - importance of horses--Difficulties that attend a revolutionary - movement--The sweeping up of horses--Equine concentration - camps--A powerful weapon in the hands of the authorities--First - signs of an outbreak--Sylvan rendezvous--The question of - reinforcements--Some desperate ventures--Their accustomed - end--Chieftains of the north--Effect of a revolution upon local - industries--Needs of the army--Estancia hands as troopers--Hasty - equipment--Manner in which actual hostilities are conducted--"The - Purple Land that England lost"--The spirit of modernism and the - internal struggle--Tendency to localise the fields of - strife--Power of the Colorado party--Whence the respective - partisans are drawn--Distinguishing insignia--Some necessary - precautions on the part of the foreigner--Adventures derived from - colour in clothes--Some ludicrous episodes--The expense of - revolution. - - -The Constitution of Uruguay has now stood the test of eighty years, -and thus claims to be the oldest in South America, or, at all events, -the one that has suffered no modification for the longest period of -time. The basis on which this is composed is liberal in the extreme, -and the laws undoubtedly concede to Oriental subjects an amount of -freedom that can be surpassed in few other countries. - -The Republic possesses two chambers, one of deputies elected by the -direct vote of the people, the other of senators. In addition to their -legislative functions it is the duty of these chambers to elect the -President of the nation, whose term of office lasts for four years. -The chambers also nominate the judges of the High Court, who, in turn, -select the magistrates of the lower courts. - -The civil code is largely based upon the Napoleonic model. It may be -as well to note rapidly a few of its more salient features. From the -point of view of the resident foreigner it is admirable in at least -one respect, since it makes no distinction between the civil rights -accorded to Uruguayans and those to foreigners. Civil marriage is -obligatory, the offspring of a union contracted solely by the Church -being considered illegitimate. In commerce the system of arrest for -debt is not admitted, the only cases of the kind in which imprisonment -is imposed being those in which an element of fraud has entered. In -criminal law the death penalty has been abolished, and the various -modes of punishment consist of solitary imprisonment, exile, -deprivations, suspension from public employment, ordinary -imprisonment, and fines. - -On the whole, there is a satisfactory absence of red-tape in Uruguayan -administrative and municipal affairs. It is true that in litigation -the delays are occasionally lengthy; but the popular idea on this -point has been much exaggerated, and the dispatch of legal business is -far more satisfactory than is generally supposed. The great majority -of officials, moreover, discharge their duties in a reasonable and -fair-minded fashion that has been heartily acknowledged by many a -resident foreigner. - -Uruguay possesses comparatively few paupers. Indeed, it would be -strange were this otherwise in a land the resources of which are in -excess of the population. Nevertheless a certain proportion of the -lame, blind, halt, and indigent is inevitable, and these unfortunate -human elements are well cared for. Public assistance towards this end -is chiefly in the hands of a Commission of Charity and Public Welfare, -formed of twenty-one members, two-thirds of whom must be citizens of -the Republic. - -The powers of this Commission are considerable, and they control a -number of important institutions, such as hospitals, orphan asylums, -and establishments of refuge for the infirm, indigent, and insane. -These are, almost without exception, exceedingly well-organised, and -conducted on the most modern humanitarian lines. The financial support -necessary for the upkeep of these charities is derived to a large -extent from rates and taxes. In addition to this a special lottery has -been instituted that is known as the "Charity Hospital Lottery." -Twenty-five per cent. of its proceeds are devoted to the institution -in question. The support at present derived from this source is not -inconsiderable, as will be evident when it is explained that the -amount it rendered in 1809 exceeded eight hundred thousand dollars. - -We now arrive at the political affairs of Uruguay--a subject that -calls for explanation at some length. So far as the distribution of -parties is concerned, the matter is simple enough. Shifting parties, -fusions and splits between contending sections, and the general -complications that attend changing political programmes are to all -intents and purposes absent here. The rival parties of Uruguay are the -Colorados (reds) and the Blancos (whites). The policy of both is -equally well-defined, and, indeed, is amazingly simple. It is to -govern! The national programme would almost certainly remain exactly -the same whichever were in power. Thus the aim of the party that is -"out" is to obtain power in the first place, and to declare their -policy of government afterwards. - -The feud between the parties is one of old-standing. It commenced with -the final wars of liberation, became strongly marked with the -establishment of the Republic over eighty years ago, and has continued -without intermission from that day to this. The origin of the party -terms dates from the war of liberation. General Oribe was the founder -of the Blanco party and General Rivera that of the Colorado. The -former was wont to ride a white horse, the latter a bay, and the -distinguishing colours of the lance pennons of their followers were -respectively white and red. - -It is a little curious to consider that the present-day party strife -in Uruguay is the direct legacy of the disputes between these two -generals that broke out in the first instance ere the Banda Oriental -had even been proclaimed a nation! In 1830 Rivera was elected first -Constitutional President of the Republic; he was succeeded on March 1, -1835, by his rival, Manuel Oribe, and in 1838 there broke out what is -known as the _Grande Guerra_, which lasted, with varying results, -until 1852. In 1853 a triumvirate was formed, consisting of Rivera, -Lavalleja, and Flores, and in the following year the last named, on -the death of his two colleagues, was elected Constitutional President. -Since that time there have been no less than twenty-three presidents, -constitutional and provisional, of whom only two, Perreira and Berro, -from 1856 to 1864, have been Blancos. In that year the Colorado party -got into office, and have maintained themselves, in spite of the -forcible efforts of the Blancos to expel them. - -It will be seen that no political principle divides the two parties; -men are simply Blanco or Colorado because their fathers and -grandfathers were so before them, but they cling to their respective -parties with a strange courage and high sense of honour. In the case -of foreign immigrants whose sons, born in the country, become Oriental -subjects, but who have no Blanco or Colorado traditions to inherit, -what happens is this: the youths go to school, form boyish -friendships, and by pure accident become ardent supporters of one or -other of the two parties. Two brothers may thus chance to become -bitter political opponents, and when a revolution breaks out they are -to be found fighting on opposite sides. The situation may savour a -little of the Gilbertian, but it is sufficiently serious for the -families involved. It must be admitted that many revolutions in -Uruguay are curious affairs. To one not in close touch with the -national movements an outbreak of the kind may appear to burst forth -spontaneously, whereas it has probably been anticipated by the -Government as well as by the revolutionaries for months beforehand. In -these days even the most casual insurrection is not to be effected -without a certain amount of forethought. First of all financial sinews -are indispensable, and, these once obtained, it follows that a supply -of arms is equally essential. - -The introduction of these is the most difficult feat of all to -accomplish, since the Government adopts methods of precaution, and -keeps a sharp look-out for any possible importations of the kind. Thus -as a rule the weapons are either smuggled across the Brazilian -frontier or over some of the more lonely stretches of the River -Uruguay. Occasionally a device is tried similar to that which met with -success in the Transvaal Colony previous to the South African War. -When I was in Uruguay at the end of 1910 many indications were at -hand that went to prove the imminence of a revolution, and the -authorities, not only in Uruguay but in the neighbouring countries, -were on the alert for any development that might arise. At this period -a large number of innocent-looking packing-cases, purporting to -contain Manchester goods, were in transit through Argentina destined -for one of the northern Oriental ports on the Uruguay River. Through -some cause or other the cases came under suspicion, and they were -opened ere they had crossed the Argentine frontier. In place of the -Manchester goods reposed thousands of grim Mauser rifles and millions -of cartridges! The discovery of these weapons must have dealt a bitter -blow to the insurrectionist cause; nevertheless, as anticipated, the -revolution broke out a few weeks later. - -I have said that both weapons and cash are essential for the purpose -of a revolution--which is obvious enough in almost every country as -well as in Uruguay. But there is a third requisite that is quite as -indispensable as either of the former. The Uruguayan is a born -cavalryman, and a horse is necessary to him, not only for the -partaking in the actions but for the covering of the lengthy distances -that have to be traversed. A score of leagues and more frequently lie -between a man and his appointed rendezvous. A pedestrian in the midst -of the hills and valleys would be a lost and negligible unit. - -[Illustration: OX WAGON ON THE CAMPO.] - -[Illustration: CROSS COUNTRY TRAVELLING. -To face p. 316.] - -It might be imagined that the matter was simple enough, and that all a -revolutionist had to do when the time for the outbreak arrived was to -mount his horse, and to ride away over the hills to join his fellows. -In actual fact a rising is not to be started in this fashion. It is -inevitable in the first place that numerous preparations must occur -ere the time for active operations has ripened, and it is equally -inevitable that an organisation of the kind, with whatever attempt at -secrecy it may be conducted, cannot proceed without becoming known to -the Government. - -The eve of an outbreak is, in consequence, marked by tremendous -vigilance on the part of the authorities. Troopers and police are -dispatched to strategic positions throughout the country, and then for -a while the nation waits in anxious expectation while the tension -increases. With the first hint of the actual banding together of the -revolutionary companies the authorities strike a blow--not at the men -themselves, but at their means of transport. The troopers and police -ride hastily in all directions, and scour the countryside in search of -every horse that is available. When the districts have been swept -quite clear of their equine population the horses are driven together -to the various headquarters, where they remain, strongly guarded. - -This very practical measure naturally provides the authorities with a -power with which it is difficult for the revolutionists to cope. It is -distinctly fatal to a premature or to a belated move on their part, -and even should they chance to strike upon the most favourable moment, -the horse-gathering policy militates strongly against any likelihood -of eventual success. Should the malcontents determine to proceed with -the affair in the face of this discouragement, they, of course, follow -the lead of the Government, and endeavour to annex all the mounts that -the authorities have been unable to carry off in time. - -So far as the militant programme of the revolutionists is concerned, -the first sign of an outbreak is invariably the riding away of a -number of men from townships and estancias to the woods in the remoter -and more lonely districts. These sylvan rendezvous are, of course, -known to the party in general beforehand, and here the leaders of the -movement lie hidden in order to await the advent of reinforcements. -The first move is simple enough; but it is the arrival of the -necessary reinforcements that is frequently frustrated by the -precautionary measures of the Government. - -Should the matter appear quite hopeless, it is even then possible for -the insurrectionists to disperse and to return to their homes ere the -shedding of blood has occurred. The Uruguayan, however, is not noted -without reason for his spirit of reckless daring. It frequently -happens that a forlorn band, once gathered, will refuse to disperse, -and then the result of the campaign is usually short and sharp. In the -ordinary course of events the adventurers will lie hidden until a -sufficient force has come in, one by one, or in parties of three and -four. Then they will ride out and commence active operations, of which -the end in these days is invariably the defeat of the party. - -Many of the attributes of these revolutions are not a little quaint -and picturesque--reminiscent, in fact, of the times when personality -counted more and system less. In the remote country districts, more -especially in those of the north, are many prominent men who occupy -more or less the position of chieftains, or that of the old Caudillos -who have left so great a mark on Uruguayan history. Each of these is a -power in himself, according to the extent of his following; for each -can count upon his own particular body of armed men just as surely as -could the feudal knights upon their mediaeval retainers. These -personalities are naturally marked, and their movements are closely -watched in a period of unrest. - -A Uruguayan revolution, even when in full blast, has this to be said -in its favour, that it does not in the least interfere with the -liberty or with the movements of a resident foreigner. If he be an -estanciero, however, and should the tide of campaign flow into his -district, it is likely enough that it will affect him materially in -much the same fashion that a strike influences the fortunes of -dwellers in industrial districts. It is obvious enough that when the -Government is in need of recruits the claims of neither the pastures -nor the shearing-shed can rival those of the cause. Unfortunately for -the estanciero, there is almost certainly not a man in his employ who -is not admirably adapted for a trooper, and none are more alive to -this fact than the Government recruiting-officers. Thus, when the -official party arrives its members will be polite but firm, and a -short while afterwards the station hands will be bearing rifles -instead of lassos, and a _capataz_ or two--the foremen on the -estate--will find their heads raised a little higher in the air -beneath the support of a military title, although it is possible that -this may be effected a little at the expense of their pockets, since -the pay is not in proportion to the temporary rank. - -In the circumstances of haste that obtain at such moments it may be -imagined that, with the exception of the Government regular forces, -the equipment on both sides knows little of the accepted insignia of -military pomp. Indeed, a rifle and a badge in the majority of cases -alone distinguish the militant from the ordinary civilian. But at such -periods it must be admitted that, putting aside the foreigners, very -few ordinary civilians are left in the disturbed areas, since, when -the tide of warfare rolls his way, it is practically impossible for an -Oriental to remain neutral. Even were he so inclined, it is doubtful -whether he would be given the opportunity. - -In order to obtain an insight into the manner in which the actual -hostilities are conducted no better means could be adopted than the -perusal of a novel, "The Purple Land that England Lost," from the pen -of a great authority on the River Plate, Mr. W. H. Hudson. It is true -that the descriptions deal with a period when the present prosperity -of the Banda Oriental had not yet come into existence; but the vivid -local colouring must hold good for all the contemporary softening of -the national methods. - -The spirit of modernism that is now evident in Uruguay has entered to -a certain extent into the waging of these internal struggles that -themselves by rights should belong to the past. The Oriental is -perfectly willing to acknowledge that the dispute concerns himself -alone, and the tendency to localise the fields of strife and to -respect private property is becoming more and more marked. A certain -amount of inevitable damage, however, ensues. In districts where fuel -is scarce fence-posts and even railway-sleepers are apt to be employed -for the purpose of the camp fires. - -So far as the parties themselves are concerned, the tenacity of the -Uruguayan character is clearly evidenced in the continued struggles of -the Blancos. In view of the fact that this party has not been in -office since 1864, it might be thought that forty-seven years of -unsuccessful attempts would have cured it of an ambition that has been -so costly both in life and purse. Nevertheless, whether openly or -covertly, the contest continues with much the same amount of -bitterness that characterised it from the start. - -[Illustration: PEDIGREE CATTLE.] - -[Illustration: OVEN BIRD'S NEST. -To face p. 320.] - -Broadly speaking, it may be said that the Colorado party is made up of -the dwellers in the towns and more populous centres, while the Blancos -are represented to a large extent by the dwellers in the Campo and the -clerical party. Of course, no hard-and-fast rule can be laid down on -the subject: there are Blancos in plenty to be met with in the towns, -and numbers of the opposing section to be found in the country; but -in the main the distinction applies. - -The districts in which the Blancos are most strongly represented of -all are those of the northern provinces of Tacuarembo and Rivera, more -especially the latter, since it offers in case of need the refuge of -the Brazilian frontier. Party feeling at all times runs high, and in -these districts that are almost altogether given over to the Blanco -cause a certain amount of caution is necessary should a revolution -actually be in progress. Much stress, for instance, is laid on the -insignia that--in the absence of regular military uniforms--distinguish -the adherents of one side from those of the other. In a Blanco -district, when trouble is seething, it may be laid down as a -hard-and-fast maxim that the traveller should wear no trace of red -about his person. The precaution may seem grotesque, yet many -ludicrous mistakes have occurred through a failure to observe it. - -One of the numerous instances of the kind was provided me by a mining -engineer, who had himself undergone the experience. Appointed as -manager to a goldmine in the far north of the Republic, he happened to -arrive, a stranger to the country, during the period of unrest in -1904. Nearing his destination, he had left the railway-line, and was -completing the last few leagues of his journey by coach, when he -stopped for refreshment at a small _pulperia_, or rural inn. - -The place was fairly well filled with _peones_, and with the various -types of the local labourer, and no sooner had he entered the doors -than it became obvious to the traveller that his advent had caused a -deep sensation amongst these folk. The landlord served him with -reluctance and a visible show of embarrassment, while the black looks -of the rest grew deeper, until the demeanour of a certain number -became actually threatening. The mining engineer turned in amazement -to the _pulpero_, who in mute accusation pointed a finger at the tie -he wore. It was a vivid red! The traveller had learned sufficient of -the country's situation to enable him to understand something of the -situation. The group of Blancos were fully under the impression that -one of their hated political enemies had defiantly come to beard them -in their very midst. Explanations produced only a minor result, since -these hardy dwellers in the back-blocks were wont to judge by deeds -rather than by words. So, perceiving that no other remedy remained, -the wearer of the hated badge hurried out to his coach, unstrapped one -of his bags, and entered the pulperia once more, bearing beneath his -collar a standard of neutrality and peace in the shape of a black tie! -On this the local patrons of the inn expressed their entire -satisfaction, and profound peace reigned in the pulperia. - -It would be possible to mention a number of similar episodes. There -have even been cases when the colouring of surveyor's poles has given -an unpleasantly political significance to instruments that were never -more misjudged. But even such ludicrous side-issues serve to show the -amount of bitterness that exists amongst the humblest members of -either cause. Such determined struggles, it is true, are not a little -eloquent of the virility and energy of a nation. Nevertheless, it will -be a bright day for Uruguay when the country can look upon its -revolutions as past history. As I have said elsewhere, these minor -wars have not succeeded in arresting the forward march of the -Republic. Yet their cessation could not fail to produce an even -greater acceleration in the present rate of progress. Since every -thoughtful Uruguayan admits this to the full, and openly deplores -these periodical outbursts of unrest, it is to be hoped that the days -of internal peace will not be much longer delayed. - - - - -APPENDIX - -FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL STATISTICS - - The increase in Uruguay's trade with foreign countries since - 1862--Trade with foreign countries in 1908--Imports of articles - destined for commercial purposes--Imports of articles destined - for industrial purposes--Ports to which Uruguayan wool was - chiefly exported during 1908--Values of imports from foreign - countries--Values of exports to foreign countries--Values of - goods handled by the various ports since 1909--Proportion of - cultivated soil compared with the area of departments--Live stock - census of the Republic in 1900, showing the amounts owned by - Uruguayan and foreign proprietors--The distribution of live stock - in the various departments--Principal articles exported from - Uruguay to the United Kingdom in 1909--Principal articles - exported from the United Kingdom to Uruguay in 1909--Uruguay's - Budget--Distribution of expenditure among the various - departments--Services provided for by special revenues--Principal - sources from which the revenues are derived--The development of - the State Bank during the years 1897-1909--Balance-sheet--Cereal - production in tons--Cereal harvest for the year 1908-9--Cable, - telegraph, and telephone systems--Postal service. - - -TABLE SHOWING THE INCREASE IN URUGUAY'S TRADE WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES -SINCE 1862 - - ------+-------------+-------------+------------+ - Year. | Imports. | Exports. | Total. | - ------+-------------+-------------+------------+ - 1862 | $8,151,802 | $8,804,442 |$16,956,244 | - 1864 | 8,384,167 | 6,334,706 | 14,718,873 | - 1866 | 14,608,091 | 10,665,040 | 25,273,131 | - 1867 | 17,657,918 | 12,077,795 | 29,735,713 | - 1868 | 16,102,465 | 12,139,720 | 28,242,195 | - 1869 | 16,830,078 | 13,930,827 | 30,760,705 | - 1870 | 15,003,342 | 12,779,051 | 27,782,393 | - 1871 | 14,864,247 | 13,334,224 | 28,198,471 | - 1872 | 18,859,794 | 15,489,532 | 34,349,256 | - 1873 | 21,075,446 | 16,301,772 | 37,377,218 | - 1874 | 17,481,672 | 15,244,785 | 32,426,455 | - 1875 | 12,431,408 | 12,693,610 | 25,125,018 | - 1876 | 12,500,000 | 13,727,000 | 26,527,000 | - 1877 | 15,045,846 | 15,899,405 | 30,945,251 | - 1878 | 15,927,974 | 17,492,159 | 33,420,153 | - 1879 | 15,949,303 | 16,645,961 | 32,595,864 | - 1880 | 19,478,868 | 19,752,201 | 39,231,069 | - 1881 | 17,918,884 | 20,229,512 | 38,148,396 | - 1882 | 18,174,800 | 22,062,934 | 40,237,734 | - 1883 | 20,322,311 | 25,221,664 | 35,543,975 | - 1884 | 24,550,674 | 24,759,485 | 49,309,559 | - 1885 | 25,275,476 | 25,253,036 | 50,528,512 | - 1886 | 20,194,655 | 23,811,986 | 44,006,641 | - 1887 | 24,615,944 | 18,671,996 | 43,287,940 | - 1888 | 29,477,448 | 28,008,254 | 57,485,702 | - 1889 | 36,823,863 | 25,954,107 | 62,777,970 | - 1890 | 32,364,627 | 29,085,519 | 61,450,146 | - 1891 | 18,978,420 | 26,998,270 | 45,976,690 | - 1892 | 18,404,296 | 25,915,819 | 44,356,115 | - 1893 | 19,671,640 | 27,681,373 | 47,353,013 | - 1894 | 23,800,370 | 33,470,511 | 57,279,881 | - 1895 | 24,596,193 | 32,543,643 | 57,279,881 | - 1896 | 25,530,185 | 30,403,084 | 55,933,269 | - 1897 | 19,512,216 | 29,219,573 | 48,831,789 | - 1898 | 24,784,361 | 30,276,916 | 55,061,277 | - 1899 | 25,552,800 | 36,574,164 | 62,226,964 | - 1900 | 23,978,206 | 29,410,862 | 53,389,068 | - 1901 | 23,691,932 | 27,731,126 | 51,423,058 | - 1902 | 23,517,347 | 33,602,512 | 57,119,859 | - 1903 | 26,103,966 | 37,317,909 | 62,421,975 | - 1904 | 21,217,000 | 38,485,000 | 59,702,000 | - 1905 | 30,778,000 | 30,805,000 | 61,583,000 | - 1906 | 34,455,000 | 33,402,000 | 67,857,000 | - 1907 | 37,470,715 | 34,912,072 | 72,382,787 | - 1908 | 36,188,723 | 40,296,367 | 76,485,090 | - 1909 | 37,136,764 | 45,789,703 | 82,946,467 | - ------+-------------+-------------+------------+ - - -URUGUAY'S TRADE WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES IN 1908. A COMPARISON WITH THAT -OF SOME OTHER CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICAN STATES - - Uruguay $76,485,090 - Peru 49,585,000 - Bolivia 33,837,000 - Columbia 28,512,636 - Venezuela 26,540,905 - Ecuador 15,296,627 - Santo Domingo 14,613,807 - Costa Rica 13,386,930 - Guatemala 12,567,729 - San Salvador 10,028,237 - Panama 9,563,946 - Haiti 8,180,008 - Paraguay 7,661,468 - Nicaragua 7,500,000 - Honduras 4,664,039 - - -URUGUAY'S IMPORTS OF ARTICLES DESTINED FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES - - ----------------------+-------------+------------+------------+----------- - | Yearly | | | - |average from | 1905. | 1906. | 1907. - |1898 to 1902.| | | - ----------------------+-------------+------------+------------+----------- - Various foods | $4,938,000 | $5,293,397 | $6,966,500 | $6,530,700 - Beverages | 2,359,000 | 1,724,185 | 1,808,500 | 2,097,000 - Tobacco | 218,000 | 306,142 | 280,109 | 697,000 - Cotton manufactures | 3,265,000 | 4,900,000 | 4,400,000 | 4,555,000 - Woollen " | 1,203,000 | 1,523,600 | 1,814,000 | 1,879,800 - Thread " | 155,000 | 170,086 | 166,000 | 226,100 - Silk " | 276,000 | 303,286 | 364,000 | 521,500 - Other " | 344,000 | 1,727,492 | 1,587,000 | 955,000 - Chemical and | | | | - pharmaceutical | | | | - products | 507,000 | 751,993 | 718,000 | 1,178,000 - Musical instruments | 61,000 | 93,873 | 106,800 | 116,600 - Paper and cardboard | 496,000 | 615,617 | 675,100 | 709,300 - Manufactured metal | 707,000 | 1,072,426 | 1,078,100 | 593,600 - China and earthenware | 84,000 | 163,000 | 186,800 | 185,400 - Jewels, crystals, &c. | 373,000 | 494,815 | 546,000 | 724,000 - Various articles | 1,271,000 | 1,635,203 | 1,948,800 | 1,384,315 - |-------------+------------+------------+----------- - Total | $17,271,000 |$20,775,651 |$22,645,700 |$22,353,615 - ----------------------+-------------+------------+------------+----------- - - -URUGUAY'S IMPORTS OF ARTICLES DESTINED FOR INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES - - -----------------------+-------------+------------+------------+----------- - | Yearly | | | - |average from | 1905. | 1906. | 1907. - |1898 to 1902.| | | - -----------------------+-------------+------------+------------+----------- - Livestock | $1,388,000 | $1,822,452 | $990,000 | $754,000 - Machine oil | 533,000 | 691,860 | 781,400 | 841,400 - Coal | 1,128,000 | 1,366,564 | 1,723,000 | 1,879,000 - Paints and inks | 139,000 | 224,784 | 223,000 | 320,000 - Timber | 1,112,000 | 1,605,410 | 1,526,000 | 1,620,000 - Wooden manufactures | 134,000 | 308,175 | 349,000 | 418,700 - Tanned hides | 211,030 | 310,756 | 379,000 | 258,000 - Iron and steel | 420,000 | 684,959 | 883,000 | 1,688,500 - Agricultural machinery | | | | - and instruments | 235,000 | 299,146 | 241,300 | 180,300 - Industrial machinery | | | | - and implements | 149,000 | 247,116 | 338,000 | 847,600 - Wire fencing | 506,000 | 976,490 | 721,000 | 793,700 - Manufactured iron | 403,000 | 619,749 | 737,000 | 470,000 - Portland cement | 103,000 | 237,437 | 347,000 | 479,600 - Tiles | 41,000 | 59,601 | 73,000 | 74,500 - Railway and tramway | | | | - material | 490,009 | 275,889 | 2,089,000 | 3,194,000 - General factory | | | | - material | 72,000 | 275,564 | 407,600 | 1,295,700 - |-------------+------------+------------+----------- - Total | $7,064,000 |$10,001,952 |$11,808,300 |$15,117,100 - -----------------------+-------------+------------+------------+----------- - - -PORTS TO WHICH URUGUAYAN WOOL WAS CHIEFLY EXPORTED DURING 1908 - - Bales. - Marseilles 94,418 - Hamburg and Bremen 28,003 - Dunkirk 21,901 - Amberes 17,926 - Havre 12,953 - Liverpool 7,003 - - -VALUES OF IMPORTS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES - - ----------------+-------------+------------+------------- - | Yearly | | - |average from | 1907. | Difference. - |1898 to 1902.| | - ----------------+-------------+------------+------------- - Great Britain | $6,447,764 | $11,572,152| + $5,124,388 - Germany | 2,932,965 | 6,079,498| + 3,146,533 - France | 2,290,174 | 3,924,069| + 1,633,885 - United States | 2,091,209 | 3,439,445| + 1,348,236 - Italy | 2,218,844 | 2,898,391| + 679,547 - Belgium | 1,456,469 | 2,688,520| + 1,232,051 - Argentina | 3,151,345 | 2,563,186| - 588,158 - Brazil | 1,518,800 | 1,743,731| + 224,931 - Spain | 1,837,603 | 1,725,198| - 112,405 - Holland | 3,625 | 233,968| + 230,343 - Paraguay | 145,431 | 187,989| + 42,558 - Australia | -- | 130,559| + 130,539 - Cuba | 105,932 | 121,040| + 15,108 - Chile | 106,608 | 108,342| + 1,734 - Portugal | 15,087 | 32,668| + 17,281 - Austria | 3,071 | 22,178| + 19,107 - |-------------+------------+------------- - Total | $24,324,927 | $37,470,615| +$13,145,688 - ----------------+-------------+------------+------------- - - -URUGUAYAN EXPORTS TO VARIOUS COUNTRIES - - --------------------+-------------+-------------+----------- - | Yearly | | - |average from | | - |1898 to 1902.| 1907. | 1908. - --------------------+-------------+-------------+----------- - Germany | $3,401,642 | $4,647,866 | $5,454,661 - England | 2,592,613 | 2,954,529 | 2,987,759 - Argentina | 5,194,663 | 7,295,195 | 8,143,029 - Australia | -- | 12,750 | 4,400 - Austria | -- | 116,880 | 528,568 - Belgium | 5,084,554 | 5,551,763 | 6,138,059 - Brazil | 6,908,427 | 2,759,863 | 3,467,283 - Cuba | 439,040 | 1,092,966 | 848,858 - Chile | 282,015 | 289,239 | 170,924 - Scotland | -- | 38,625 | 58,846 - Spain | 531,793 | 533,674 | 524,066 - United States | 1,886,372 | 1,603,330 | 2,336,201 - France | 5,137,192 | 6,441,631 | 7,699,927 - Italy | 663,097 | 1,155,704 | 1,310,811 - Holland | 34,977 | 11,910 | 6,071 - Paraguay | 192,024 | 9,343 | 21,618 - Peru | 106 | -- | -- - Porto Rico | -- | -- | 51,070 - Portugal | -- | 101,784 | 133,170 - Prussia | 18,911 | -- | 100,002 - Barbadoes | 816 | 330 | 1,570 - Canary Islands | 14,234 | 5,971 | 2,475 - Falkland Islands | 3,739 | 1,483 | 511 - Trinidad | 2,051 | 3,794 | 1,541 - South Africa | 2,760 | -- | 12,195 - Provisions for | | | - vessels | 164,400 | 293,502 | 291,150 - |-------------+-------------+----------- - Total | $31,555,422 | $34,912,072 |$40,296,347 - --------------------+-------------+-------------+----------- - - -VALUES OF GOODS HANDLED BY THE VARIOUS PORTS DURING 1909 - - --------------+-------------+------------ - | Imports. | Exports. - --------------+-------------+------------ - Montevideo | $34,251,069 | $32,685,267 - Paysandu | 924,112 | 2,933,884 - Salto | 571,371 | 2,000,038 - Fray Bentos | 272,535 | 2,538,870 - Colonia | 513,684 | 2,770,862 - Mercedes | 226,789 | 1,547,081 - Maldonado | 21,404 | -- - Rocha | 45,800 | -- - Cerro Largo | 155,000 | 780,000 - Various | 175,000 | 533,700 - |-------------+------------ - Total | $37,156,764 | $45,789,703 - --------------+-------------+------------ - - -PROPORTION OF CULTIVATED SOIL COMPARED WITH THE AREA OF DEPARTMENTS - - ---------------+-----------+------------+----------- - | | | Portion of - | Area in | Cultivated | Cultivated - Departments. |Kilometres.| Area | Area to - | | Hectares. | the whole. - ---------------+-----------+------------+----------- - Montevideo | 664 | 1,074 | 1.61 - Artigas | 11,378 | 1,321 | 0.11 - Canelones | 4,751 | 139,721 | 29.40 - Cerro Largo | 14,928 | 11,129 | 0.74 - Colonia | 5,681 | 107,815 | 18.98 - Durazno | 14,314 | 5,100 | 0.35 - Flores | 4,518 | 3,842 | 0.85 - Florida | 12,107 | 33,382 | 2.75 - Maldonado | 4,111 | 11,530 | 2.80 - Minas | 12,484 | 31,079 | 2.49 - Paysandu | 13,252 | 5,707 | 0.43 - Rio Negro | 8,470 | 1,727 | 0.20 - Rivera | 9,828 | 3,986 | 0.40 - Rocha | 11,088 | 7,662 | 0.69 - Salto | 12,603 | 2,202 | 0.17 - San Jose | 6,962 | 102,866 | 14.77 - Soriano | 9,223 | 21,487 | 2.33 - Tacuarembo | 21,015 | 2,385 | 0.11 - Treinta y Tres | 9,539 | 6,329 | 0.66 - |-----------+------------+----------- - Total | 186,929 | 500,347 | 2.67 - ---------------+-----------+------------+----------- - - -LIVE STOCK CENSUS OF THE REPUBLIC IN 1900, SHOWING THE AMOUNTS OWNED -BY URUGUAYAN AND FOREIGN PROPRIETORS - - -----------+---------+-------+----------+-------+-------+------+---------- - | Cattle. |Horses.| Sheep. | Mules.| Goats.| Pigs.| Total. - -----------+---------+-------+----------+-------+-------+------+---------- - Uruguayans |3,135,152|304,381|10,782,057| 8,952| 15,059|54,877|14,301,378 - Argentines | 126,796| 10,963| 347,271| 168| 219| 508| 485,925 - Brazilians |1,968,188|131,733| 2,370,920| 7,812| 2,522|10,755| 4,492,230 - Paraguayans| 609| 112| 4,887| -- | 4| 54| 5,656 - Chilians | 11,338| 140| 3,550| -- | -- | 13| 16,041 - Mexicans | 65| 13| -- | -- | 2| -- | 80 - North | | | | | | | - Americans| 6,990| 337| 5,989| -- | 2| 27| 13,345 - Spaniards | 823,226| 58,905| 2,769,364| 4,080| 1,276|15,351| 8,672,242 - Portuguese | 23,122| 1,434| 36,848| 43| 6| 159| 16,612 - French | 240,494| 17,223| 1,141,881| 564| 382| 2,339| 1,402,883 - English | 275,183| 15,055| 514,835| 410| 119| 257| 806,859 - German | 39,544| 3,488| 121,747| 90| 54| 297| 165,220 - Swiss | 15,033| 1,146| 23,181| 12| 12| 555| 39,939 - Italians | 158,310| 16,226| 479,122| 836| 771| 8,631| 663,896 - Austrians | 1,955| 203| 4,445| 21| -- | 89| 6,713 - Dutch | 25| 13| 550| -- | -- | -- | 586 - Danes | 15| 12| -- | 4| -- | 6| 37 - Belgians | 10| 3| -- | -- | -- | 5| 18 - Norwegians | 25| 8| 180| -- | -- | -- | 213 - Russians | 6| 4| -- | -- | -- | -- | 10 - Arabs | 2| 9| -- | -- | -- | -- | 11 - |---------+-------+----------+-------+-------+------+---------- - Total |6,827,428|561,408|18,618,717| 22,992| 20,428|93,923|26,134,896 - -----------+---------+-------+----------+-------+-------+------+---------- - - -THE DISTRIBUTION OF LIVE STOCK IN THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS - - ------------+---------+-------+----------+------+-------+-------+---------- - Departments.| Cattle. |Horses.| Sheep. |Mules.| Goats.| Pigs. | Total. - ------------+---------+-------+----------+------+-------+-------+---------- - Artigas | 514,328| 43,489| 791,969| 6,060| 1,296| 1,501| 1,358,643 - Salto | 614,806| 45,819| 1,076,878| 3,234| 1,622| 2,957| 1,746,316 - Paysandu | 686,159| 44,685| 1,071,382| 1,881| 330| 1,734| 1,806,171 - Rio Negro | 525,086| 22,346| 1,060,344| 769| 419| 934| 1,609,898 - Tacuarembo | 560,406| 38,468| 922,081| 1,683| 874| 4,406| 1,527,918 - Rivera | 292,704| 28,993| 207,236| 1,063| 983| 3,234| 534,213 - Treinta y | | | | | | | - Tres | 382,803| 29,160| 892,815| 384| 265| 4,158| 1,309,585 - Cerro Largo | 591,007| 30,999| 662,184| 629| 67| 5,247| 1,290,133 - Minas | 369,172| 34,074| 1,334,916| 290| 3,184| 6,314| 1,847,950 - Rocha | 336,426| 36,735| 1,257,495| 314| 918| 8,483| 1,640,371 - Maldinado | 121,176| 17,894| 695,833| 182| 1,629| 5,472| 842,186 - Durazno | 429,451| 31,762| 1,978,391| 950| 140| 2,217| 2,442,911 - Flores | 154,776| 16,719| 1,474,664| 154| 104| 1,346| 1,647,763 - San Jose | 142,130| 12,518| 482,436| 517| 158| 1,799| 639,558 - Florida | 338,012| 25,037| 1,654,940| 536| 186| 2,723| 2,021,434 - Soriano | 407,037| 35,968| 2,056,795| 688| 229| 1,170| 2,501,887 - Colonia | 225,475| 28,868| 785,697| 1,039| 422| 4,499| 1,043,209 - Canelones | 112,651| 20,808| 99,152| 917| 1,935| 29,355| 264,818 - |---------+-------+----------+------+-------+-------+---------- - Total |6,827,428|561,408|18,608,717|22,992| 20,428| 93,923|26,134,896 - ------------+---------+-------+----------+------+-------+-------+---------- - - -PRINCIPAL ARTICLES EXPORTED FROM URUGUAY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM IN 1909 - - Meat (chilled, frozen, extracts), &c. 732,125 - Wool 173,738 - Hides and skins (including sealskins, L8,440) 62,703 - Bones 10,089 - Tallow 76,688 - Wheat 20,054 - Maize 7,160 - Flax seed 26,721 - - -PRINCIPAL ARTICLES EXPORTED FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM TO URUGUAY IN 1909 - - Coal 699,260 - Coke 11,339 - Woollens, Manchester and Bradford goods 712,067 - Galvanised iron 141,184 - Drugs, &c. 70,460 - Machinery 337,304 - Hardware 26,614 - Glass and china 39,105 - Jute goods 63,209 - Cement 16,000 - Stationery 14,000 - Paints, &c. 19,140 - Metals (excluding iron and steel) 23,675 - Hats and millinery 11,335 - Woollen articles 29,737 - - -URUGUAY'S BUDGET. DISTRIBUTION OF EXPENDITURE AMONG THE VARIOUS -DEPARTMENTS - - ----------------------+---------------+---------+---------------+--------- - | Budget of | | Budget of | - | 1908-9. | | 1910-11. | - ----------------------+---------------+---------+---------------+--------- - |Dollars. Cents.| L |Dollars. Cents.| L - Legislature | 541,476 61 | 115,208| 558,864 33 | 118,907 - Presidency of the | | | | - Republic | 77,938 21 | 16,582| 76,471 40 | 16,270 - Ministry of Foreign | | | | - Affairs | 473,280 50 | 100,698| 534,898 37 | 113,808 - Ministry of Interior | 2,997,013 36 | 637,662| 3,412,250 88 | 726,011 - Ministry of Finance | 1,371,455 84 | 291,799| 1,523,842 57 | 324,222 - Industry, labour, and | | | | - public construction | 1,572,257 46 | 334,523| 2,308,793 75 | 491,232 - Ministry of Public | | | | - Works | 283,887 20 | 60,401| 374,321 91 | 79,643 - Ministry of War | | | | - and Marine | 3,057,377 67 | 650,506| 3,580,739 89 | 761,859 - Administration | | | | - of justice | 445,286 54 | 94,742| 323,353 80 | 68,800 - National obligations |10,255,357 35 |2,181,991|10,639,723 80 |2,263,771 - |---------------+---------+---------------+--------- - Total |21,075,330 74 |4,484,113|23,333,260 70 |4,964,523 - ----------------------+---------------+---------+---------------+--------- - - -SERVICES PROVIDED FOR BY SPECIAL REVENUES - $ -Municipal Budget } 1,520,000 -Montevideo } -Interior 930,000 -National Commission of Charity 1,850,000 -University, application of special revenue 140,000 -Port works, application of additional duty 1,400,000 -National Council of Hygiene 33,000 -Miscellaneous 1,200,000 - ---------- - Total 7,073,000 - - -PRINCIPAL SOURCES FROM WHICH THE REVENUES ARE DERIVED - - -------------------------------------+------------+---------- - | $ | L - -------------------------------------+------------+---------- - Customs Revenue | 13,620,000 | 2,897,872 - Property tax-- | | - Montevideo | 1,090,000 | 231,915 - Provinces | 1,720,000 | 365,957 - Licensing taxes-- | | - Montevideo | 783,000 | 166,595 - Provinces | 571,000 | 121,489 - Profits of the Bank of the Republic | 770,000 | 163,829 - Internal taxes on home | | - manufactures--_i.e._, alcohol, | | - matches, beer, artificial wines, | | - tobacco, &c. | 1,408,000 | 299,574 - Stamps and stamped paper | 830,000 | 176,596 - Post and telegraphs | 570,000 | 121,276 - Consumption tax on imported produce | 380,000 | 80,851 - Consular fees | 233,000 | 47,449 - Lighthouse dues | 85,000 | 18,085 - -------------------------------------+------------+---------- - - -TABLE SHOWING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE BANK DURING THE YEARS -1897-1909 - - -----+----------+------------+---------+----------+---------+-------+--------- - | | Notes | | | |Reserve| - Year.| Cash. | in |Deposits.|Advances. |Capital. | Fund. |Dividend. - | |Circulation.| | | | | - -----+----------+------------+---------+----------+---------+-------+--------- - | $ | | $ | $ | $ | $ | - 1897 | 1,659,098| 892,430 | 524,982| 2,849,586|5,000,000| -- | 2.649 - 1898 | 3,095,343| 2,691,652 | 834,339| 3,418,435|5,020,303| 20,303| 2.762 - 1899 | 4,431,313| 4,551,419 |1,604,669| 4,527,312|5,037,633| 37,633| 3.273 - 1900 | 4,739.788| 5,010,388 |2,427,891| 5,936,920|5,058,243| 58,243| 4.030 - 1901 | 4,633,957| 5,223,569 |2,704,441| 6,353,506|5,083,713| 80,713| 5.504 - 1902 | 6,541,015| 6,008,603 |3,345,939| 7,012,434|5,118,692|118,692| 5.410 - 1903 | 7,616,593| 6,862,538 |4,111,762| 7,352,943|5,153,302|153,302| 5.596 - 1904 | 6,120,185| 5,256,811 |2,472,016| 5,460,727|5,223,118|223,118| 7.044 - 1905 | 9,382,287| 8,195,477 |4,109,257| 6,608,587|5,255,118|255,118| 7.107 - 1906 |10,339,651| 10,396,740 |4,730,672| 8,971,758|5,281,626|281,626| 6.736 - 1907 |11,362,879| 12,323,869 |5,032,657|12,483,812|6,326,600|326,600| 9.209 - 1908 |13,080,825| 13,773,633 |5,455,804|15,345,513|6,399,425|399,425| 12.754 - 1909 |17,598,920| 15,936,961 |8,001,301|16,223,624|6,857,901|501,446| 11.217 - -----+----------+------------+---------+----------+---------+-------+--------- - NOTE.--Rate of Exchange: $4.70 = L1. - - -The following is the balance-sheet of December 31, 1909: - -ASSETS. - - $ - Cash 20,036,564 - Advances 18,921,606 - Foreign correspondents 2,927,139 - Capital not realised 5,045,947 - Sundry stocks and discounts 940,007 - National savings bank 400,000 - Stocks, &c., for guarantees of judicial and - administrative deposits 842,671 - Properties 540,596 - Branches 4,657,167 - Stocks and shares deposited 22,798,736 - ---------- - Total 77,110,433 - - L - Equivalent in sterling 16,406,475 - ---------- - - -LIABILITIES. - - $ - Authorised capital 12,000,000 - Judicial and administrative deposits 703,641 - Notes in circulation 16,692,413 - Deposit certificates and silver cheque - "conformes" 1,633,000 - Reserve Fund 597,599 - Deposits 11,000,423 - Supreme Government 6,047,270 - Dividends (payable to State) 769,221 - Branches 4,807,854 - Sundries 60,276 - Depositors of stocks and shares 22,798,736 - ----------- - Total 77,110,433 - - L - Equivalent in sterling 16,406,475 - ---------- - - -CEREAL PRODUCTION IN TONS - - -----+---------+--------+-------+-------+---------+-------- - Year.| Wheat. |Linseed.| Oats. |Barley.|Birdseed.| Maize. - -----+---------+--------+-------+-------+---------+-------- - | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. - | | | | | | - 1900 | 187,553 | 1,009 | 33 | 424 | 518 | 77,093 - 1901 | 99,719 | 2,313 | 68 | 438 | 709 | 141,647 - 1902 | 206,936 | 8,757 | 115 | 1,016 | 1,103 | 128,539 - 1903 | 142,611 | 20,767 | 149 | 658 | 323 | 134,335 - 1905 | 205,888 | 14,046 | 525 | 588 | 1,745 | 121,862 - 1906 | 124,344 | 10,782 | 543 | 786 | 1,908 | 81,956 - 1907 | 186,884 | 21,930 | 1,752 | 1,576 | 1,638 | 13,613 - 1908 | 202,208 | 18,372 | 3,467 | 1,889 | 223 | -- - 1909 | 233,910 | 13,259 | 6,710 | 3,072 | 119 | 169,464 - -----+---------+--------+-------+-------+---------+-------- - - -CEREAL HARVEST FOR THE YEAR 1908-9 - - ------------+------------+-----------+------------ - |Amount Sown.| Area |Total Yield. - | |Cultivated.| - ------------+------------+-----------+------------ - | Kilos. | Hectares. | Kilos. - | | | - Wheat | 18,915,529 | 276,787 | 233,910,034 - Linseed | 592,959 | 18,341 | 13,259,821 - Oats | 458,156 | 6,891 | 6,710,645 - Barley | 238,089 | 3,487 | 3,072,202 - Canary seed | 5,319 | 141 | 119,130 - Maize | 2,534,739 | 203,268 | 169,464,099 - ------------+------------+-----------+------------ - - -CABLE, TELEGRAPH, AND TELEPHONE SYSTEMS IN URUGUAY - -CABLES. - - MILES. - Western Telegraph Company 470 - River Plate Telegraph Company 180 - Telegraph and Telephone Company of the River Plate 205 - National Government cable 10 - ------ - Total 865 - - -TELEGRAPHS. - - MILES. - National Government Telegraphs 1,740 - Oriental Telegraph Company 1,030 - River Plate Telegraph Company 328 - Telegraph and Telephone Company of the River Plate 300 - ------ - Total 3,398 - - -TELEGRAPHS (RAILWAY SYSTEM). - - MILES. - Central Uruguay Railway Company 2,138 - Midland Railway Company 198 - Northern Railway Company 71 - North Western Railway Company 112 - Eastern Railway Company 32 - Local companies 39 - ------ - Total 2,590 - - -TELEPHONES. - - MILES. - Montevideo Telephone Company (British) 10,845 - The Co-operative Telephone Company (Uruguayan) 4,375 - National Government lines for police service 2,188 - ------ - Total 17,408 - - -SUMMARY - - MILES. - Cables (Telegraphs) 865 - Public service 3,398 - Railway service 2,590 - Telephones 17,408 - ------ - Total 24,261 - - -POSTAL SERVICE - -The Revenue from the Postal Services for the year 1909 amounts to -L132,307, and the expenditure as authorised by the Government -L106,085. - -[Illustration: URUGUAY -London: T. Fisher Unwin] - - - - -INDEX - - - A - - Aborigines (138-150); - various tribes, 138; - character of, 139; - ethics, 140; - marriage, 141; - warfare, 142; - weapons, 143; - burial, 143-4; - superstitions, 144-5; - question of cannibalism, 145-6; - introduction of horses to, 147; - hostility to whites, 147 - - Administration, 312-3. - - _Agnes C. Donohoe_, Canadian sealing-schooner, - seized, 295 - - Agricultural societies, 259 - - Agriculture (_See Estancias_, _Industries_, _Cereals_); - proportion of soil in cultivation, 331 - - Alfalfa, 205 - - Alvear, defeats Otorgues, 70; - deposed by Thomas, 72 - - Amethysts, 235, 289 - - Aguirre, President, 121 - - Arachanes Indians, 150 - - Architecture, 193-4, 201, 208, 216 - - Argentina, provinces, occupied by Lopes, 122 - - Argentine, the, relations with Uruguay, 30, 63-4. - See _Buenos Aires_, _Rosas_ - - Artigas (78-96), central figure of the Revolution, 57; - joins patriots, 58; - defeats Spaniards at Las Piedras, 59; - besieges Montevideo, 60; - superseded in command, 61; - heads exodus to Argentine, 63; - insists on Uruguayan autonomy, 64; - separates from Argentine, 65; - elected President, 67; - raises siege of Montevideo, is outlawed by Argentina, - but raises revolt in provinces, 68; - demands surrender of Montevideo, 69; - ruler of Uruguay, 71; - returns hostages to Thomas, 72; - defeated by Brazilians, 75; - declares war upon Buenos Aires, 75; - deserted by leaders, 76; - escapes to Paraguay, 77; - history of, 78-96; - character, 79-80; - early life, 81-3; - ruler of Uruguay, 88; - expels Spaniards, 89; - horrors committed in camp, 91; - simplicity of manners, 91-4 - - - B - - Banda Oriental, 27; - subject to Artigas, 90 - - Barley, 285 - - Bathing-places, 167 - - Batlle, President, 123, 126 - - Beef Trust of United States, 280-1; - attempt to capture South American refrigerating - industry, 282 - - Belgrano, makes treaty with Portuguese, 64 - - "Blancos," or Whites, the, a political clan, 32; - assassinate Flores, 123; - assassinate Borda, 125; - origin of term, 313, 314-5, 321-3 - - Bohanes Indians, 148 - - Borda, President, assassinated, 125 - - Brazil, relations with, 30-1; - invades Uruguay in 1817, 75; - annexes Uruguay, 77; - alliance with Uruguay against Rosas, 117; - sends troops to assist Flores, 120; - alliance with Uruguay in Paraguayan War, 122 - - British: capital, 276; - popularity of, 33; - enterprise, 296-7; - invade Uruguay and evacuate it, 55. - _See England._ - - Brown, Admiral, destroys Spanish fleet, 68; - destroys Uruguayan fleet, 114 - - Budget, the, 335 - - Buenos Aires, taken by British, 55; - Junta of, 56; - action of Government during revolution, 62, 64; - refuses to recognise Congress of Uruguay, 67; - evacuates Montevideo, 70, 71; - sends forces against Artigas which revolt and depose - Alvear, 72; - offers to acknowledge Uruguayan independence - in return for Transplatine provinces, 73 - - Bull-fighting, 133-4, 223-4 - - Burnett, Mr. Henry, British Vice-Consul, 203 - - Bustamente, President, 120 - - - C - - Cabildo, official, 73 - - Cabot founds San Sebastian, 38 - - Campo, the, 72, 114, 175-7, 137, 237-45 - - Canaries, immigrants from, 48-9, 53 - - Canelones, 265 - - _Caudillo_, severity of, 74 - - Carlos II. of Spain, surrenders Colonia to - Portugal, 42 - - Carlota, Queen of Portugal, 61 - - Casas, Padre de las, recommends introduction of negro - slaves, 44 - - Cattle, introduced by Hernandarias, 40; - superabundance of, 153, 247-8, 250, 254-264; - census, 332; - distribution of, 333 - - Cereals, 284-5 - - _Changadores_, or early buccaneers, 40 - - Charity, Commission of, 313 - - Charrua Indians, kill de Solis, 37; - destroy S. Sebastian, 38; - attempt to sack Montevideo, 49; - practically exterminated, 110, 139-47 - - Cheese, 175 - - Chilled meat. See _Refrigerating Industry_ - - Cholera, 124 - - Civil War, 28; - after War of Independence, 108; - Rosas intervenes, 112; - the French intervene, 113. - _See Revolution_, _Revolutions_ - - Climate, 272 - - Clubs, 158-9 - - Colon, 166 - - Colonia, foundation of, 42; - in hands of Portuguese, 43; - captured by Spanish, 44; - given back to Portugal by Philip V., 44; - besieged by Salcedo, 49; - exchanged for Jesuit missions, 50; - again becomes Portuguese, is retaken, and again - falls to Portuguese, 51; - captured by Ceballos, 53; - siege of, during Revolution, 60 - - Colonia, department, 267 - - Colonia Suiza, 211-5 - - Colonies, 212-3, 220-244 - - "Colorados" or Reds, a political clan, 32; - formation of, 120; - origin of, 313, 314-5, 321-3 - - Communications, 296-308. _See Railways_, _Shipping_ - - "Conciliation Ministry," the, 125 - - Constitution of Uruguay, 109, 311 - - Coronilla, seal islands, 294 - - Corrales, goldfields, 287 - - Costume, 180 - - Cuestas, 125 - - Culta, besieges Montevideo, 65 - - Customs revenue, 336 - - Customs service, 83 - - - D - - Dairies, 214, 261 - - Darwin, discovers fulgurites at Maldonado, 203 - - Departments, 265; - budgets of, 335 - - Diamonds, 288 - - Diaz, General, revolt of, 119; - policy of, 120; - second revolt and execution, 121 - - Dolores, taken by the Thirty-Three, 101 - - Domestics, 180-1 - - Durazno, department, 266 - - - E - - Eden, 185 - - Education, 32, 165 - - Elio, appeals to Queen Carlota for help during siege - of Montevideo, 61, 88 - - England, intervenes during Rosas' invasion, 116; - exports to, 334; - exports from, 334. - _See British._ - - English colony, the, 159 - - Estancias, 246-53 - - Exports, 277, 329; - general, 330; - to England, 334 - - - F - - _Faeneros_, early trafficking in hides by, 40 - - Fauna of Uruguay, 273-5 - - Ferdinand VI. of Spain, cedes northern Uruguay and the - Missions to Portugal in return for Colonia, 50 - - Feuds, 137. - _See Politics_, _Revolutions_ - - Finance, a crisis, 124; - increased cost of living, 131-2; - English capital, 276; - imports and exports, 277; - the Budget, 335; - special revenue, 336; - principal sources of revenue, 336 - - Flores, Dictator, 120-1; - assassinated, 123 - - Florida, department, 205 - - Football, 133 - - Foreigners, position of, 32 - - France, blockades Buenos Aires, 113; - forms armistice with Rosas, 114; - intervenes during invasion by Rosas, 116 - - Francia, Dictator of Paraguay, 77 - - Fray Bentos, 229 - - Frigorifica Uruguaya, 263 - - Frozen Meat trade, 263, 280-2 - - Fulgurites, 203 - - - G - - Garay, Juan de, defeats Zapican, 39 - - Garibaldi, as privateer, 114 - - Garro, de, Governor of Buenos Aires, expels Portuguese - from Colonia, 42; - removed from post and promoted, 43 - - Gauchos, 240-2, 251-3 - - Gems, 288-9 - - Giro, fourth President, 119 - - Gold, 287 - - Government, policy of, 35; - established by Lavalleja, 104 - - Guarani Indians, 149 - - Guenoa Indians, 149 - - - H - - Hares, 207 - - Heran, Padre, Jesuit, 49 - - Hernandarias, defeated by Charrua Indians, 39; - ships cattle and horses to Colonia to breed in - wild state, 40 - - Hervidero, headquarters of Artigas, 90 - - Highways, 195-6 - - History, 37-127 - - Horses, introduced by Hernandarias, 40, 256, 258 - - Hotels, 159-60 - - - I - - Immigration, modern methods in use in eighteenth century, 48 - - Imports, 277; - commercial, 327; - industrial, 328; - value of, 329 - - Independence, War of, 28. - _See History_, _Revolutions_ - - Indians, Charruas, 37; - become carnivorous and equestrians, 42; - campaign against, 43; - rising crushed, 50; - they resist treaty of 1750, 50. - _See Aborigines_ - - International troubles, 28 - - Irala orders Romero to settle Uruguay, 38 - - - J - - Jesuits, in Uruguay, 50; - expelled by Carlos III., 51 - - - K - - Kennedy, Mr. R. J., British Minister Plenipotentiary, 34 - - - L - - Landscape, of Uruguay, 173-5, 184-7, 197, 206-7, 222; - of the Campo, 238-45, 251 - - Latorre, dictator, 124 - - Lavalleja, Juan Antonio, liberator of Uruguay, 98; - head of the Thirty-Three, 99; - takes Dolores, 100-2; - besieges Montevideo with 100 men, 102; - sets up Government, 103; - General-in-Chief of Army of Liberation, 104; - deposes Junta, 105; - character as ruler, 108; - turns upon Rivera, 109-110; - enters Montevideo but is forced to retire; - appointed President, the appointment is refused by - Assembly, 110; - takes refuge in Brazil, 111; - supports Oribe, 112; - death of, 117 - - Law, 312 - - Lemco, 229, 283 - - Liebig. _See Lemco_ - - Livestock, census of, 255; - cattle census, 332; - distribution, 333; - - Lopes, Dictator of Paraguay, declares war upon Brazil, - Uruguay, and Argentina, 123 - - Lottery, 313 - - Luxury, Uruguayan free from common South American - habit, 133 - - - M - - Magellan, 38 - - Maldonado department, fulgurites in dunes of, 203, 270-1; - mines and mineral products of, 288 - - Manners and customs, 128-137 - - Marriage, laws of, 312 - - Meat, dried, 261-2, 278-9. - _See Tasajo_ - - Meat, frozen. _See Refrigerating_ - - Meat trade, the, 261-2, 278, 279, 280-2. - _See Beef Trust_ - - Mercedes, captured by Gauchos, 58, 205, 208-9; - port of, 210 - - Minas, department, 271 - - Minuanes, Indians, 150 - - Monte Caseros, battle of, 117 - - Montevideo, city of, 46, 48-9; - a Governor appointed, 50; - seat of Viceroy after the revolution of Buenos Aires, 56; - siege during revolution, 60, 62; - a fresh siege 64-5; - capitulation, 68; - occupied by Alvear, 70; - evacuated, 70; - entered by Otorgues, 71; - captured by Brazilians, 75; - besieged by the Thirty-Three, 103; - entered by provisional Government, 106; - in revolt, 110; - the Nine Years' Siege, 114-5; - revolution of 1851, 120; - seized by the Colorados, 121; - population of, 151; - description of, 152-60; - surroundings of, 161-2; - port works, 304 - - Montevideo, department, 271 - - Moreau, French adventurer, 45 - - Museum at Montevideo, 157 - - Mutton, despised, 156 - - - N - - National Assembly, confirms and then vetoes appointment - of Lavalleja, 111 - - Negroes, first introduced into Uruguay, 44, 243; - troops, 243; - treatment of, in slavery, 245 - - - O - - Oats, 285 - - Oribe, General, 108; - second President, 111; - deprives Rivera of command, 112; - resigns upon intervention of France, 113; - joins Rosas, 114, 120, 314 - - Ostentation, common South American failing, not found - in Uruguay, 133 - - Ostrich, the, 275-6 - - Otorgues, enters Montevideo, 71; - captured, 75 - - - P - - Palomas, seal islands, 295 - - Pan de Azucar, 201 - - Pando, agricultural centre, 197-8 - - Paraguay, 28; - appealed to during Revolution, 64; - the Paraguayan War, 122-3 - - Paysandu, centre of meat industry, 32, 58, 321-2 - - Paysandu, department, 268 - - Pelota, 223 - - Pereira, President, 120-1 - - Philip V. cedes Colonia to Portuguese, 44 - - Pines, 203 - - Piracy in eighteenth century, 45 - - Piria, Senor, 199-200, 202 - - Piriapolis, 197 - - Plata, La, River Plate, delineation of boundaries, - 34, 45 - - Police, 136-7 - - Politics, 311-23; - conduct of revolutions, 316-17 - - Portuguese, rivalry of, with Spain, 38; - founders of Colonia, 42; - attempt to obtain Uruguay, 46; - invade Rio Grande, 49; - trouble with, 50-55; - invade Uruguay during Revolution, 61; - again invade Uruguay, 73. - _See Brazil_ - - Posts, Telegraphs, Telephones, 340-1 - - Prado, the, 162 - - Privateering, 45; - Uruguayan privateers in European waters, 75; - Garibaldi, 114 - - Progress, 36 - - - R - - Race-meetings, 131 - - Railways, 176-80, 206-7, 297-308; - companies and stock, 302, 308 - - Ramirez, deserts and defeats Artigas, 76 - - Ranchos, primitive, 177, 211 - - Rats, in Montevideo, 155 - - Real de San Carlo, 223 - - Refrigerating industry, 263, 280-2 - - Republican Constitution, the, 312 - - Revenue, tables of, 335-6 - - Revolutions: the War of Independence commences at - Paysandu, 58; - Portuguese intervention, 64; - independence proclaimed, 71; - independence recognised after expulsion of the - Brazilians, 103; - revolution of 1853, 119; - military revolution of 1875, 124; - lesser revolutions, 311-23 - - Rhodesia, 283 - - Rio Negro, department, 267 - - Rivera, department, 269; - goldfields, 287-8 - - Rivera, General, joins the Thirty-Three, 102; - jealousy of Lavalleja, 104; - accused of treason and imprisoned, 105; - attacked by Lavalleja, 109; - elected President, 109; - escapes from Lavalleja's attempt at capture, 110; - chases Lavalleja into Brazil, 110; - deprived of rank by Oribe, 112; - returns to power assisted by French, 113; - attacked by Oribe and defeated, 114; - further defeat, 115; - appointed as Minister to Paraguay, 116; - return to power, 116; - death, 117 - - Rivera, town, 193 - - Rondeau, defeats Portuguese, 55; - at siege of Montevideo, 61, 65; - made Governor, 108, 314 - - Rosario, 53 - - Rosas, Dictator of Argentina, 110; - supports Lavalleja, 111-2; - invades Uruguay, 113; - armistice with French, 114; - nine years' siege of Montevideo, 114; - final defeat and flight, 117 - - - S - - _Saladeros_, dried meat factories, 261 - - Salto, department, 268 - - Salto, town, 234 - - San Jose, 207 - - San Juan, department, 266 - - San Juan, estancia, 248-9 - - Santa Ana, 193-4 - - Santa Lucia, 207 - - Santos, 125 - - Seal fisheries, 291-5 - - Sheep, 258 - - Shipping, 308-9 - - Sierra de Mal Abrigo, 207 - - Slaves, introduction of, 44, 243, 245. - _See Negroes_ - - Solis, Juan Dias de, discoverer of Uruguay, killed by - Indians, 37-8 - - Soriano, department, 267 - - Spain, turns attention to Uruguay, 38; - during Revolution, 38-68; - fall of Spanish power in Uruguay, 68; - fall of Spanish power in America, 72; - State Bank, 337-8 - - Steamer traffic. _See Shipping._ - - Suarez, 115 - - Swine, 258 - - Swiss Colony, 212 - - - T - - Tacuarembo, department, 269 - - Tacuarembo, town, 187 - - Tajes, President, 125 - - Tambores, 178-9 - - _Tasajo_, dried meat, 261-2, 278-9 - - Tea-Garden Restaurant, 166-7 - - Theatres, 131 - - Thomas, General Alvarez, deposes Alvear and becomes Director - of Buenos Aires, 72 - - Topaz, 235, 289 - - Trade, 277; - exports, 277, 329; - general, 330; - to England, 334; - table of increase, 326; - comparative trade in 1908, table, 327; - table of commercial imports, 327; - value of, 331 - - _Treinta y Tres_, the "Thirty-Three," set out from Buenos - Aires, 99; - capture Dolores, 101; - win over Rivera, 102; - besiege Montevideo, 102; - obtain general support, 103 - - Treinta y Tres, department, 270 - - Triumvirate, the abortive, 119 - - Tunnel, Banada de Rocha, 191 - - - U - - Urquiza, General, defeats Rivera, 115; - defeats Rosas, 117 - - Uruguay: general description of, 27-36; - history of, 37-127; - manners and customs, 128-137; - continued warfare in the past, 29; - present conditions, 34; - War of Independence, 38, _et seq._; - independence proclaimed, 71; - evils of new regime, 71; - partitioned, 73; - invaded by Portuguese, 73; - annexed to Brazil, 77; - Lavalleja sets up National Government, 104; - independence recognised, 105; - alliance with France, 113; - at mercy of Rosas, 116; - alliance with Brazil and defeat of Rosas, 117; - warlike history of, 126; - life in, 138; - landscape, 174-5; - the Campo, 237-246; - departments of, 265 - - Uruguayans, heroism of, 29; - fighting qualities, 31; - character as troops, 94-5; - character of people, 128; - hospitality and democratic feeling, 115, 130-3; - physique of, 133; - honesty, 136; - sobriety, 137; - types of, 181-90; - a Paladin of the Campo, 190 - - - V - - Varela, Dictator, 124 - - Vidal, President, 124-5 - - Vigodet, 65 - - Villa del Cerro, 168 - - Viticulture, 289-91 - - - W - - War of Independence, 58. - _See Revolutions_ - - Water-stone, 235 - - Whale fishery, 54 - - Wheat, 278 - - Whitelocke, General, incapacity of, 55 - - Wild, A., dealer in gems, 289 - - Williman, President, 126 - - Wines, 289-291 - - Women, Uruguayan, 135, 180 - - - Y - - Yaros Indians, 148 - - - Z - - Zapican, famous Indian chief, defeats Zarate, - is defeated and killed by J. de Garay, 39 - - Zarate, founds a settlement, and is defeated by Zapican, 39 - - Zavala, captures Montevideo, 47 - - - The Gresham Press. - - UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED - - WOKING AND LONDON - - - - -_THE SOUTH AMERICAN SERIES._ - -Demy 8vo, Cloth. - - -VOL. I.--CHILE. - - -BY G. F. SCOTT ELLIOT, M.A., F.R.G.S., Author of "A NATURALIST IN -MID-AFRICA." With an Introduction by MARTIN HUME, a Map and 39 -Illustrations. - -"An exhaustive and interesting account, not only of the turbulent -history of this country, but of the present conditions and seeming -prospects, ... and the characters of the Chileno and English and -German colonists there."--_Westminster Gazette._ - - -VOL. II.--PERU. - - -By C. REGINALD ENOCK, F.R.G.S., Author of "THE ANDES AND THE AMAZON." -With an Introduction by MARTIN HUME, a Map and 72 Illustrations. - -"An important work.... The writer possesses a quick eye and a keen -intelligence, is many-sided in his interests, and on certain subjects -speaks as an expert. The volume deals fully with the development of -the country.... Illustrated by a large number of excellent -photographs."--_Times._ - - -VOL. III.--MEXICO. - - -By C. REGINALD ENOCK, F.R.G.S. With an Introduction by MARTIN HUME, a -Map and 64 full-page Illustrations. - -"Mr Enock unites to a terse and vivid literary style the commercial -instinct and trained observation of a shrewd man of affairs."--_Aberdeen -Free Press._ - -"Mr Enock transmutes the hard material of ancient chronicles into -gleaming romance; he describes scenery with a poet's skill. Full of -charm he makes his pages, alluring as a fairy tale, an epic stirring -and virile."--_Manchester City News._ - - -VOL. IV.--ARGENTINA. - - -By W. A. HIRST. With an Introduction by MARTIN HUME, a Map and 64 -Illustrations. - -"The best and most comprehensive of recent works on the greatest and -most progressive of the Republics of South America."--_Manchester -Guardian._ - -"In the treatment of both the main divisions of a complex theme, the -historical and descriptive, Mr Hirst shows judgment and skill that are -decidedly rare.... Mr Hirst's exceedingly able and interesting -book."--_Westminster Gazette._ - -"A very interesting and trustworthy survey of the present conditions -and prospects of the country."--_Times._ - - -VOL. V.--BRAZIL. - - -By PIERRE DENIS. With a Map and 36 Illustrations. - -"It is a mine of information, arranged with all the lucidity of a -Frenchman; and in one case, in the long chapter devoted to the -valorisation of coffee, the treatment deserves to be called -masterly."--_Globe._ - - -VOL. VI.--URUGUAY. - - -By W. H. KOEBEL. With a Map and 55 Illustrations. - - * * * * * - -Transcriber's note: - -Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - -Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals. - -=M= indicates a bold letter "M". - -Variations in spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been retained -except in obvious cases of typographical error. - -The cover for the eBook version of this book was created by the -transcriber and is placed in the public domain. - -The ad page has been moved from the beginning to the end of the book. - -The images on pages 38 and 192 were rearranged to match the list of -illustrations. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Uruguay, by W. H. 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