The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
GLYPTODON.
BUENOS AYRES,
AND
THE PROVINCES OF THE
RIO DE LA PLATA:
THEIR PRESENT STATE, TRADE, AND DEBT;
WITH SOME ACCOUNT FROM ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS OF THE PROGRESSOF GEOGRAPHICAL DISCOVERY IN THOSE PARTS OF SOUTHAMERICA DURING THE LAST SIXTY YEARS.
BY
SIR WOODBINE PARISH, K.C.H.,
F.R.S., G.S., VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON,
MANY YEARS HIS MAJESTY'S CHARGE D'AFFAIRS AT BUENOS AYRES.
LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
1839.
LONDON:
Printed by William Clowes and Sons,
Stamford Street.
INTRODUCTION.
The greater part of the materials for this volumewere collected during a long official residence in thecountry to which they relate: containing, as I believethey do, some information which may be interesting,if not useful, I feel that I ought not to withhold themfrom the public, in whose service they were obtained.
The chapters which give an account of the settlementsmade by the old Spaniards on the coast ofPatagonia, and of the explorations of the Pampas southof Buenos Ayres, both by them and their successorsin the present century, will be found to throw somenew light on the progress of geographical discoveryin that part of the world. Our occupation of theFalkland Islands, in the first instance, and the workshortly afterwards published by Falkner in this country,pointing out the defenceless state of Patagonia,joined to the enterprising character of the Britishvoyages of discovery about the same period, appearsto have stimulated the Spaniards, in alarm lest weshould forestall them, to examine their coasts, toexplore their rivers, and to found settlements, ofwhich every record was concealed from public view,lest the world at large should become better ac[Pg v]quaintedwith possessions, all knowledge of whichit was their particular care and policy to endeavourto keep to themselves.
Thus, though Spain, at an enormous cost, acquiredsome better information relative to countries overwhich she claimed a nominal sovereignty, the resultswere not suffered to transpire, but remained lockedup in the secret archives of the viceroys and of thecouncil of the Indies; where probably they wouldhave been hidden to this day had not the SouthAmericans assumed the management of their ownaffairs.
In the confusion which followed the deposition ofthe Spanish authorities, the public archives appearto have been ransacked with little ceremony, andmany documents of great interest were lost, or fellinto the hands of individuals who, like collectors ofrarities in other parts of the world, showed anythingbut a disposition to share them with the public atlarge. I will not say that this was always the case,but the feeling prevailed to a sufficient e