The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-30
ARGENTINE JOURNEYS.
CROSSING THE GREATPAAPAS 4" Il
PAgLoR CIR.
Keminders of Yankee Lsnd-Lifs on the
Csrs-san Nicho,s,-Thc Towns sna
Their People-Tbe Chir'pa'

Before ieaVlng ROSARIO, ~" ""e"' "
make a special trip. either by ran or
river, few miles to the SOUTHWARK, 10
San Pedro, the great shipping point on
Argentinas wool trade, on the right
bank OF the Parana. Close by san Pc
dro. (St. Peter is another town, which
by natural sequence should have been
christened St Paul, but was dedicated
instead to the good ST. Nicholas. The
last mentioned town has thriven so we'll
Of late-on wool in the hands OF the
Irish-that 1t is now the third city in
the province Of Buenos Ayres, with
population OF about zO,OO' but IL has
no anchorage, an island having formed
In its harbor and therefore that Of
San Pedro has to answer for both.
Scattered all along the bluff between the
two towns are a great many large build
ings-storehouses for the reception OF
hides and wool, from each OF which
chute runs down 10 the water.
They are generally full TO overlooking,
for IL is said that no foTer than S,VD,-
900 sheep are owned by Irishmen Of this
section: and ocean steamers lying along
side. close up under the BLUM. convey the
ra% material directly 70 the looms OF
Europe.
All the people hereabouts appear we'll
to-do. and many Of the Irish citizens
are reported 20 be very wealthy. And,
by the way, the handsomest women OF Ar
gentina, as In Chile and Peru, arc those
with an admixture OF Irish blood In their
veins Many OF these beauties. with
big black eyes and golden hair, who com
bine the languid grace Of their Spanish mo-
theirs, with the sprightiy VII OF the Emer-
aid Isle, speak the language OF the country
with delightful brogue, though born ana
brought up In Argentina. II Is notice
able here, as nowhere else, how people
of various nationalties included within
this heterogeneous population each follow
one kind Of business and no other. gen
Grafton after generation. Thus, while
the Irish are universally and almost the
only wool-grOwers the English scotch
French and Germans are generally oc-
cupied with commerce. The Italians are
the house-builders; those from Genoa mo-
nor ollie the boating business, and the
Piedmontese. market gardening. The
Catalonian Spanish are mostly vine mer-
chants; the Andalusians, cigar dealers and
small shoPkeepeFs, those from the bosque
provinces are bricklayers. sheep herders
and farm hands. and the Galicians are
employed as domestics, porters watch
men and railway servants OF the lower
grades.
Landing as near 10 San Nicholas as the
depth Of water will permit, you find
few buildings at the base Of the bluff,
and a steep paved roadway leading 10
the heart OF the town. Having toiled up
this. YOU come to streets OF 6ood width,
which are well lighted by electricity, and
have tramways running in all directions.
There is a market place and an inn, and
oh MIA WO1ll0
pretty we're 1t not for a succeed monu-
mental shaft in the middle Of II which IS
rainted blue and white like a BARRIERS
pole. and has an electric light on top 10
show off it's atrocty by night. Just
back Of the town is a railway station,
from whence the road, besides tapping
the main line, runs north to Rosario, and
south to Buenos Ayres, and by short
branch 10 some interior villages which
send much produce down TO the river.
A stage coach also makes regular trips
to Alananzalita, thirteen leagues inland.
It IS an antidHated vehicle small and high,
painted bright yellow and drawn by six
white horses, harnessed four abreast
with two leaders.
Going from Rosario 10 Cordova-a dis
lance Of two hundred and fifty miles
northwest TO the interior-you VIII DO
well to take a night train. and to choose
wet weather If possible; otherwise you
might as well be a Senegambian, so far
as complexion is concerned, for your nat
ural color will soon be quite lost under
clouds and drifts Of dust. Everybody
is swathed in long busters OF Holland or
alpaca. with handkerchief around his
neck and soft hat pulled down 10 the ears;
but In spite Of all precautions. the pas
sengers look like 50 many chimney
syeeps II would not be amiss too,
If your olfactOries are unfortunately SEN
stive % bring along good supply OF
strong perfumery, whenever you traVei IN
the pampas 10 partially counteract the
stencil from putrefying carcasses or
horses and cattle-victims or the cow
catcher-that bestrew the unfenced plain
on every hand. The cars are on the
American plan. made in wilmington Dell
and many other familiar things conspire
so make YOU forget that you are not in
the United states OF the North.
For example, the conductor shouts
"Ticl,ets" with the real Yankee twist
70 his tongue. Instead Of 'Boietas, Sc
more" as I'm other parts Of South
America; and your campagnons du yoy-
age are chatting English. mingled with
n little Of all the languages or contlnen-
tai Europe a bare-footed urchln, win
a letter I'm the post Office as the chill
through the crown Of his ragged hat,
r7ishes i'm. bawling the news in several
languages. and selling the Standard,
Herald and Nation as weil as the Span
ish Ia Preusa, the French Curier de
Ia Plata. and other prominent papers
OF Buenos Ayres He is followed by
bov peddling cigars and matches, and
man offering books for your inspection
and Won observe that the latter's stock
I'm trade Is mostly made 40 Of the light
est literature Of France Spain and
TtaIv-because II is n well known fact
that the AVERAGE Englishman seldom
reads when travelling. Nnen not 6d]ihs
st,sar.I,, ont OF the window. revolving bu-
sipess schemes In his sturdy Uranium or
divertine himself proftably with bacca-
rat amid clouds Of incense from brier-
wood nine he stretches out his long
LOGS and snores the snore or the Just.
presently a eoa6tero tcoptectlonerl
comes in bringing the same old basket
Of withered grapes, half-decayed banan-
as rutta-porcha gum-drops, pastll as
=. hou-bonnes:" and improves upon the
Nortberper's fashion by taking orders at
the same time FOR cocktails SiH-hilhss'
ecg-uCC. saltwater with IFult syrup
rniik-shake. Tom-and-Jerry. and every
other fancy drink known 10 man. hr
fmnus his orders with dispatch' ana 70
the entire satisfaction OF his patrons,
n one may judge from the expression
~ their countenances. BY and by
vourg man eaunters in. Respondent In
class diamonds snowy rings and Iu-
c0r,rocn length and breadth OF watch
chain. He generally has few books.
or ncv-esapers or toys in hand 10 serve
| as a cloak T. his real business-that OF
an agent. sub rosa, for me various lot,