of Rakonitz, near Theresienstadt. There is a fine | fitted for rearing cattle, and has all the characteriscastle here, belonging to the princes of Kinsky. ties of the Russian steppes.

|

2. Pampas,
3. Buenos Ayres,
4. Cordova,

16. Plata,

17. Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 18. Chayanta,

communication with the shore very unpleasant. The | tosi, and Cuyo,-the two last provinces having been want of rain which prevails here is rather unfavour- separated from Peru and Chili. The intendencies able to the raising of European grain; but the soil were Buenos Ayres, Salta, Cordova including Cuyo, and climate answer remarkably well for the produc- Potosi, Plata, Puno or Paucarolla, La Paz, Cochation of all sorts of fruits, of the temperate as well as bamba, and Paraguay. The partidos, or minor subthe torrid zone. Apples, pears, plums, figs, oranges, divisions, proceeding from N to S, were as follows: grapes, peaches, and pomegranates, together with the 1. Tuyu, plantain, banana, cocoa-nut, sugar-cane, indigo, and a great variety of the necessary and useful kitchen herbs, plants, and roots, were successfully reared by the Fathers who easily made the docile character of the Indians available for labour in the fields, orchards, and vineyards; but at present little of this former cultivation is seen. The valleys are overgrown with wild mustard; and the olive trees bend under the weight of their ungathered fruit, though equal to that of Andalusia.

BUENAVENTURA, a district and sea-port town of New Granada, forming the S part of the dep. of Cauca. The town, in N lat. 3° 51', is a poor place, but is the port which supplies the valleys of the Cauca and Popayan; and, though having but from 12 to 16 ft. of water, is the best harbour on the W coast of New Granada.-Also an islet on the S side of the entrance of Portobello harbour, on the N coast of

Panama.

BUENAVENTURA. See SALINAS. BUENAVISTA, one of the Solomon group in the S Pacific, in S lat. 9° 30'. It is about 26 m. in circumference. Also a town of Mexico, in the prov. of Sonora, on the Huiqui, 100 m. above its mouth. BUENAVISTA. See BOA VISTA, and BONA

VISTA.

BUENO, a river of Bolivia, flowing NE to the Mamore, which it joins on the 1. bank, in S lat. 16° 45.-Also a river of Chili, falling into the Pacific in S lat. 40° 12'. It is navigable within, and flows through a fertile tract of country, but a bar at its mouth excludes all but small craft.

5. Cuyo and Mendoza,
6. Charcas,
7. Guarania,
8. Paraguay,
9. Chaco,
10. Salta,
11. Jujuy,

12. Chichas and Tarija,
13. Lipes,

14. Atacama,

15. Potosi or Porco,

19. Oruro and Paria,

20. Caranges,

21. Pacajes,

22. La Paz,

23. Cochabamba,

24. Sicasica or Chuquisaca,

25. Laricaja and Omascuyo, 26. Chucuito,

27. Puno or Paucarolla,
28. Lampa,

29. Asangaro,
30. Carabaya.

The original province of Los Charcas, or Potosi, now belongs to Bolivia; and the Cisplatine republic, or Banda Oriental del Uruguay, has been formed out of the province of Rio de la Plata. Paraguay has also vindicated its independence. Balbi assigns a collective territorial surface of 1,412,000 sq. m. to the old viceroyalty: viz., Bolivia or Upper Peru, 413,000 sq. m., and 1,300,000 inhabitants; Paraguay, 89,000 sq. m., with a conjectured pop. of 250,000 inhabitants; Rio de la Plata, 910,000 sq. m., and 700,000 inhabitants. The pop. of the whole viceroyalty, as given in the report to congress of the American commissioners sent to Buenos Ayres in 1818, was as follows:

District of Buenos Ayres, .
District of Tucuman,

Valle de Catamarca,
San Juan,
San Luis,
Salta,

Potosi,

La Paz,
Oruro,
Cochabamba,

150,000

65,000

40,000

34,000

16,000

50,000

250,000

800,000

50,000

200,000

175,000

150,000

La Plata or Los Charcas,
Santa Cruz de la Sierra,

San Jago del Estero,
Mendoza,
Paraguay,

BUENOS AYRES, a former Spanish viceroyalty in South America, which comprehended the extensive provinces now forming the confederation of the United provinces of the Rio de la Plata, the provinces of Upper Peru now called Bolivia, as well as Paraguay and the Banda Oriental. This country, though elevated to the honour of a viceroyalty only so late as 1778, was not only the greatest, in point of extent and political importance, of all the governments of Spain in South America, but was also that through which the produce of her colonial possessions in this quarter of the globe chiefly passed to the parent state. The vast territory comprised within the limits of the viceroyalty approaches to the shape of an oblong square. Its extreme length, from S lat. 39°, to the frontiers of Peru, in S lat. 14°, was 25 degrees, or 1,730 m. Its greatest breadth, from the junction BUENOS AYRES, the largest and most imporof the Parana and Yaguari, in S lat. 22° 30′ and 54° tant federative state of the United provinces of La 30' W long. to the shore of the Pacific, in the pro- Plata, or the Argentine republic, in South America. vince of Atacama, was 16 degrees of longitude, which On the N it has the states of Santa Fe and Entre in that parallel of latitude is equivalent to 1,060 m. Rios; on the E and S, along a coast-line of 700 m., N of this parallel, the breadth gradually, though irre- the great estuary of the Rio de la Plata, and the Atgularly, contracted to 450 m., on the frontiers of Peru, lantic as far S as the Cusu Leubu or Rio Negro, the in Slat. 14°. In the southern part of this territory, the largest stream which enters the sea between the breadth, from the mouth of the Chuy, in 33° 40', which Plata and the straits of Magellan, and which formed constitutes the extreme SE boundary of Brazil, to the the S boundary of the La Plata federation, from the foot of the Chilian Andes, in the same parallel, was W declivity of the Andes, across the whole continent, upwards of 900 m.; and along the parallel of 38°, near to Point Redondo on the Atlantic coast, in S lat. 41° the southern extremity, to the same chain, was nearly 0' 42", W long. 62° 46′ 15′′, and is navigable for boats 700 m. The whole superficies of the viceroyalty was to a point 200 m. from its mouth. The W boundary estimated by Estalla at 175,000 square leagues, of 25 formerly ran from the mouth of the Neposta, in a to the degree, or 1,442,000 British sq. m. This vice- NE direction, to the Sierra del Vulcan; thence N to royalty, by an ordonance of his Catholic majesty, in Cruz de Guerra, in about 61° W long., 35° 30′S lat.; 1778, was divided into 5 provinces and 9 intenden- and thence NNW to Fort Melinqué, in S lat. 33° 42'. cies. The provinces were Buenos Ayres or Rio de The area within these boundaries is probably equal la Plata, Paraguay, Tucuman, Los Charcas or Po-to that of the island of Great Britain. It was roughly

estimated at 75,000 sq. m.

But the boundaries now At Buenos Ayres, and on the coast, the winds are claimed by Buenos Ayres have been advanced of late more violent; the westerly wind is common. Sweepyears to the Rio Negro, on the extreme S, and we ing over the immense plains of the interior, it rushes presume proportionally towards the W. The charac- upon the coast with inconceivable violence. The SE teristic feature of the country is that of a level plain wind is generally followed by rains in winter, and of fertile soil, and diversified only by a few slight by dry weather in summer. In spring and summer, undulations. To the S of the Rio Salado are large these winds are often very violent, raising clouds of swampy districts and extensive lakes. Farther to dust which obscure the sun, and cause great inconvethe S some ranges of hills appear, which in the Sierra nience to the inhabitants, by destroying their clothes, del Vulcan, Sierra Tinta, and Sierra Tapalquen, in- and penetrating into their houses and apartments. tersect the country from SE to NW, and divide the During summer, rains are frequent, and are comwaters flowing NE to the Salado, and in a more monly accompanied by thunder and lightning. The easterly direction to the Atlantic, from those which thunder-storms decrease in violence as we proceed to flow in a SSE direction to the coast between Cape the S. Fogs, snow, and hail, are seldom seen exCorrientes and Bahia Blanca. Further S the Sierra cept on the summits of the mountains far distant Ventana, at a distance of 45 m. from the sea, attains from the city of Buenos Ayres. Long continued an alt. of 3,350 ft., and is extended to the NW in the droughts occasionally occur. Between 1827 and Sierra Guamini. The plain between these two monn- 1830, so little rain fell that all vegetation failed, tain-ranges is said to be well-adapted for cultivation, and vast numbers of animals died. These droughts though no part of it has yet been cultivated. The are said to occur once in about 15 years, and coast and the banks of the Rio Negro are composed are always followed by excessive and long-contiof sand-hills of from 30 to 50 ft. in height, covered nued rains. The most striking feature in the scenwith a thin grass. These gradually rise on the Nery, and the greatest natural disadvantage under bank of the river to a height of about 100 ft., and at which this province labours, is the almost entire this height the ground stretches away in a level want of trees. There are no forests, and no considprairie, undiversified by a single tree, and presenting erable growth of wood. The solitary umbu is among only a few shrubs not exceeding 4 or 5 ft. in height. the few indigenous trees, and its limit is confined to To the N of these plains vast forests extend to the W the vicinity of the capital. Several species of cactus, of the Sierra Guamini; and beyond these, or embrac- a species of trefoil, and the cardo or perennial wild ing all these regions, are the Pampas of B., which artichoke, as also the cardo asnal, an annual bluemay be generally described as immense plains stretch-flowering thistle, are abundant. Of the trees introing from within 50 m. of the shores of the Atlantic duced by the Spaniards none can be said to have to the foot of the Andes, and reaching from the par- succeeded excepting the peach and the olive. The allel of 40° to 34° 30′ S. These plains present one cherry tree has never been known to produce fruit fit uniform expanse of waving grass, uninterrupted by to eat. The orange and lemon thrive; the grape, the either wood or eminence. They are in some places fig, the quince also; the walnut is in the grounds of parched and barren; in others fertile and covered with country houses; but the apple, pear, or plum, are not high grass, but destitute of trees, and mostly uninha- vet (1840) generally brought to perfection. There bited. They are the abode of innumerable herds of are no indigenous timber-trees. There are poplar wild oxen, horses, ostriches, and other animals, which, and willow in the vicinity of towns growing well, and under the shade of the grass, find protection from the little doubt but others of suitable kinds would thrive intolerable heat of the sun; and towards the Chilian if planted. The peach supplies the city of B. with frontier, guanacos and vicunas are found upon them fuel. It is not easy to account for this absence of in considerable numbers. Over these pampas lies timber: for the supply of moisture is greater than in the only road from Buenos Ayres to Chili. The post- many regions where woodlands abound. Darwin, route from Buenos Ayres to Chili is by San Louis however, says that the limit of the forests coincides and Mendosa, on which route there are post-houses in these regions with that of the district over which from 5 to 7 leagues distant from each other; and at the damp winds travel; that where they go laden each post-house a traveller gets fresh horses and with moisture from the Pacific, the country is thickly a guide to conduct him to the next post house covered with wood. The vegetables of Europe have, on his route. Travelling is generally performed on however, been introduced with success. The grain horseback, or when two or three start together a strong which flourishes best is wheat of a small-grained and carriage is often obtained. These plains on the bearded species. Two or three varieties of Indian side of Buenos Ayres are watered by the large river corn are cultivated, and a considerable quantity of Salado, which, after a course of nearly 600 m. SE, barley. The soil in the vicinity of the capital is in enters the Plata 60 m. S of Buenos Ayres, to the W general rich and productive, requiring little labour, of the 62d meridian. On the N side of the province and no manure, to raise abundance of wheat and there are the river Arrecifes, that of the Lujan, and maize, most kinds of European fruits, as grapes, Las Conchas, other than which no intervening melons, figs, peaches, nectarines, apricots, and even streams of any consequence exist, and no water is to the productions of warmer climates, as oranges, be found but what is collected in standing lakes when lemons, pomegranates, &c. Large quantities of the rains fall. When rains fall, they often descend wheat are cultivated in this quarter; and 16 for 1 is in such excessive quantities as to penetrate the cara- estimated in the regular average return. vans; and travellers occasionally suffer great inconveniency from this cause. Salt lakes, not materially different from those in the neighbourhood of the Caspian as Pallas describes them, occur in the vicinity of El Carmen, on the Rio Negro, and in the neighbour hood of Bahia Blanca. In winter it is generally reckoned cold when the thermometer falls to 45°; but in some seasons it has fallen as low as 30°. A SW and a SE wind always cool the air; while a N wind invariably brings heat. E and N winds are most common. The SW wind is always bracing and healthy, while a N produces languor and headache.

In 1800, Azara calculated the pop. of this territory to be 71,668: estimating 40,000 for the city, and 31,668 for the country towns and villages within its jurisdiction. Sir Woodbine Parish estimated the total pop. of the city and province, at the close of 1825, at not far short of 165,000 souls, and as amounting ten years afterwards, to 200,000. The unsettled state of the country for many years has doubtless greatly retarded the development of the pop. as well as that of all the other resources of this rich province. This pop. is composed of five castes, viz.: 1. Spaniards and their descendants, born in the country, and generally known

-though disdaining the appellation themselves-as | department of the government offices. On the opCreoles; 2d. Native Indians; 3d. Mestizoes, of mixed posite side stands the town-hall; and on the W side, Spanish and Indian blood; 4th. Mulattoes of mixed the cathedral (c), a new and spacious structure, built Spanish and Negro blood; 5th. Negroes or Africans. on the site of the former, which had become ruinous. The predatory native Indians have been driven in The cathedral has a cupola and portico of very elegreat part to the S of the Rio Negro by the vigour gant workmanship, with three naves, besides several of Rosa's administration; a few have been tamed into chapels. The church formerly belonging to the Jesoldiers; but generally speaking these tribes have re- suits, a large building, is intended for a university. mained irreclaimable. The inhabitants of the prov. The church of San Francisco (d) and the convent of generally may be described as being somewhat in the La Merced, are built with a cupola and steeple, rear of modern civilization as regards domestic com- nearly in the same style as the new cathedral. The fort at least, though Darwin bears ready testimony church of St. John is on the skirts of the old part of to the polite and even dignified manners which are the town. The other public buildings are, two hosfound in all ranks.-The best works on the geogra-pitals, one for men, and another for women; an orphan phy of this region are: Wilcocke's History of the Vice-hospital; a foundling hospital; and a college (e), in royalty of B., 8vo. Lond., 1806.-Sir Woodbine Pa- which grammar, philosophy, and theology are taught. rish's Buenos Ayres and the Provinces of the Rio de la The chapter of the cathedral consists of a bishop, whose Plata, 8vo. Lond., 1839.-Caldcleugh's Travels in annual revenue is derived from a government stipend South America during 1819-21, 2 vols. 8vo. Lond., chiefly, 3 dignitaries, and 2 canons. Besides these, there 1825.-And Darwin's Journal, 8vo. Lond., 1840. are in the city many ecclesiastics, besides the inmates BUENOS AYRES, the cap. of the above prov., and of (in 1840) one monastery (Franciscans) and two of the republic of the Plata, is situated in 34° 36' 28" nunneries. There are also an English Episcopalian, S lat., and 58° 23' 34" W long., on the S side of the a Scotch Presbyterian, and Wesleyan chapels. For La Plata. It derives its name as above remarked 3 leagues round the city, the environs present a beau-from the peculiar salubrity of its climate. It was tiful and well-cultivated country, rich in gardens founded by Don Pedro de Mendoza in 1535; and in and groves, and diversified with fields of wheat and 1620 was erected into a bishopric, and constituted the maize. Beyond the enclosed fields are immense cap. of a prov. of the same name. The city is built plains covered with constant verdure, and filled with with great regularity and neatness, on level ground innumerable herds of oxen, horses, and sheep. Beprojecting somewhat into the river. Every street is held from the inner roads, the domes and spires of at right angles to the one it crosses; and the lines B. appear to rise from the water-line. There is no being drawn parallel and equidistant, the houses are background to the picture. collected into squares of equal dimensions called quadras, of about 4 square acres each. The streets open at right angles to the river, with a somewhat steep ascent from the shore. The subjoined cut exhibits a plan of the city. That portion which is embraced by the black line is the older part of the city as it existed in 1767. Taste and opulence are dis

played both in the streets and houses; which latter are generally built of bricks, with flat roofs, but seldom exceed one story in height. Many of them have parapet-walls on the top 3 ft. high; and those of the more wealthy inhabitants have a vestibule, and inner courts or hollow squares surrounded by the apartments. The interior of the houses, however, corresponds but ill with their external appearance. During summer, the floors are covered with Indian netting; and in winter, with European carpets; but from the indolence of the inhabitants, they are seldom kept nicely clean. Almost every house in the outskirts of the town is attached to a garden; and many have balconies with lattice work for containing shrubs and flowers. The Plaza, or principal square (a), which is very spacious, faces the La Plata, and is surrounded with large buildings. On one side, fronting the river, is the castle (b), which, considered as a post of military importance, is very insignificant. It contains the palace and a royal chapel, but is now the chief

Azara estimated the pop. of B. at 40,000; Helms, at from 25,000 to 80,000; the estimate of Estella was the same with that of Azara, one-half of which he says were Spaniards and Creoles. More recently Sir Home Popham estimated the pop. at 70,000 inhabitants, including the suburbs and immediate vicinity. It now exceeds 80,000. The majority are the descendants of Spaniards who have settled in the country during the last three centuries. The foreigners who fixed themselves in and around B. in the year 1832, amounted to no less than from 15,000 to 20,000 persons; and of these two-thirds were British and French. The natives, nevertheless, still cling to many of their old customs. "The town of B.," says Head, "is far from being an agreeable residence for those who are accustomed to English comforts. The water is extremely impure, scarce, and consequently expensive. The town is badly paved and dirty. walls, from the climate, are damp, mouldy, and discoloured. The floors are paved with bricks or French tiles. The roofs have no ceiling; and the families have no idea of warming themselves except by huddling round a fire of charcoal, which is put outside the door until the carbonic acid gas has rolled away. The foreign merchants are generally the agents of European and Anglo-American houses; and as the customs of the Spanish South Americans, their food, and the hours at which they eat it, are different from those of the English and French, there does not appear to be much social communication between them."

The

At the period when this colony was founded, the precious metals were the only object of pursuit to adventurers, and the only articles of export: the culture of the vine and the olive, and the establishment of manufactures, were prohibited under the severest penalties. The system pursued by the court of Spain, was the same here as in all her colonial dominions, namely, to sacrifice the colony for the supposed ad vantage of the parent state. The luxuries, the clothes, the furniture of the colonists,-nay, even their agricultural implements, and a considerable quantity of their provisions, - were imported from Spain, for