having discountenanced this: but what can impede the infatuated
gamester? A few nights after my arrival, I visited a gambling-house;
they were playing a game like those of our E.O. tables. The police
entered;--I thought they were going to take us all into custody, in
the London mode; but they were more considerate, and only took the
principals: several Englishmen were in the room. If I am correctly
informed, Buenos Ayres contains individuals who, in the management of
the dice-box, might cope with gentlemen in the parish of St. James,
which some South American deputies, resident in London, can vouch for.
Even the boys of Buenos Ayres have a _penchant_ for gambling; especially
the milk-boys, who often go home _minus_ the day's receipts.
Bathing in summer by all classes, particularly the ladies, is one of
the fashionable recreations of the place; and as regards the latter, a
stranger is not a little interested; for here are no Ramsgate, Margate,
or Brighton machines, to shield them from prying eyes. They use bathing
clothes, and the operations of undressing, dressing, &c. are managed
with great dexterity.
They bathe in front of the town, attended by their female slaves. I have
often smiled to see them splashing about the water, with their hair
dishevelled, like a groupe of mermaids, wanting but the comb and glass
to make the picture perfect. At dark, the scene continues, and not being
exposed to the unhallowed eyes of man, they give a loose to joy and
merriment. Many lanterns are lighted, and the quantity of them convey
an idea of a Chinese festival. Bathing machines would be a great
accommodation, as it is necessary to walk nearly a quarter of a mile to
get out of depth; and, except in some parts, the bottom is stony and
disagreeable. It is altogether a wretched place for bathing.
Some _soi-disant_ modest persons (foreigners) take occasion to censure
this fashion of the females bathing, denominating it indecent. The
assertion is hardly a fair one. It has long been the custom; and such is
the circumspection used, that a bathing machine could scarcely add to
the decorum of the scene. Some grotesque scenes sometimes occur, such
as the lower orders of women bathing and smoking the segar at the same
time. Umbrellas are at times used to shade off the sun. No respectable
person ventures near the place occupied by the bathing females.
* * * * *
DRESS.--In their attire, the gentlemen of Buenos Ayres follow the
English fashion, except that they have not had the folly to imitate us
in our French short-tailed coats, which were only worn by porters and
oyster-men when I was in England. From the summer's heat, jackets and
light trowsers are worn, with straw hats, particularly those singularly
shaped ones from Chili. It is not genteel to wear jackets at the
theatre, or at parties. From November to March, light clothing is very
agreeable, except now and then during some days of cold.
In England, they would smile to see the dress of the boys in Buenos
Ayres; they have long coats, capotes, large hats, Wellington trowsers,
and boots; and this for children of eight and nine years of age, who
look like men of Lilliput.
The dress of the Buenos Ayrean ladies, I think, includes all that is
charming in female attire. The street dress is enchanting, equal to that
of our ball-room. White is the prevailing colour. The waist is neither
so short as the French, nor so long as the English. Shawls of all
descriptions are worn; some of them serve both for veil and shawl,
covering the bosom, and hanging loosely over the back part of the head:
the face is never concealed. In fine weather, they throw the shawl
entirely from the head, and walk the streets in conscious beauty,
heedless of the admiring eyes that will, in spite of resolution, turn
to gaze at them, as fancied beings of another sphere. Many times I have
done this, and found it impossible to withdraw my eyes, till distance,
or the fear of being observed, has obliged me. Those provoking fair ones
wear the frock and petticoat of that shortness, as just to expose enough
of the leg and ancle to increase the temptation. The persons of some of
them are symmetry itself.
So eager are the Buenos Ayrean ladies to display advantageously their
pretty feet and ancles, that they wear such tight shoes, as must cause
them infinite pain, which is evident from the limping manner in which
they are often observed to walk.
The ball dress is similar to that worn in the theatre; there may be
more of ornament, but some young ladies whom I could name want "no more
diamonds than their eyes can give."
Some ladies change their dress three and four times in a day.
The greatest attention is paid to the hair, which is suffered to grow to
a considerable length, and is fastened by a comb behind, with ringlets
in the front. Caps or bonnets are never worn, even in extreme old age.
The elderly lady has her white locks as carefully combed as when in
youth; and the same peculiar style of managing the veil. They have not
recourse to powder, or other disguises, to hide the approach of age. In
company, they are exceedingly free and talkative, and very cheerful.
It is a sight not devoid of interest, to see them gliding along, in
their black attire, to church, at which they are the most constant
visitants--the faded forms of what was once, perhaps, so lovely.
The sable dress worn by the ladies at church, and which I so much
admire, is the ancient Spanish costume, the _basquina_.
The wearing of mourning does not continue so long as with us;
neither are young and handsome widows disfigured by those close and
melancholy-looking caps that we see in England.
I am so charmed with the costume of the Spanish ladies, that I begin to
think my dislike of the cap and bonnet has something of prejudice in it.
If fortune should conduct me again to England, it will be some time ere
I shall fancy those articles of dress. In Buenos Ayres, the sight of
them are my perfect abhorrence: at home, they are more applicable to the
climate.
Fans are the ladies constant companions--in the street, theatre, ball,
and chamber; and their style of using them is unique, and, I think,
graceful. They are expensive: I have heard of sixty to seventy dollars
being given for one. The French send a great many, with all the
embellishments so peculiar to that nation.
The dress of the female children displays equal taste with that of
their elders; from which, indeed, there is little difference--the
short-sleeved frock, silk stockings, curled hair, and fan. They walk the
streets with immense importance--the miniatures of those of maturer age.
The children of Buenos Ayres are handsome; many of the female part,
perfect seraphs, bidding fair to fill up the void that time will soon
occasion in those whose charms now so much delight us. I sometimes
look at these little creatures with a feeling almost bordering upon
melancholy, to think that, in a few years, they will replace those who
at this period shine forth in all the heaven of beauty, to be themselves
replaced, another and another race succeeding. Who can prize life, when
our dream of happiness is so short; the vale of coming years so soon
casting its blight upon all our ardent, youthful fancies?
The females are really industrious, making their own clothes, and, I am
informed, the silk shoes they wear: a British lady is lost without the
milliner's aid. One of that profession might answer here, if it were
only for the novelty of the thing.
* * * * *
TRAVELLING.--Not many carriages or coaches are to be seen; but they
increase in number. The _callé coché_, or street coach, is much used; it
is drawn by two horses, or mules, with a postillion, and in shape very
much resembles our bakers' carts: the passengers are seated sideways.
Some English merchants and Creoles have carriages after the English
mode; but the nature of the roads and streets does not afford them a
great opportunity to "show off." Morris, an Englishman, carries on a
profitable trade as coach-maker: he is, indeed, the only good one in the
town.
The travelling carriages, that convey families to their estates,
hundreds of miles distant, are heavy cumbersome machines, in the old
Spanish style. A family going to the country is no ordinary sight;
the mules and waggons following with the baggage, and the quantity of
out-riders, slaves, and servants, in _ponchos_ and little dirty hats,
surrounding the carriages containing the ladies and female slaves,
appear like a banditti escorting their plunder.
A gentleman travelling has dirty white leather boots, large spurs,
poncho, slouching hat, pistols, sword, dagger, and knife; he appears a
complete robber captain--in fact, another Rugantino: he has generally
one or two slaves to attend him.
There are post-houses on the road, and those leading to Chili are very
regular. A constant supply of horses and guides are kept; but persons
mostly go on horseback, for the sake of expedition. The journey is thus
made to the Andes in about fourteen days. Crossing the mountains, and
getting to Santiago, in Chili, will take about three weeks, from Buenos
Ayres; but the horse must always be kept at a full gallop. Carriages are
expensive, and very dilatory, but they save a great deal of fatigue.
There are persons in Europe who suppose that horses may be obtained in
South America for the trouble of catching them: but that is not exactly
the case in this province; here they have all owners.
Horses may be bought from 3 to 100 dollars, according to their quality;
a very good one may be had for seventeen dollars. They average about 12
or 13 hands high, and have the tail mostly long. They will endure much
fatigue. Their pace is the gallop, or canter; trotting, the horse's
natural pace, appears quite unnatural here; but we must not include
those trained for the carriage or gig. There are some fine horses in
Buenos Ayres; and by those who have not seen the hunters, the dray, and
the heavy horse of Europe, they will be admired. To tell a native that
horses have been sold in England for 2, 3, 4, and 5000 guineas, would
hardly gain belief.[19] If these animals are cheap here, the keep of
them is dear--from 12 to 17 dollars per month. Hay is not much used:
grass may be purchased from the country, every morning, from the grass
carts that pass through the town.
[19] Great curiosity was excited by the arrival in the brig Rhoda from
London, of three English draught horses and a mare, sent out by Mr.
Rivadavia, as a present to the government. The animals were landed in
good condition, notwithstanding their having endured a confinement of
thirteen weeks on board ship. Their great size and muscular appearance
excited universal admiration. What would the Buenos Ayreans say, could
they see our regiments of Life-Guards, and heavy cavalry, and the
cattle in the brewer's drays and coal waggons? An English groom
attended the horses to the stables, and numbers went to view them
there.
I am afraid, that the sanguine hopes of improving the breed of
horses, in this country, by the introduction of English ones, will
not be realized; for, in spite of their boasted climate and pastures,
I am persuaded, neither will be found congenial to our horses, who,
being accustomed to the ever-verdant plains of England, can ill bear
the long drought and oppressive heat of this country. The people,
too, are prejudiced in favour of their own cattle; and were they to
pay attention to them, they would indeed be excellent; but their
treatment of horses may be compared to the manner in which Esquimaux
treat their dogs. Comfortable stabling and grooming are unknown here.
Horses are so cheap and plentiful, they are little valued.
Some English blood horses, for Mr. W. P. Robertson, of this place,
unfortunately perished during the passage from England. Had they
arrived, the Buenos Ayreans might have witnessed the hunter and
draught horse of Great Britain. Our countrymen in Buenos Ayres seemed
highly delighted to see their country horses; and, as they passed the
beach, the sailors eyed the animals with rapture, commenting upon
their noble appearance.
A quantity of English sheep, stated to be Merinos, likewise came out
in the Rhoda.
They have no convenience like the livery stables of England. The
horses are put under a shed, or left in the open air; the mild climate
requiring no other care. Those employed in drudgery with carts, at the
custom-house, &c. are as hard worked as our post and hackney-coach
horses.
English saddles are in vogue. The _ricado_, or saddle of the country,
keeps its sway, being so constructed that on journeys it serves for
saddle and bed. The Spanish bridle and bit are preferred both by the
English and the natives. The Spanish fashion of having the stirrups long
is invariably followed, and I think it more graceful than our mode.
Silver stirrups, spurs, &c. are not so much in use as formerly. Horses,
bridles, and saddles were repeatedly stolen in the streets; but such
events, from the regularity of the police, do not often happen now.
Every horse has a burnt mark, by which its owner can be traced.
The ladies ride on horseback; but they neither look so well in their
riding attire, or manage the horse so dexterously, as the British
ladies.
The lower orders of countrymen ride with one toe in the stirrup, and
gallop for miles in that way.
They strap the front of the horses' legs, to prevent their running away,
in the streets. Galloping is not permitted in the town.
The country waggons are roofed with hides, and have large wheels: the
creaking of the latter is very disagreeable; but they will not take the
trouble to grease them. Whole families and parties, going long journeys,
live and sleep for weeks or months together in waggons drawn by oxen.
Six or eight of them are yoked, in pairs, to a log of wood at the back
of the horns, to which the rope harness is tied, and they are thus made
to draw the burthen from the head. They are urged on by poles with a
sharp substance at the end: the drivers have likewise a piece of lead,
in shape and size like our constables' staffs, with which they belabour
the poor animal about the horns. They sadly want a Mr. Martin here. From
being so constantly goaded, these animals have got a mischievous trick
of kicking; and, not being aware of them, I once received a favour of
this sort, which has since made me (to use the sailor's phrase) "give
them a wide birth."
* * * * *
SPORTS and AMUSEMENTS.--Near the Recolator is a decent even road, where,
on fine evening, are horse-races. The natives ride without saddle; and
the animals have great spirit. Englishmen sometimes get up a race, the
natives acting as jockeys.
Exercise on the water is not a popular amusement. The inhabitants have
no taste for sailing-boats and rowing-matches: the river, it is true,
has no very great inducement for aquatic sports.
A particular class of the people are very fond of cock-fighting, and
will give thirty to forty dollars for a good English game-cock. The
packet sailors have brought some out, and sold them well. The native
game-cocks are good, but not equal in strength and courage to the
English.
Greyhounds and foxhounds would come to a bad market, for neither climate
nor country is adapted for hunting. My fox-hunting countrymen would
be out of their element here: foxes there are none; but deer are
plentiful. Athletic sports must be confined to countries more congenial
to them.
The amateurs of shooting would be at home: birds abound so much as
almost to destroy the pleasure of the sport. A short distance from town,
there are lakes, with wild ducks, geese, swans, &c. In cold weather, and
in other periods, flocks fly over the town, and alight near the beach.
The black-necked swans are fine birds; and wild ducks, which are always
an excellent dish at table, are much better than the tame ones: the
market is well supplied with them. There are also excellent partridges,
of a larger size than our's; but there are no pheasants. English
sportsmen, habited in the mode of their country, with fustian jacket,
gun fastened to the horse, and the dogs behind, greatly enjoy this
recreation: they bring to my recollection our sporting farmers of
Gloucestershire and Norfolk, revived in South-America. The Frenchmen
in this country are fond of the sport: they go out, dressed in French
sporting costume, with cap and jacket, and on foot. I have observed
that this amusement is, in a great measure, confined to foreigners; the
natives take very little interest in it. The cockney sportmen of Buenos
Ayres sometimes amuse themselves by shooting gulls on the beach.
The country affords little facility to follow fishing as a sport;
and the fish found in the river, with a few exceptions, is not worth
catching. They fish on horseback. Two horses are attached, one to each
end of the net,--a man standing on their backs, in the manner of one
of Astley's equestrians; and they go so deeply in the water, that the
horses are, at times, obliged to swim. I have expected to see the men
thrown off. The net is then hauled to the shore; the fish that is fit
for the market is taken out, and the rest thrown or given away. People
don't go out fishing at a distance, in boats. The sailors on board the
vessels in the roads catch great quantities of fish, but they are of a
very indifferent kind: one called the cat-fish is the most common.
Throwing the _lasso_ is a favourite amusement of this country, and
is performed by the natives with great dexterity. A man on horseback,
holding the _lasso_ (a rope looped at the end) rides amongst a herd of
cattle, casting the rope towards the object he wishes to entrap; the
first attempt almost always succeeds, and the animal is fast secured by
the leg. They practice this _lasso_ from boyhood: it is a formidable
weapon, against a flying enemy.
An annual fair is held on some open ground, before the Recolator church,
about two miles from the fort, and one mile north of the town. It
commences on the 12th of October (the nativity of Nostra Señora del
Pilar), and continues a week. The amusements are not very great:
there are a few booths for eating and drinking, swings, two or three
humourless clowns running about, and a military band. The national
British and American flags are hoisted from houses and booths devoted to
good cheer, rented for the occasion by individuals of those nations. At
night, the country people dance till a late hour in the booths; they may
be observed to perfection then. I wandered into several; and the Gaucho
ladies and gentlemen behaved with the greatest politeness, offering me
a seat, and entreating me to dance. The guitar was the music, with the
usual accompaniments of singing, and snapping the fingers during the
dance. On fine evenings a very elegant assemblage attend this fair,
which is a promenade for the beauties of the city; but being held
so near the equinox, the weather is generally unsettled. In 1822, a
tremendous storm took place, one night of the fair, overwhelming booths,
flags, and preparations; hundreds took refuge in the church. At the
theatre (in which I happened to be during the storm), the dust filled
the interior, obscuring the stage. The small stones and dust, rattling
against the walls and windows, had the effect of what one might suppose
of a shower of small shot.
The fair at the Recolator, in 1824, as regarded amusements, was very
dull. The promenade, however, was well attended: the _elegantes_, and
others of Buenos Ayres, appeared in their best attire; and the dashing
mulatto girls, in silk stockings, white dresses, and veils, seemed
determined to rival the fair ones of higher birth. As usual, the
equinoctial gales vented their spite at this devoted fair.[20]
[20] On the second day of the fair, it blew a gale of wind, in which a
boat, belonging to H.M. brig of war, _Plover_, was upset, between the
inner and outer roads, and five men were drowned. A subscription was
opened for their families, in England, and 500 dollars were collected.
Mr. Poussett, the vice-consul, generously exerted himself to forward
this charitable act.
During Carnival they have a disgusting practice: in place of music,
masques, and dancing, they amuse themselves by throwing buckets and pans
of water from the tops of houses and windows, sousing every passenger
that passes, and following each other, from house to house, in regular
water attacks. Egg-shells filled with water are also thrown: these are
sold in the streets. The audience, on leaving the theatre the night
before Carnival, get a plentiful salute of them. It lasts three days;
and many persons go out of town to avoid it, as it is hardly possible to
walk the streets without a ducking. The ladies receive no mercy; neither
do they deserve any, for they take a most active part. Repeatedly, on
passing groups of them, at night, an egg of water has been adroitly put
into my bosom. Those whose occupations lead them into the street, must
expect a wetting. Strangers seem to join in the sports with great glee.
An English master of a vessel, just arrived, received a bucket of water.
Not being aware of the practice, he took up bricks, swearing he would
break every window in the house. He could scarcely be pacified. Many
persons have been seriously ill from the effects of Carnival playing.
The newspapers and police have interfered to suppress it, hitherto,
without effect, though it is somewhat lessened. They follow it as an
ancient custom of the country; and, like other absurdities, it will, I
suppose, die a natural death. If the ladies knew how much it detracts
from feminine softness, surely it would be discontinued by them.
In 1825, government seized the opportunity of the victory in Peru, to
devote the three days of Carnival to public rejoicings. Handbills were
accordingly issued, requesting fathers and masters of families to assist
them, and prevent water-throwing, denominating it "disgraceful to a
civilized people." The appeal had, in some degree, the desired effect:
at night, however, the water-playing folks could not resist indulging in
their favourite amusement--sprinkling the pedestrians with water from
phials; especially in the Plaza, where, some mischief-loving girls
managed to accommodate me with some of their favours in this way. In
time, the good sense of the people will banish this, as they have many
other of their antique and absurd customs; for instance, the musical
exhibitions during Lent--a triumph gained by reason over bigotry and
priestcraft.
* * * * *
PROVISIONS.--The new market, in the centre of the town, is convenient,
and well supplied: soldiers are stationed in the outlets, to keep order.
Beef is sold at three reals the _arroba_, or 25 lb.; mutton, for the
whole sheep, six reals. Veal is not allowed to be killed; and pork is
very bad indeed, and seldom used at table. Turkeys cost from 5 to 7
reals; ducks and fowls, 3½ reals each; partridges and pigeons, 1½ real
the pair: geese are moderate--3 reals each. Vegetables are very dear:
cabbages, one real; carrots, green peas, cauliflowers, spinage, &c. in
the same proportion.
Although the chief articles of life are, at first cost, so cheap, the
expense of fire in cooking makes them come almost, if not quite, as dear
as in England. Coals are imported from England, and are dear.
The beef is good, but much inferior to our's; and their fashion of
always baking it gives it a taste of the charcoal and wood, and renders
it insipid. They have no idea of roasting by the spit. Mr. Booth, an
Englishman, who keeps a store, is noted for having dinners in the
English style.
In summer, meat will not keep beyond the day, and cattle are slaughtered
in the morning for the day's consumption; in winter, the night previous.
In England, meat kept two or three days is supposed to eat more tender;
here, it is the reverse--as report tells me, for I have never been
housekeeper enough to know from experience.