Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-09-25
{ Continued.

[ L J
AS soon as it was generally known that a
stranger had arrived from the United States
Win an iutention to reside in Bueuus AyreS al
The Creoies OF distinction called upos me and
invited me To their houses aud treated me with
great politenesS and attention | fonnJ tbo,,
mud aud amiable in their manners cboeri,,i
ana roma OF anusements, they meet lreunentiy
AT eaCh other houses lii evening au1 d;y.r,
themselves with cards, mnsic and dancing.
WIN dctlve minds and ardent imaoinatinps
but destitute of any worthy object Of excite
ment or interest, the Creoies are all ga,nesters
ana cards and dice are introduced INTO ali ,beir
assemblies. HE women are lively and fond
or conversation, which they support " i'm pre,t
vivactty. They are well formed and thou,h
saw few faces regularly beautiful they nd
generally fine black eyes, and an ani,nateS ~
preston. found them Intelligent. and AMI
Gus TO acquire information. Born with i,., 10
Tor music, they play. sing. and dance OK frame
~ well, and an air of saiety and good humour
feigns at their assemblies, which they cali
eeftuiiaS. he women dress with great neat
ness, a la Franchise, and their dances which
are graceful, display the person TO ureai ad.
vantage.-They stand as in the English coun
Try dances, the couple move down formin.
Win their arms groupe with the second con-
pie. something like the Allemande. The Time
is slow, and the figure very intricate. When
whole set are dancing, they form MOVING
groupes IN various attitudes, and the effects
extremely pleasing. They are very fond of
mihuets ana persons of all ages dance them
entertainments are sweatmeats and water and
niatii.
The carnival had commenced and was cole
ieOTaIeu WIN me same anusempnts AS i'm
SPAN Al The theatre, which is small and
badly Sontiived, was met by showers of
scented water, and on my way 10 the pIaz, de
Iorros TO see the bull fights found the street,
Hneo WIN iacies some at the doors and WIN
do"s, ana others on the azotcas OF fiat roofs
all armed with basins of water. or erc, shsnnI
WaNen balls niled with pc rlumed wafer. Find
ing that there was no hope OF escape. finnish
en- myself with some of the latter and defend
lnS myself as wei AS couff, passed through
this dangerous file. was ysSaiIsd ~, averr
side with showers of scented water. and arriv
ed at the Plaza f0rros thoroughly sDaked
mere was shown into the box of the Clhil
a. a., ana was agreeabiy surprised at the aiagni.
fcenee OF the scene. 1t presented a very ex-
tenSite circular area, surrounded by seats ris
ing above each other and filed with snecta.
.scis galy dressed these seats are srrmount
ca oS range OF boxes destined for the better
class of people. guard of well dressed SOL
d!ers was drawn up on each side OF the cabildo
ann military band played in 'front.' oft The
frequent exhibition of this sanguinary snecta
Gle iamiliarises the people to scenes of blood.
and tends to augment tile ferocious Character
OF the vicious
The administration ofjustice was very much
relaxed IN BuenOs Ayres, and crimes of Tie
biackest dye were committed with impunitv.
ASSaSsnatioDs were common aud bodies were
exposed every morning before the cabiIdo in
order 10 be recognised by their friends or 10
collect fren charity small sum 10 defraS the
expenCes of their burial
Although daily in the society of the CrpoIes
found il difficult, and almost imoossilIe IN
obtain any information from them respecting
their couutry.-AiwayS afraid of cOmmiitin2
themselves, my questions were never diyectly
answered. Suspeciing some motive whici,
they could not discover, they either vaded The
enquiry or gave me false information This dis
t.nguiAhing trait IN the character Of the Gre
oies IL the effect OF long OppressiOn and is we'll
designated by the Spanish word maicia which
signifies "a mixture of cunning and suspicion
with naturally acute understandings they uo.
sess this quality in supreme degree They
see design in the most simple actions. Dread.
Ing TO he deceived by others, they deceive
themselves, and from excess of cunning over
look the truth. The same Quality discusses
tn ~ 10 he extremely litigous. and the hirmo
ny which ought to eXistin families and AMONGST
near relations is generally interrupted by law
suits THIS disposition Has yielded in some
measure to the spirit of party but previously
TO the revolution all the passions aud pursuits
of the CreOleS centred in low gGiisitrv. aud
gaming. did not IN single instance over
come the maicia of the Creoles until became
well acquainted with "A man not attack
ed to any party, who afforded every assistance
IN his power, To enable me to acquire correct
knowledge OF the country, OF the progress of
tile revolution aud OF the state of parties.
The condition OF the common people is gene
rally good. the price of labouf is hiel il, the
capital, and in the country the property is verV
much divided. The labnurng class ale either
small prOpretors. or hold their land ON an ga
sy tenure, and atquite moderate rent
The country along the banks OF Ia Plata !,
gndulaiing aud diversified, aud gcneially well
cultivated, especially IN tie village OF san
IsidTo, where many Of the inhabitants of Bue-
nos Ayres possess farms 10 which they :etire
in the SKINNER. The village OLA ConcI,ls. a
few miles above San I.idrO, il bull so near
the river that durpg the freshcs the trhsbi-
tdnts visit each other IN canoes In nv ride
IL view this part Of the country, iobseued lire
fate men diawng the seine in singularman.
neT. they were mounted Ou horseback and
swimming their horses TO a considerable dis.
fance some placed the seine, and hCld it above
tire water, whilst Others returning to the hank
wish the ends fastened To the saddle rirtl,s.
drew 10 on shore The quantity fiisl CAUGHT
Que lanl was prOiigious. tmOus uipp ,,dS
the pclers. o. klu- fish wlicl o. tIr ouly eoYtl
FISH ,n tbe river IA Plata. 81 resembles the
silver FISH which is caught on 0ur Guuthfra
coast hu from ais 10 fourteen nirl,es lo9 b,
The, earned 90 town a cart load Of fish of
warrior. siods, tui with thsir nsutt catsirs.-
mess left a. many more or tie beach fish
ICO o. this .Hcr, and those tbrD.,iiIg be
the river hiring gale, arc used bj farnit Ft
20 manure iuCir iaHd. ON yagsur the los,
fidre which eStclfds along the .vcT. tia csc
tasrcs over an immense plain. spotted ,..ft
settlements, and broken bv enclosures q. The
cylindrical Opuntia, WHICH grows 10 a great