Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-20
BUEMOS AYRES & LA PLATA PROVIN-
CES

| From Capt. Heads Journey across the Pampas
Buenos Ayres is far from being an agreeable
residence for those who are accustome! 10 Eng
lsh comforts. The water is extremely i'm
pure, scarce, and consequently expensive. The
town is badly paved and dirty, and the houses
are the most comfor,ess abodes ! ever entered.
The walls, from the climate, are damp, mouldy
and discoloured. The floors are badly paved
with bricks, which are generally cracked, and
often in holes The roofs have no ceiling, and
the families have no idea of warming them
selves, except by hudling round fire of char
coal, which is put outside the door until the
carbonic acid gas has rolled away.
| Some Of the principal families at Buenos
| Ayres furnish their rooms in a very expensive,
but comfor,lcss manner; they put down upon
the brick floor brilliant Brussels carpet, hang
lus,re from the rafers, and place against the
damp wall, which they whitewash, number
! of tawtry North American chairs. They get
an English piano forte, and some marble vases
but they have no idea OF grouping their furnl-
ture into a comfortable form. The ladies sit
With their backs against the walls, without any
apparent meal of employing themselves, and
| when stranger calls upon them, he is much
| surprised to find they have the uncourteous Gus
tom Of never rising from their chairs.
mad no time to enter into any society at Blu
enos Ayres, and the rooms looked so comfort
less, that, 10 tell the truth, had little inclina-
ton. The society Of Buenos Ayres is compos-
ed of English and French merchants, with a
Germ an or two. The foreign merchants are
generally the agents of European houses; aud
as the customs of the Spanish South Ameri-
cans, their food, and the hours at which they
eat it, are different from those Of the English &
French, there does not appear TO be much COM
municalion between them.
At Buenos Ayres. the men and women are
rarely seen walking together, at the theatre
they are completely sepal ated; and it is cher
less to see all the ladies sitting together in the
boxes, while the men are in the pit-slaves,
common sailors, soldiers, and merchants, all
members Of the same Republic
The town is furnished with provisions by the
Gauchos, in manner that shows great want
Of attention to those arrangements which are
generally met with in civilized communities
Milk, eggs, fruit, vegetables aud beef, are
brought into the town by individuals at gal
lop, and they are only 10 be had when they
choose TO bring them: The articles of life are
brought toge ether without due arrangement, and
the consequence is, that (excep,ing beeD they
are dearer than in London, and sometimes are
not TO be had at all. happened to leave Bue-
| nos Ayres Just as the fig season was over, and
though it was the middle Of summer, 10 fruit
was TO be had; the townspcople seemed TO be
quite satisfied with this reason, and could not
persuade them that some one should arrange
constant supply and succession of fruits and
not leave it entirely TO the Gaucho: But the
same want Of arrangement exists in all ins'an-
ces. If one has been taken out 10 dinner in a
carriage, and in the evening ventures to inquire
why il has not arrived, the answer is, that it is
raining, and thai those who let carriages will
not allow them to SO out it rains.
During the short time was at BueDos Ayrcs,
lived in house out Of the town which was
opposite the English burying ground, and very
near the place where the cattle were killed.
This latter spot was about four or five acres,
and was altogether devoid of pasture; at one end
of it there was large coral enclosed by rough
stakes, and divided into nurlber of peers, each
Of which had separate gate These cells were
always full of cattle doomed for slaughter.
several times had occasion TO ride over the field,
and it was curious to see its different appear
ances. In passing it in the day or evening, no