Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-04-13
WOODSTOCK, VT, THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1871

the islands at the junction of the Paran
and Uruguay rivers, where the orchard
nave an extent of nearly twenty miles
most Of the frc-wood, and all the flui
consumed by the inhabitants, are brough
from those islands; hut the process 0
gathering is attended with much peril
IS the place is Infested with large ant
ferocous panthers. Rosas was Dicta
tor at the time, aud had the pleasure
of being presented to that remarkable
man, and his no less remarkable daugh
ter, MauueliIa, so celebrated for her re
spIendent beauty and tigerish disposi
tlou. r. aal 10 sssassg8 ati a@sslsat. ,eiot
The next morning, after landing
was horrfed at the sight of four mel
lying on the street, with their throat'
cut from ear to ear Cammett, wht
was with me at the time, explained tha
they were victims of the Ma3horkt
Club-a creature of Rosas, to execut,
his sanguinary will, and fulfil functions
like those delegated to the Daniles O.
Utah. Such scenes soon disgusted me
with Bueuos Ayres; and an invitation
from Fairfield, to pass few weeks al
his QWi'ata, was most gratefully accepted
The Quint0 one hundred and fifty miles
west from Buenos Ayres, and pretty
near the Indian frontier, imposing the
necessity of maintaining quite military
army amoug the resident inhabitants
We travelled on horseback, with twenty
of Fairfeld's well-armed retainers. and
arrived safely at the end Of five days,
The whole country is one unbrokcn
plain, without even tree TO relieve the
eye. One is constantly urging his way
toward horizon that was as constantly
removing. For hundreds Of miles in all
directions it is vast wearying, doleful
expanse of seemingly impossible tcrmi-
nation. Gu the ocean there are ever
changing features which dispel monotony
One is sailing toward his journeys end,
even while asleep. The passing sail,
the varying climates, the spoutiOg whale,
and sporting porpoise even the raging
storm--are objects of interest but up
on the solid sea Of blank flat, unrespon-
sive waste, one is oppressed with pain
tul sensations,
The quinta was large, rambling ir-
regular pile of red bricks, partaking, in
about equal degrees, of the comforts of
home and the hustle Of a barracks. One
hundred guachoS, half of them with
families, inhabited a long row of com
Portable rooms, all tidy aud well kept,
aud under the charge of au intendente,
assisted by three subs, who maintained
strict military discipline. The Indian
frontier was only sixty miles distant, and
a viglaut watch was kept up from a
lofty tower, supplied with Il large bell to
give the alarm Over four hundred
thousand head Of cattle, the property OF
Fairfield, roamcd at will over the pam.
pas, and mixed with the herds Of other
extensive proprietors. In the spring,
after the calvlng season, great rOdeoS
take place, with much ceremony. The
calves are then caught and branded with
the owners mark ; but no more atteu'
ton is paid to them until the next rodeo
when the thing is repeated. The near
est Quinta to that of Fairfield was ter
miles distant, and you can readily imag
inc that neighbor's intercourse was very
restricted. As the Indians who iuhabi,
the vast plains between the Chiliau An
des and Buenos Ayres do not eat beef
no appreheusions were entertained about
the safety of the cattle; but with the
horses it was another matter. The Bn.
enos Ayrean Government paid an anuu,
al tribute of six hundred fat mares tc
the Indians, TO refrain from moIesting
the frontier settlements ; but for all thai
many iuroads occurred, aud large num-
bers of horses were frequently driver
off for food. A good fat COW was worth
So at the Quinta while horse would
brng from S. to SIS, according to ex
celeuce. Fairfield owned about six
hundred very good horses, and kept
them constantly guarded. The dead fla
nature of the country enabled the watch
man to see distinctly for distance o.
ten or twelve miles in every direction
and give timely warning. A stri,ing
pecnliarity Of the climate is called G.
are, the effects of which are remarkable
Sitting with Fairfield one warm noou
time, with the doors and windows al
open, and slipping glass of delicious
Lafite, experienced a sudden, but not
unpleasant sensation, like quick, ligh
chill, which lasted not longer than {
quarter of a second. AT the same time
a sharp click proceeded from the bottle
and wine glasses, as if they had beer
lightly raped by some small object
Fairfield smiled and said, "That is the
aireE "What is the dire!9" / asked
SIT you attempt to lit that bottle, yol
will find it cut in two; and you will al
so discover that the glasses have shared
the same fate" Acting on his sugges
ton, / found his assertion verified, mucl
to my astonishment 81 cannot" con
,inued Fairfield, give you any positive
Or satisfactory definition of this phe
nomenou, but think it entirely electri
cal. 1t sometimes assumes more seri
ous phi sc; for instance, if dog or 9th
er animal should happen to be heated a
the time of its occurrence, and exposed
to its action, that auimal would instant
be fixed in its then attitude. Let US i'm
agiue that it was about to scratch 1t