Letters from Paraguay; Describing the Settlements of Montevideo An[d] Buenos Ayres. the Presidencies of Rioja Minor, Nombre de Dios, St. Mary and St.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1805. Excerpt: ... LETTER XXIII., Presidency ofkioja Minor, Nov. 1ft)/. Many weeks have elapsed since I last took up my pen to. address you. Thank Heaven, I am in good health and spirits, and not at all ill pleased with my situation, though m the midst of woods and wilds; for although I am lodged in what they call a town I can scarcely see a house near me, the-streets are so intersected with trees. We left Buenos Ayres on the fifth of Sep-, tember, in the major-general's private coach: father Hernandez, the father companion, the two young novices, and myself. The Indians of our company were waiting for us-at the harbour' of Rio de las Conchas, about six leagues above Buenos Ayres, to reach which we had to pass over a part of the plains of Las Pampas: on the way I saw the Indians and negroes killing the black catfle for their fades, which form the principal part of the exports from the harbours on the Plata. Their method is singular, and very dextrous; but to me it seems a savage occupation. The cattle here run wild over a plain many hundred miles in extent; and when the natives are employed to procure a large quantity of hides they go out in' parties, each furnished with a kind of sling or dart, armed at one end with an iron, shaped like a crescent and extremely sharp: this weapon they throw at the beasts as they fly, and seldom if ever miss their aim of ham-stringing them. As soon as the poor animal feels himself wounded he staggers, drops, and lies helpless. on the ground at the mercy of his assailant. The hunter, seeing him fall, does not stop to kill him immediately, but goes on wounding more in the same manner; and this he continues doing until he is either tired of the pursuit or has maimed the number he wants: he, then leaves off, and, when he has taken some refreshm...