Year: 1859




L. 8. STEAMER f" MK1AcoNEr," ]


In the Sbcamp, May %, 1859


Editor Star of all the out OF the way places
for : mooring ground for a man-of-war C) this
goes ahead, by long scope, of any have ever
yet been at. We are now laying in a small stream
called the River Tigre, with our starboard fast
to the willow trees on shore. whose dropping
branches sweep our decks. So close do we Law
that single gang board enables us to pass to and
from the vessel. Although we may be said to be
almost out Of the world still our vessel does not
lack for want Of visters, Of which we have had a
plenty since we have been here. steamer like
the MetacoInet, with her fancy ''ixins'' and gin
ger-bread work being something of 4 rara driS
IN these - diggins;" " the folks from far and near
flock to see her, particular on Saints DAYS, Of
which, as you are well aware. there is no small
quantity on the calendar in this cOuntry-partcu-
larly in June, when, as | understand, there are
only twenysix out of the thirty days in it, that
we may be expected to keep open house during
the next month


Game. such as snipe, swan. geese and ducks
are found here in abundance, and although those
articles are considered great luxury with us at
nome, here II has become quite the reverse. There
is something ike '.having too much Of good
thing, and that is the case with u.s. and we have
almost had surfeit of them.


The people around here are very sociable, and
hosp tably inclined; never met any more so, in
fact Anything coming from Yankee land stands
No. in the estimation of all Buenos Ayreans
as well as Montevideans; and the fact Of craft
IKE ours accomplishing a voyage of some six
thousand miles over the Atlantic, has not tended
can assuse you, to lower L. s in their estima-
tion as BuenO ''Americanos -


We are all anxiously waiting for the time when
We shall hear from the States regards what dis
position the Department may deem proper to make
Of this steamer. BY the last papers received |
md that an appropriation has been made by Con-
gress Tor the purchase Of all the steamers chartered
for the Paraguay Expedition. IL that should be
the case, the Metacomet may now be said 10 be-
long to - Uncle SAM and all our calculations as
70 her being sold out here, and her officers and
thpr To
passage home in merchantmen. - nipped l. the
oud.' There are many capitalists and Spectators,
both at Buenos Ayres and Montevideo, who would
ike To purchase this vessel that is If they could
as they expect to get her for next to nothing and
which was thought would likely be the case in
consequence of her being condemned as unsea-
worthy; and although that does not detract from
her qualifications a river boat still IL would be
absurd To suppose that anything like a fair price
could, at present be obtained for her out here
Ihe only thing worthless about the Metacomet is
her boiler and that, like some of Jeremiah's fivs
Is ID bad. Her hull is sound, and with some
lew necessary repairs, she might he made a good
staunch boat, capable of running with safety even
70 Rio and back, during certain seasons Of the
year ana on the river would prove one of the best
boats out here. Even with her damaged boiler
which would not allow to carry over eighteen
pounds of steam, we made as good time in run
ming from Montevideo to Buenos Ayres as the
crack steamer Mcnai, which sailed at the same
time. Whether il would be more advantageous
Tor the Government TO send out a new boiler and
Keep the Metacornet employed on this station. or
sell her in her present condition, am not at
present prepared to say. To pursue the latter
course, however. would, in my opinion. result in
dead loss; while to the former | do bell eve
that If she were furnished with a new boiler and
kept out here in the Government service for a
couple Of years she would then bring a great deal
more, over and above the cost of new boiler Ac
than IL sale were made of her now


Among the many papers We are occasionally
receiving from the States there is none peruse
with more pleasure than the Washington Star
May its light never grow dim, or its rays less


JACK


p. s." Josephus' in his letter to the Star
dated on board the Water Witch, November ~
1858, has made bit OF a mistake, which take
the liberty Of rectfying Capt. Cotton is the pro-
prietOr OF the ''ice house" in Bridgetown, Bar.
bados, and not the American Consul, n oble Tow