Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-08-28
"A 'YoWr in South america.


the people of the country Gail, rravesia, an
extent OF thirty leagues, without stream or
any water or the surface of the earth The
WOODS were thicker, and the trees larger than
those on tue cast of San Louis although of the
same species. The soil was covered with aIou,.
coarse grass, and the trees with ha,iyine moss
observed sOFie beautiful MOSES clnyius to
,he Branches of the miInOsa. This plant i about
toui Inches IN diameter, and is composed of
twisted hlaments something of the nature of
our hangin. moss, but larger aud more matted
From The centre rises Two flowers perfect,y
white, and in shape and smell resembling The
hyacinth. They have been carried to Bueno.
ANres, anu have been found to flourish equally
wei Gil the bars of the windows Ii is called
by tue inhabitants the air plant
The Iravesia abousds with came | shot an
animal resembling the European .sfe (; the fur
was OF the same color, the form uiEsrsut ouly
by being larger and The hind leg proportiopaily
longer. II had no tail, but IA Litc band eN-
tending from hauncli 10 haunch The flesh
was vesy white and wei! i;aYofed. afterwards
saw two tame ones al Ne Hdcza and was inform
ell mat they never drank, killed likewise
some partridses OF an uncommoD kind. They
were nearly as large as the Guinea fowl, and
reSembied that bird i'll shape. The plumase
was more OF cinder color, aud the head was
ornameuied with three slender plumes aud
terminated by a small tuft-tle iics.i vas very
white and delicate.
We spent HE whole day and part ofthe night
~ passing this IraYesia. in he morning. we
fOrded d sluggish stream called the Desauso-
dero, the waters of which are muddy and ye,y
btackISh. Desaquedero means the outlet OF a
lake, whether II be canal CT IA river. This ri
yer IS tue outlet ofthe lakes OfGuonacache land
forms The boundary line between the districts
ot Mendoza aud San Luis. ltafterwards unites
with the river TnmugOn, and is lost in the lakes
ara sNnmps OF Bevedero. West from the De
sa9uodtro The country is broken and the roads
VG.y DaH until. II reaches the borders OF The
iaSeS OF Gn6nacache. From the lakes. day's
rice .rOught me to the borders OF tile river
Men"oaa We found il swoln by the melting
OF sno in the Cordiliera. Ii was 200 wards
wld0, and flowed with the Tapidity of IA torrent
we determined To pass the night on its banks.
aud not 10 ford until o'clock in the morning.
rom calculating the course of the river, AVID
tie stagnatioa uf the stream il the Cordiletas
during the night, We expected the body of the
water would be diminished abOul that hour
Inc dIminution was sensible, but not as great
| as we expected. There was no alternative
however, aud we prepared TO ford, or rather
| swim THIS formidable torrent. Two horsemen
| with their lassOs fixed 10 the body of the car
! Rage, kept ii from being carried down the
stream, andmy servants being good swimmers
| mounted on the top TO keep il from upsettiug
Alter proceeding few yards, the horses were
| swept from their footing, the drivers threw
| themselves of, aud clingiD5 to the names en-.
coG"aged them with shouts. They were forced
| down the stream some distance, but arrived
contrary TO my expectation, safely on the ODD.
site bank. / followed them an horseback es-
corted by number of countrymen, who accom-
panied me tor the pleasure of swimming their
horses over. The Mendoza rises in the Cordi.-
| iera de los Andes, and after passing through
| the valley of UcO, u.iles with the river Sau
juan, and torm' the iaAes of Guonscache. Ihe
| river u!nusaH lakes lis rise In the same Car
/ dii!era, and before it uDites with the Dtsauso.
| deto, traverSes the valley of Geo, whish IS fer
! tile and we'll settled, and extends so leagues
| south from the town of Mendoza. The banI.s
OF the Inmugan are covered with fine lures,
and Immense herds OF cattle are Kept on the
estates which il waters.
The caravans ana carts III the journey hc-
al 4
| its banks until its Junction with the Desaqao3e.
70, in order to profit by the pasture il affords,
and TO avoid the Travesas.
After leaving The Mendoza, we passed thro'
a country highly cultivated in artificial pastures
OF clover and lucerne. The enclosures are of
mud, and are made by rammng mud and c.iop.
PED straw into mounds eighteen inches wide,
four aud a malt feet high aud four feet ling -
| The mould is moved forward and the process
continued until the enclosure is completed--
After being exposed some time to the heat, il
! becomes hard, anG is very durable. The coun.
Try bOuses are pldstSred over with this conipo.
| sitOD, which Is even spread on the roofs /; and
| such Is the dryGess oft atmosphere that tllIs
| Covering lasts many years In four hours we
| reached the town OF NJ endoza, and entered the
principal street along The bed Off torrent which
passes through the town. II is pleasantly stu.
| ated, on an extensive plain, which stretches
along the foot of the Andes, in 81 deg 56 mim
south latitude. II is the capital of the province
! formerly called CuyO.
As usual ia all South American towns. the
| streets cross each other at right angles Use
( houses have bnt enc floor, but are large and
| wei constructed. The pablo edItiCes are built
| IN style OF architecture superior 10 any lave
SceH III South America wkere the churches
| generally are loaded with gildings aud OIl,a.
ments; those OF Mendoza, Especially the church
| attached To the convent of San Aagustin, are
simple and grand. Mendoza is indebted ir
| tie cidste architecture OF the public buildings
| To two Italian architects, who have resided
| there Tor many years. They have likewise iad
out public walk, which is enclosed aud pint
! ed WIN Italian pOpiarS. j he pupuistion of
| Mendoza Is estimated at 20, 900 souls, of which
! the blacks aud mulattoes form one half II is
! Tie depot of trade between Buenos Ayres and
| CHI. Since the revolution, Which has rcHdet.
l ed the intercourse more fTfuupnt the inlrtbft.
| auts have pTocaTed from Bueuos Ayres Iuxn.
| RES which were before UnknOys 10 them. Tie
! demand for their produce is great, and those
| articles which we think neceSSdfies and which
! when loaded With the duties, profits and chat.
| ges Of the monopolist ~ Cadiz were too ex6tu.
sge for tile fichcst individuals Of tic interior
ave now possessed by Tie poorest; al t!itV
| could hope fOr under ile colonial government
| WAS to maintain thcIr families on the bare ,,,
cesSaricS of life. few eXertiOps were made 0 20
beyond this limit; Pot now, t4at ltxuties are
| within tbeirrcach, this powerful incentive n
| industry Is visible IN the improvements Of asti.
culture aud manufactures The country m H. !.
| vicinity Of Mendoza is cultivated like d garden,
The vineyards are very productive. and tie
| produce, wine, brandy, ard dried taiStns Ia
! sent to BuenOs Ayrcs. They raise wheat ior
The consumption otall the neigh boring districts
The soil Is fertile, aud tie artificial pasture
! which are cultivated by irrigation are the most
! iuxnrlant eyersaw. IL produces all ihe fruits
OF Europe ~ great abundance and perfection.
thuHder storms are very frequent and ten.
per the excessive heats of summer, during
| which season the thermometer Gurinaies be-
| tweeu7O and 90 deg Of Fahrenheit. 1hcstofms
| of thunder and lightning are confined 90 tte
eastern side OF me C9rdilIerhs, and are never