The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-23
SOME NEW BoOEs.



town in the desert which forms the southern
frontier Of Buouos Ayfcs. The work OF the
surveyor and architect, however, was presently
interrupted by an Indian Invasion, said to be
more formidable and destructive than any
hitherto recorded. Through ". Ebclors nara
tive OF this event, Souvenirs Il Rectts &c u From
tttre hrphtiilc, are made acquainted with
the untoward and IN some respects novel
aspect which the Indian question wears in the
most powerful Of South American republics.
The natives on whom the Argentine Govern
xneut proposed to confer the appliances Of civil
lied life belonged to tribe governed by the
cacique Catriel. and were included In the class
of Indtos ndnsos, or tanned indians. 1t was
natural that tho intelligent men who at present
shape the policy Of Buenos Ayres she uid under
take Co suppress the sterile communism In
which the friendly tribes still veRetate under the
patri rchal dcspotism OF tho Gao .ques, who re-
taned under existing treaties tho right Of ire
and death, OF torture and connscation. IL was
strange, however. that Cattiel himself should
apparently favor a project which must ettike at
the root OF his authority, by endowlns each
member OF his human herd with the prerogatives
Of individual property. To show how sweeping
n change would nave resulted from these ar
rongements had they been faithfully carried
out. IL may be well to glance at the reciprocal
relations Of the Indians aud the white popua-
tion the confines OF the Patagonian desert.
The sole means OF xistencc possessed by the
nomad tribes since their hunting grounds have
been well-ngh exhausted. Is marauding upon
large scale. In this way they supply Themselves
with horses, on whicn they roly for locomoton
and nourlshment, hut which they seem TO be
unable, or unwilling, to rear. Vast herds Of
horned cattle like wise are driven away from the
Argentine plains TO he battered In Chill for
brandy or other articles accounted OF prime ne
cessity. These expeditions arc usually under
taken by small detaohments. but now and then
by veriiablc armies OF two to three thousand
lanoes. In the great raid OF December Of last
veAr n company of Indians took part which had
Travelled from the Andes, a distance of QOO miles.
In the pocket OF one Of them, killed in a skir-
mish, was found short pipe. handful Of to-
bncco, aud little tinder- This was all the pro
vision deemed essential for his journey.
In the life OF prlvations which he leads under
his t0ldO or rude tent OF buirs hide. the native
OF the pampas has one constant occupation. the
selection and training Of horses for the onerous
demands OF Indian warfare. His first business
upon returning from foray Is to install the ant
mals falling to his share In good pasture where
they NAV gam weight. Their strength and en-
durance are next severely tested by binding on
each heavier load than he is likely to tear in
"e''S"' "''N '"o" Ni''hA h'hh ~ iuh k'hop
through swamps where the mite comes up to
his belly. Those who survive this treatment
iuay be trusted to carry their riders ninety miles
day, but usut lily native tIkes with hlm i've or
six, sometimes dozen, In his incufsions, and Is
sufficiently agile to leap without uismouuting
from one horse to another. The marvellous
speed winch an lnuian Is able TO compass under
these circumstances constitutes In fact his
force, Tor his favorite Weapons, the lance and
knife, are Of course futile against regular sol
Gers. Unlike the tribes OF our western plains.
these nom DIS have never learned to use fire
uscnectively' to this dN fly panic stricken
upon lie discharge OF musketry. Male prison
srs are invariably IN assacred, but white women,
whenever " Is practicable, are carried home 10
The captors lodge. According To Trustworthy
oa'cdlA'1ns' the total hshting strength OF the
Southern races does not exceed $1,000 l"nces,
Yet the devastatons OF these Uncomfortable
hordes SUBJECT country. which IN the rev llu-
lion 81 September ia placed UO'VO soldiers IN
the h'lo within week, To an annual loss Of
more than TWO miNons OF dolirs. Moreover,
theN compel the iepuOhc 10 stitl III on the IRON
usr a u'il'arS force whose maintenance ioi the
same peiou represents AT lsast an co uai sum.
Inc trnth Is that im'd and vacillating meas
nres have been sub sututed since the epoch OF
pma"c pahon Tor tie stern and peremptory
p"'''' 81 t"e HN"hl-h c'hqieVeis' pnly the nfu-
TAI G GATOR h-'-' seems 10 have been faithful
" va OH Waolilons' ana nothing Vindcates
more '"hri 'teb Tue wisdom OF isor and
beN'ilN ~ q aNhs WIN saViges thAn ne Tact
ga Is me nor Is reVerehS onen'hel oi al
'"e III les 0" the Arseh''"e irohler' Ills
he'"o" ""s h""lse sentimental Tor whlle he
Wa ''' la 20 Keep tue Iet'er 81 ms promises he
b""'s"'H inc s''R"'esl N'o'ai'h OF ueaues of
"""'eS 10 aH'heAloh OF the deyieho or throat
'"' ."% l"er' Is lsedhe IN tue uepth OF the
oe''r' ~" . lhted out As the red where
"h"'' "''e was nut u the khlie' Inc more en-
Ae"'e".d a"d h-rciul Governments which sue
ce'u'u ""7"s moved themselves much less ell
he'eh'' 'he regularly educated omcers VINO were
eht'"s'eu WIN t"e ueleHce OF exposed provinces
pei"R c'r'"nc"tteo pS the mover maheuVres OF
'nu'a" warfare auo proving utterly lhcompe'
vent u acc" OF ANenee rad hltre' Tor IN
e'a"'r' "''''""u il's'ueh' oil the republic VINO
eHen'''Hcu near A@u' win "roih2 "h'pin bls
n"Iu' "e'i r'"e 'n"t Implement aii-suin lent Tor
cue 'n-suseneh' OF sAVa2es' was d'sg'aceiuil'
'e"'V"' ''S'"| M "orses anu NruieTS' "A polcY
,out .r.er ,,.rs Uni, 81 -, 80. f'r
A., on,lo Arcen,i,'. 1,,rdar ,f,or ,.,v r...
:, 80" '''