Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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THE LIBRARY OF
BROWN UNIVERSITY
THE CHURCH
COLLECTION
The Bequest of
Colonel George Earl Church
1835-1910
^ f
^^~-2!l^^^r.-^-<^^^ K
VISIT TO SOUTH AMERICA;
WITH
EDWIN CLARK,
Mem. Ins. Civ. Engineers, F.R.A.S., F.M.S., etc., etc. ; Author of '* Britannia
and Comoay Tubular Bridges."
LONDON:
DEAN AND SON, 160a, FLEET STREET, E.G.
1878.
^\oD
INTllODUCTION 9- U
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER IV.
— —
The Tagus Lisbon Entering the Trade Winds Its Dread —
— —
by Early Navigators The Doldrums Explanation of
— —
The Atmosphere Influence of Solar Heat Circulation
of the Atmosphere —
Moisture and Heat of the Doldrums
— —
Ascent of Heated Air A Prairie Fire Cyclones and
Anticyclones 31 — 40
/
Table of Contents.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VIIL
ST, VINCENT TO THE PLATE.
Cape Frio — —
Sea Temperature The Gulf Stream Rio —
— —
Jlountain Clouds Botanic Gardens Tejuca— The Yelhjw
— — —
Fever Fruits Climate— A Shower YV^,. 2. The Terres-
— —
Layer Changeof Climate The River Plate Yellow
trial —
— —
Fever on Board Quarantine Regulations Monte Video
— Anchorage at Buenos Ayres 68 — 92
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
BUENOS AYRES AND THE PAMPAS.
First Impressions— Narrow Streets — Bad Drainage — Bad
Roads— Buildings — Italian Workmen— Religious Freedom
—The Harbour and Lighters— The Campana Railway—
The Animals and Birds— The Marshes— A Tumnlus— The
Baranca— Thistles— The Great River— Progress of Civili-
zation—Engineer's Difficulties— The Northern Railway
The Ensenada Railway— Forest Planting— The Pampas-
Its Gradual Rise —
Its Formation —
Absence of Trees Its —
Natural History— The Southern Railway— No Fences—
Azul, a Night at Dolores— Ephemeral Nature of Civili-
zation-Floods of the Salado— The Western Railway
—Its Benefits— The Crisis at Buenos Ayres— Public
Loans— Great Cost of the Government— Defects— The
Public Works — Maladministration— Hospitality of the
people 124-162
Table of Contents.
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XIL
THE URUGUAY AND SALTO.
Magnitude— Estuary and Delta of Uruguay — The River
th-e
CHAPTER XIIL
THE COTTAGE AT ARAPEY.
—
The Bridge SoKtary but Charming Position of the Cottage
The Commissariat— The Staff— The Wind Vane— Fig. 7—
The Azimuth Table— The River— The Monte, Alligators-
—
Stray Cattle on the Monte Charms of Solitude The —
—
Natural History Botany of the Rocks and Monte The —
Lagoons — A Striking Examjjle of Natural Selection 217 232 —
Table of Contents.
CHAPTER XIV.
NOTES AT ARAPEY.
— —
The Locusts Callandrias— Widah Birds A Puma Liglitiiing —
—Powder Magazine— The Camadraca— The Iguana
The Cuati— The Nutria— The Carpincho— Rodents— The
— —
Snakes— The Lakes Alligators Scorpions and Spiders-
—The Becho Colorado— Puncture of the Mosquito 233—244
CHAPTER XV.
METEOROLOGY AT ARAPEY.
The Heated Rocks — The Heat and the Flowers — Fire Flies and
Night Insects— Effects of Heat — Experiments on Radiation
— Ascent of Heated Air — Mean Temperature and Weather
— Dust Storm — Tornadoes — Explanation of— Resem-
blance to a Centrifugal Pump — Their Movement — Causes
of Storms — Burning the Flechilla Grass — Clouds — Their
Shadows — Their Formation — Perspective of — Height and
Forms of— Temperature of — Length of Shadows as
Affecting Climate — Excessive Heat and Drought at
Christmas 24.'5 —263
CHAPTER XVL
PARAGUAY AND ITS HISTORY.
CHAPTER XVIL
THE PARANA AND ASUNCION.
]\.''agnitude the Parana —
of Tributaries — Field for Ex-
Its
ploration— Distances —Temperature of Water—The Bar-
anca of the Parana— Geology— The Gran Chaco — The
Indians — Their Degeneracy — Excelsior — Change of
Table of Contents,
— —
Scenery Shooting Monkeys and Alligators Corrientes
— —
Asuncion The Lagoons The Victoria Regia— The Chaco
— —
Description of Asuncion Francia's Palace Lopez's —
—
New Palace Vast Resourcesof the Country- -Our Hotel
— —
Undue Proportion of Females The Market The Railway
—The Environs and Natives— Sale of the Railway 275—296
CHAPTER XVriL
THE COTTAGE AT PARAGUARI.
— —
Our Landlord The Village Contrast with the City Our Fare —
— —
Amiable Character of the People The Commandante
— —
His Residence TheSchools Absence of Religious Culture
— —
Municipal Accounts Power of the Commandante
—
Absence of Crime Incident at a Wedding The Market —
— —
Produce The Village Dial Eclipses The —
German
— —
Colony The Forest Scenery Native Houses and Habits
— Orange Gardens and Banana Groves Bamboos —
—
Botany Hospitality— Sugar and Mandioca— Snakes
— —
Canna Distillery Sporting The Orange Distillery The —
— — —
Boa-constrictor St. John's Cave Balls Our own ball
Peaceful Character of the People— Physical Cause of the
Great Fertility — Climate— Siesta — Meditations on Happi-
ness — Theory of the Black and White Balls — Mosquitoes
— Jiggers— Amusements and Departure — The Great Heat
at Asuncion — The River Journey Home — The Oranges at
Ipane — Our Cargo — Oranges at Pillar — Running Aground
— Our Delays and Hardships — Arrival at Rosario 297 — 336
CHAPTER XIX.
COEDOVA AND THE SIERRAS.
The Railway Cordova— The Rise of the Pampas— The Barren
to
Country — Situation of Cordova— The Jesuits— A Proces-
sion— The Alameda, or Lake — The River — The
Artificial
Tucuman Railway — Our Scientific Friends — The Astro-
nomer, Mr. Gould — The University Professors — Botani-
zing — Expedition to the Sierras— Picnic—The Mill on
the Tercera— The Lasso— The Botany—The Observatory
— Selection of Site—The Sierras— Return Home 337 — 347
its
APPENDIX . 349—335
INTRODUCTION.
purpose.
22 The Com?nissariat.
4. /z ^-^^^ ^
CHAPTER III.
^'
Day after day, day after day
We stuck, nor breath nor motion.
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a j)ainted ocean."
counted for.
ASTRONOMICAL EVENINGS.
HE gorgeous tropical sunsets, with their
startling brevity, called our attention to
a subject which throughout the journey
afForcled us the highest enjoyment. I
4
50 The Ecliptic,
on the subject.
ecliptic — E C—will
be a great circle at right angles to that line. If
any planets are visible they will be situate on
this circle.
Althouo;h o and settincj
o the risinp^ o of the sun and
planets and other phenomena depending on latitude
TJic Aivianac, 51
* The rising and setting are easily obtained from the south-
ing by means of a table of semi-diurnal arcs, or from the simple
fornnila, cos time = tan latitude X tan declination.
52 yiipiiers Satellites,
free.
minished.
Another property of water itself is of the highest
importance in The heat consumed
meteorology. /
5
66 Humidity,
aspect.
On the 2Gth, the S.E. trades increased to a
pleasant breeze, and although not of much assist-
cult to hear what they said through the rain and fog
and wind, but they could give us no information.
The poor fellow with the yellow fever died
during the day, and his death was officially re-
^—
^Jmk_
Fig. 3.
not cyclonic.
On the 13th a very small steamer came along-
Leaving the Douro. 97
Tides of La Palmas.
BUENOS AYRES.
HERE is no doubt that our quarantine
adventure had created great though
unfounded prejudice against a country
in which such administration could be possible.
water. Each man paid l.s. 4c?. to Is. Sd. per day
for his food. The men thus save from 2s, 2d. to
2s. 6d. per day, less the cost of clothing, for they
live in tents, and a large portion of the amount is
'
The Pampas.
The excursion which more particularly impressed
me with the extraordinary extent, character, and
wealth of the pampas or plains, which occupy so
enormous an area and are so singularly character-
istic of this southern continent, was a journey over
the Great Southern Railway. The terminus at
Dolores is 126 miles distant from the city ; a branch
just completed runs to Azul, which is 200 miles
from Buenos Aja-es. We now leave the great River
Valley, with its baranca and undulating boundaries,
and travel over these immense distances in what
to the eye appears a perfectly level plain or ocean
of land, bounded by a well-defined horizon. It is
soil.
The Ceisis.
11
1 62 Native Hospitality,
promotion.
These incongruities are disappearing, and will
be swept away before the rapid advances which
the country is making; and with its vast and
unbounded resources, its fertile lands, and lovely
climate, and the solid attractions that such a
country must always continue to offer to the capit-
Fig. 4-
midst.
A constant rumble by day and distant lightning
by night betrays the direction of its approach. At
length it rises in solid columns above the horizon.
The transparent cloud is transformed into vapour,
so dense that a darkness like that of an eclipse
174 Force of Hurricanes,
7,
BAROM.AT 9 A.M.REDUCEDT0 32?
Inches
4- 5 6 7 8 9 30
12
178 Barometric Oscillations.
obtained.
Conclusions. x /
Barom.
Oct. 2. 29-35. Dust Storm Buenos Ayres. Full moon, Oct. 3.
J^ >
— poisons of air and vapour of varying density. The
^ / most refrangible raj^s, the purple and violet are the
^
last that are seen, and close the glorious pageant.
CHAPTER XII.
reflection.
5 sec. west,
It is always my habit whenever I make any
lengthened residence to construct what I call an
azimuth table, and it has proved so useful to me
for rough measurements of all kinds that I will
describe in detail the table I left behind me in the
cottage at Arapey.
Having determined on a good position, in this
case under a verandah facing north, I erect at a
convenient height a small table of smooth white
pine about twenty inches square. The table is so
fixed that the edge lies east and west.
A wire or strong string is then suspended from a
fixed support four or five feet overhead, which,
passing through a hole at P (fig. 8.) hangs vertically
with a heavy weight at the lower end below the
table (a bottle of water with a string through the
cork is a very good makeshift) ; a small ball of cork
222 The Azbnuth Table.
NOTES AT A RAPE Y.
T the time of our arrival at the cottasre
in October the country was infested
with swarms of locusts, which destroyed
the crops and caused great distress.
Trains on the Campana travelled with great diffi-
^^
ture, but is very easily domesticated, and in that
state is very fond of eggs. A friend at Salto had
one in her pattio, which had a singular habit,
whenever we gave it a piece of soap, of immediately
rubbing it on its large tail, and working it with its
METEOKOLOUY AT AKAPEV.
T will be seen iliat the meteorology of the
Arapey is no loss remarkable than the
singularly troi)ical character of its fauna
and botany. Its most striking features arc the
totally abnormal heat and dryness of the climate,
and the great difference between the temperature
of night and day. I have already alluded to the
configuration of the continent generally as affecting
climate; we arc here still surrounded with the same
treeless plains, but they consist of a hard, red,
brittle sandstone rock, covered with loose tUbvl^
totally devoid of any visible pasture during the
summer, and absorbing the sun's lays with such
avidity that during the greatest heat the ground
obtains a temperature of 130°, and stones were
disagreeably hot to the touch. At this tempera-
ture, with a difference of 31" between the wet and
dry bulb, it was marvellous to see luxuriant tufts
246 The Heat,
Fi?. lo.
Clouds.
comfortable steamer.
We entered the Paraguay two hours after leaving
Corrientes, and the change of climate was extremely
abrupt and striking. Gran Chaco lay on our
Tlie
left, with its confused and entano-Ied veo-etation
and its great morasses ; but the Paraguayan shore
is formed of a sandy beach, wasted down from the
sandstone banks ; on every spit of sand the crocodiles
lay like logs of wood, often two or three together,
crawling lazily into the water when shot at with
the rifl.e, apparently unhurt. 'The creepers on the
underwood formed bowers of dense shade, some-
times resembling cut hedges and hop gardens, while
trees like large oaks seemed embowered in banks
of laurels. The foliage, though generally dark in
colour, furnished broad effects of light and shade,
relieved by the delicate green fi'onds of the lofty
is rapidly increasing.
A large proportion of our enjoyment at Cordova
was due to the kindness and hospitality of our
friends, —Mr. Gould, the astronomer at the obser-
vatory at Cordova, and the professors at the uni-
versity, who were our constant instructors and
companions. The library and fine collection of plants
at the university, the museum, the laboratories,
and more especially the valuable local knowledge
and personal experience of the professors, were
always at our disposal. The university, by fur-
nishing a centre and home for science, has been
of the highest value in these new countries, where
it finds no other support or encouragement. The
buildings and cloisters are handsome and commo-
342 Cordova University.
Differ : = log. - X c.
Baromctyic Heights and Correct mis, 351
.-. « = log.
1^
601.58-6 feet.
*
The factor c is the height of the homogeneous atmosphere mul-
tipliedby 2-3026 to conyert Napierian into common logarithms.
The height of the column of homogeneous atmosphere that balances
30 inches of Mercury, both at temperature 32, is 26126 feet.
Inches.
Bar. at base reduced to Mer. 32° or aneroid 29-803 temp, of air 59
,, at summit „ ,,
26-606 „ 48
Difference 3-197
Feet.
Table gives for Bar. 28-205 one inch = 868 temp, of air
Add for temperature 53-5 107
^
One inch = 975 temp, of air 53*5
And 3-197 inches X 975 = 3117 feet, the height of Ben Lomond.
COKEECTIONS OF BaEOMETEK.
Example :
Altitude
Log. H = log. h + — 64)
60158 + 60158 (2 t
980
FINIS.
COISTTEI^TS.
ami
Bio(Traj>hies of Peers (Spiritual Baronetcy, arian<red in body of
Temporal), Peeresses, Baronets Work under heading of Title.
and Kniohts; Widows of Piers, Table of Pi-ecedence.
Baronets, Knights, and Sons of Modes of Addressing Titled Persons
Peers ; Sons and I)au<j;liters of J]ssay onTitles, Oi-<lci-sand Dignities
Peers and Baronets; Privy Addresses of Metropolitan and
Councillors: Protestant Bishops Provincial Club Houses.
of Ireland and Scotland. Lords Lieutenant of Counties.
Index to Sons and Danjihters of Chaplains to the Queen.
Peers; and to Married Daughters Royal Households.
of Baronets. Roman Catholic Peers and Baronets
Church Patronage. Obituary for past year.
Addresses and Cluhs of persons Peers who are Minors and Peeresses
referred to in the Work. in their Own Right.
Siinianies of Peers arranged in Historical and Genealogical Notes
body of Work. of Baronets' families.
Inferior Titles of Peers, and Titles Peers and Peeresses entitled to
borne by eldest sons of Dukes, Quarter the Royal Arms of
Marquesses and Earls (alpha- Plantagenet.
betically arranged) Complete descriptions of Armorial
Extinct, Dormant, and Abeyant Bearings borne by all Peers and
Peerases. Baronets.
Living Female Representatives of Engravings of the Heraldic Insignia
every Extinct Peerage and of all Peers and Baronets, &c.
CONTENTS. CHAPTER
CHAPTER I. VII.
Story of what happened on a Christmas
A Murder of Mr. Hall— A Day's Fishing-
Day—The Attack oh Mr. Forrester's House —
Meeting in the Glen Irish Hospitality —
— I'he Attack on the Mail Coach. Pleasant Evening —
The First and Last
Meeting.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER VIII.
Canal Passenger Boat —
Athlone — The
Churchyard— Reformists in
Old Bridge —Priest's Dejeune —
Captain Battle of the
the West —
Guarding a Priest to Church
Courtney's Wooing —Parsonstown —Fac-
—
Snakes in the Grass A Sail in the Rector's
tion Fight — Religious Warfare. Yacht across the Bay in company with the
CHAPTER Priest— Narrow Escape — Hawser Cut —
III.
—
Vessel Run Ashore Death of a Convert,
City of Kilkenny — Reminiscences of and what followed.
Literary Celebrities— Old Theatre— Social
Intercourse— Royal Irish Constabulary — CHAPTER IX.
Single Combat between a chief Constable
Duel between Mr. Shaw, Sheriff of the
and the Leader of a Faction— Murder in
the City— Murder of the Brothers Marurn in
—
Queen's County, and Mr. Cooke Death of
County .
—
Mr. Shaw Use and Abuse of Duelling
Tempora Mutantur, etc., are the changes
CHAPTER IV. for the better?— Fistic Duel between Dan
Dingle— Fishing at Mount Eagle— Tithe Donelly and Oliver on English Ground
Warfare— Year 1848 — Her Majesty's War Defeat of the Latter.
Steamer in Harbour— Serious Engagement
between Fair Inhabitants of Dingle and CHAPTER X.
Officers and Crew of Steamer —
Happy Duel between Captain Smith and Mr.
Ending— The Kerry Dragoons. O'Grady at Harold's Cross, Dublin— Death
CHAPTER V.
of O'Grady —
Sentence on Smith and his
Second, Lieutenant Markham.
Cahirciven—Valentina State Quarries-
Knight of Kerry— Waterville Lake, Trout CHAPTER XI.
Fishing— Ancient Burying Place -Story of
a " Furriner " as told by Old Shawn the Duel between Captain Smith, 59th Regi-
Boatman— Funeral Crossing the Lake — ment (T'ncle to Smith who shot O'Giady
O'Connell's Birthplace. in Dixblin) and Colonel Macdonald, 92nd
Highlanders, at Fermoy— Death of Captain
CHAPTER VI. Smith— Duelling versus Divorce Court.
Murder of McDermott —Difference in
CHAPTER XII.
Religious Matters — Live, and Let Live
Sectarian Hatred — The Flitting— A New Tore Lake—The O'Donohue— The Echoes
Home—The " Banshee"— Prognostics Ful- of Killarney— Paddy Blake's Echo— Mj>n-
filled—Return to the Old Home, and Early gerton.
Associations.
LViWAWaBWVVWWWilVAVAVAVB^^^
Sixpence, handsomely bound in cloth gilt, for prizes and presents AlsoJ
bound in fancy wrappers in colours, at One Shilling each