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interrupted. Among themselves, they are often implacable; and wandering on horseback over the Pampas, in small parties of forty or fifty, with their wives and children, they not unfrequently couch lances with their enemies. They are exceedingly fond of stealing whatever comes in their way in the open plain, and when they can do it with impunity, they attack the huts of the estancieros, take the most valuable part of the property, and as many cattle as, compatibly with safety, convenience, and speed, they can carry off. They then bivouack under hides or mats for a season, and when they think that the affray has been forgotten or overlooked, they quietly saddle their horses, come in to Buenos Ayres, and pay a visit to the Director, headed by their cacique, he wearing a tawdry uniform coat, a sword, and cast off cocked hat, of all which he is very proud, especially as they have been made him a present of by the Director. He then harangues the supreme chief of the state, receives from him a few dollars for himself and cavalcade, and hies him back to his bivouack in the purlieus of the city. This offers as good a picture of savage life as I ever saw. You might fancy yourself in the Pampas.

See assembled in a large yard, not unlike the

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knacker's, the tattered and half naked Indians of the Pampas; two mares which they have just killed for dinner they are cutting up with more avidity than precision. They live almost entirely on mare's flesh, a dainty which they prefer to all others. Now comes the mâtè, the cigar, and best of all, the raw spirits, which they never leave till finished. They then wrap themselves in their ponchos, each with his better half, if he have one, round a blazing fire in winter, and in summer under the light of the moon. But the Pampa's business is not yet finished.

The man in whose yard they live is (or was, for I know not if he be now living) an old established agent of the Pampa Indians, and bought from them their wares. These consisted in plaited-beautifully plaited-reins for bridles, head-pieces for horses, skins of various sorts, horse girths of various colours, lasos, bolas, covers for saddles, and many other articles, but mostly all of horse gear. The Pampa Indians received in return from their agent or patron, as they called him, their ponchos, knives, tobacco, a little white cloth, and a supply of spirits; then off they marched in battle array to their favourite haunts. They knew nothing of agri

276

MILK VENDERS, OR LECHEROS.

culture, being strictly erratic, and not being under the necessity of looking either for game or fish.

Another remarkable race is a set of urchins who vend milk through the streets, and who are called lecheros. They come in mounted on nags, sorry enough, with each from two to four, sometimes six, round earthen jars slung across their horses. These mischievous, cheating, and knowing little rogues gallop from different parts of the country a distance of six or eight miles, their earthen jars dodging, and their rough rowelled spurs goading on their hacks; for each milk-vender, anxious to be first in the market, is inspired with the project of getting his horse into the city before his neighbour.

Their dress is the most tattered imaginable; for though they water their milk unconscionably, and even then do not pay their master what it fetched, they gamble for silver as soon as they get out of town, run furious races, and then go home saying they could not get their milk sold till a late hour of the day.

Your's, &c.

THE AUTHORS.

LETTER XLII.

J. P. R. to GENERAL MILLER.

Friendship between the English and South Americans-Urbanity and Politeness of the Natives-Contrast between English and Buenos Ayres Society-The Barquins and Oromis-Tertulias— Manners and Friendship of the Porteños-Doctor Gafarót, the Catalan Physician-Don Felipe in the Dance-The Promenade.

London, 1842.

THERE are few places in the world where there has always been such a frank intercourse between the people of the country and foreigners at large, but more especially Englishmen, as at Buenos Ayres, since it became the capital of an independent state. Differing in language, in religion, in habits, customs, education, there has always been some magic influence exercised over the minds of both parties, which has obliterated those strong distinctive features which often draw an almost insuperable barrier between two nations, bringing the South Americans and English into as close a contact as if they belonged to one and the same family.

By high and low, rich and poor, the English have

278

URBANITY AND POLITENESS.

been invariably well treated and received, even in the midst of many vagaries, peculiarities, and aberrations which to the South Americans must have appeared, to say the least of it, extravagant.

I dare say the wealth of foreigners has had something to do in forming the connexion; but still I incline to trace it on the whole, to the urbanity and politeness of the people. They are patient of the faults of others, far from obtrusive themselves; their welcome, if they extend it to you, is generally sincere and consistent; no made up manners, no affectation, no sneers at inferiors, no flattery except as a sarcasm to those who affect airs, or as a joke, when they recognize in inferiors or equals, good nature and a forbearing spirit. A young lady will dance, it cannot be supposed with the same liking, but certainly with the same apparent and ready cordiality with an old or an awkward man as she would with a young and elegant one. They never allow even a fool to look sheepish; for they will talk to him and appear to do so with interest, and the driest sticks I ever knew I have seen bent into elastic twigs, before the bland influence of the Porteñas. I very much wish I could say the same of many of our

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