THE AUTHORS TO GENERAL MILLER. Origin of Corrientes, and of its Inhabitants―Their high preten- sions to descent from the best Spanish Nobility-Reflec- Doña Florinda's person, character, and habits-The cause and result of her aberrations-Her exulting account of the The population of Corrientes-Classes of Inhabitants-Produc- tions-The learned Prior and Dinners in the Refectory- Fresh Trip to Buenos Ayres-Don Pancho Calafate, alias the Zapo-His Habits and Manner of Life-A Contrast to the Zapo-George Washington Tuckerman, Esq.-Female Quacks-More of Mr. Tuckerman-The passage with him Departure from Corrientes for Goya-Road to Goya-Don Ponciano Delgado, the Indian Schoolmaster-First inter- Mode of doing Business in Corrientes-Habilitaciones, or Credits-Don Pedro Campbell among the Estancieros, or Country Gentlemen-Among the Gauchos in the Camp- Commencement of active Operations-Mosquito Sport and Slaughter-Don Pedro Quesney once more on the Boards -An Arrival at Goya-The Supper-A Scene of some Excitement The Alarm-Don Felipe Parkin-A Dis- Journey from Goya to Corrientes-Description of a Post-House -and of a Night Scene there-The Guitarrero-The Bed- My Cottage in Goya-Carpets there-Operations-Wild Peter Campbell's hot Temper-His Quarrel with George Wash- ington Tuckerman, Esq.-His testy Appeal-We are sus- The Family of Mr. Postlethwaite Their arrival at Goya-The Beauty of the new Comers-Don Pedro's Extacy-George Washington Tuckerman, Esq., acts the Physician-His LETTERS ON SOUTH AMERICA. LETTER I. THE AUTHORS TO THEIR READERS. INTRODUCTORY. London, 1842. Ir has been matter of surprise to some of our personal friends that, after the success of our work on Paraguay, we should so long have postponed the fulfilment of the promise made in that work,contingent only on its success, that of giving a continuous history of our twenty-five years' sojourn in South America. Our success has been unequivocal, our encouragement to go on the strongest; mais l'homme propose, et Dieu dispose. Who is unacquainted with the facility of laying down plans, as contrasted with the difficulty of carrying them out? Who knows not VOL. I. B the interruptions which spring from the vicissitudes of life,-new and more imperative avocations, bad health, indolence, domestic calamities, and, in short, "the thousand ills which flesh is heir to?" Nay, who is prepared to say that, in spite of the very success which so unexpectedly attended our first literary labours, we may not have found the full force and meaning of the exclamation, “Oh that mine adversary had written a book!" Be that as it may, we have at last determined to resume the thread of our story, and to carry it out as time and opportunity may permit, with the proviso always that we find we can instruct or amuse as we go along. We can scarcely promise to exhibit again to your gaze such a rara avis in terra as Doctor Francia; but we think we have enough in store to satisfy a moderate curiosity in regard both to South America itself, and to South American travels. It would not be easy to find two individuals more closely linked by the ties of blood and friendship, as well as of worldly interests, than we have been; while yet it has happened that, during the best five and twenty years of our life, viz., from 1810 to 1835, we never contrived to spend alto |