Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-10-16
EASTERN VIRGINIA.
From. the Union.
INTERESTING SKETCH OF
BUENOS AYRES.


! INTERESTING SKETCH OF
BUENOS AYRES.
New YoRK, Der, 7, 1915.
AS recent events at Buenos Ayres
excite considerable interest, it may
prove interesting to your readers to
give brief sketch of that portion of
/ South America.
IF we look at the map of that part
of the continent, we shall see great
promontory of land stretching out in
to the Atlantic, called the Cape of ST..
Rogue; about halfway between which
and Cape Horn is seen the great mouth
of the river La Plata. This is the
great river south Of St. Rogue, as the
Amazon is the great river north OF It,.
The La Plata is 100 miles wide at its
mouth, having Buenos Ayres on its
southwest side, while Montevideo is
on its northeastern side. 1t is about
1872 miles in length, or to the junction
of the Parama and Uruguay, in Cori-
entes.
As we examine the map, we shall
find the general course of the streams,
of which the La Plata is composed,pas-
sing from northwest to southeast; par
allel with which, lie the confederated
provinces which compose the Argen-
tine or La Plata republic. This con-
federacy. having Buenos Ayres for its
capital, is bounded north by Bolivia,
] east by Paraguay, Brazil, and Uruguay,
(being separated from them by the riv-
ers Parama and Uruguay south by
Patagonia and the Atlantic ocean, and
west by the Cordilleras, which separ-
ate them from Chili-the highest peak
of which is $4,000 feet.
The city of Buenos Ayres good air.
is situated on the southwest bank Of
the Rio La Plata. 1t is 125 miles
southwest of Montevideo. Its popu-
|ation is estimated at 100000. 1t is
built on high bank of Is or 20 feet
above the river. Its streets are laid
off in uniform manner; the principal
of which are paved having side walks,
&c. Of its population, 10000 are
said to be foreigners, consisting of
English, French, Germans, and Amer
leans.
| The English have introduced many
improvements in building, &c. In the
best streets, the houses are set back,
having gardens in front and in the rear
of them. The portion of the city in
habited by negroes and mestizos is said
to be dirty, mean, and wretehed IN the
extreme.
1t contains large public square, a
large cathedral, "a town hall, &C., with
government Offices, &c, besides large
number of smaller churches, converts,
and nunneries. 1t has one Episcopal
church, and Presbyterian chapel. 1t
also contains founding hospital and
an orphan. asylum, with other benevo-
lent institutions. The materials used
for building are composed of fine white
stone obtained near by.
The university is one of the most eel
ebrated in South America. 1t occu-
pies an extensive building recently fit
ted up at great expense for use. The
library contains $4,000 volumes of
books well selected, arranged in six
rooms. There are also an academy
and other schools.> Several newspa-
pers are published, both in Buenos
Ayres and the provincial towns-espe-
cialIy at Cordoya, where there is anoth-
er university. The press is considered
quite free.
! The people of Buenos Ayres appear
more eager to initiate and to adopt the
| in provements of more civilized nations,
that any other found in South America.
1t is said to be rare to meet a lad in the
streets Of Buenos Ayres who cannot
read and write. A people thus circum-
stanced, canno: be oppressed so much
as some would have it that RosAs OPP
presses them.
Vessels drawing l6 or II feet Of wa.
ter cannot reach the city. They have
to anchor in an open roadstead and EN-
ploy lighters.
The exports of Buenos Ayres in
1887 were about sc, 500, 900, of which
the article of hides alone amounted to
over $3,0O0,OOO. Among other
things, large quantity of nutria sdins
are exported. They are taken from a
singular animal called the coypore.-
The fur ofthese skins being fine, and
much cheaper than beaver, they have
for several years entered into the com