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can seldom reconcile himself to the idea of asking a woman of his own position to share the rude home of a rancho.

At present camp-life is much improved, in comparison with ten years ago. Railways have placed the principal estancias within a day's journey of town, and the little comforts or necessaries of life are easier procured. Most of the sheep-farmers are subscribers to some of the London or Irish papers, and the Irish clergymen have established lending-libraries in the various districts for the use of their parishioners. In every Irish house, too, is found a tutor who teaches the children the rudiments of education; these tutors are paid from £3 to £5 a month and treated as a member of the family, for which reason young men arriving here without money often hire in this capacity. The Irish shepherds, living within four or five leagues of a town, gallop in on Sunday mornings to attend at Mass, and get their copy of the Weekly Standard with all the latest news from town. Those who live within easy reach of a railway station get the daily papers, and the taste for reading has wonderfully increased in the last few years. The Irish clergymen resident in the camp are always attentive to the spiritual wants of their countrymen, and also act as friends and counsellors, since they enjoy universal confidence. It is right to add that the Irish sheepfarmers are very liberal to their pastors, even in times of comparative distress.

The Scotch sheep-farms in the south are well worthy of especial notice: the neatness, style, and good order, both in the estancia house and all its belongings, are very pleasing to the visitor. You are sure to find also, a good supply of books, and on Sundays the farmers attend their kirk, although having to ride some leagues. The Scotch were among the first to start as sheep-farmers, and some of them to-day are richer even than the wealthiest Irish, but their numbers are relatively small. In the better class of Scotch and Irish estancias the traveller will find all the comforts and many of the luxuries of civilized life; but should he be benighted and obliged to stop at the humblest rancho of one or other of his countrymen he is sure to find the warmest-hearted hospitality. It is no less true that the poorest gaucho is by nature most hospitable; he will give the stranger the best his house can afford, and gladly cede his only bed to the weary traveller.

Within the last two years a number of courageous Englishmen, of good family and education and with a capital of a few hundred pounds each, have established themselves on the Indian frontier, some beyond Azul, others in Patagonia, with the object of raising sheep and cattle. Nothing can exceed the hardship of such a life, and it is not without its dangers also.

LAND AND SHEEP ON THE FRONTIER.

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For immigrants of this class it may be well to advise them that the Government of Buenos Ayres gives a free grant of a square league of land for a certain term of years, on the expiration of which the settler receives a right of «enfiteusis,» which has always a marketable value; and if the settler wish to become absolute owner of the land he has the preference as a purchaser at the price fixed by law and on long credits. There are always many wealthy natives owning land in the frontier partidos, who are only too anxious to find steady foreigners to take sheep and cattle in partnership, and for this the immigrant needs no capital. The reason why foreigners are in such request for this purpose, is, that natives are liable at any moment to be taken up for military service, and the condition on which the estanciero receives these frontier lands from Government is to keep a house and certain quantity of stock on the ground.

Life in the camp has a peculiar charm for young men emancipated from the office desk. The free air and bounding steed give an elasticity and vigor both to mind and body that cannot be expressed. The savory taste of meat cooked on an «<asador» surpasses the finest cookery of European «chefs-de-cuisine.» The complete liberty of thought and action induce a buoyancy of feeling that compensates for all the hardships undergone; and it is a strange fact that young men who have distinguished themselves in universities and ball-rooms get quite an affection for camp-life. This, however, wears off when one reaches about 30 years of age;, we get tired of the camp and its dull monotony, and sigh for the refinement and comfort of city life. There are many people in Buenos Ayres who are so disgusted with all remembrances of camp-life that they can hardly be induced to mount a horse or even visit an estanciero friend. Fortunes have been made in the camp, and are still to be made in minding sheep: one thing is requisite, the shepherd must stick to his sheep as close as possible, live very economically, and abhor the sight of a «pulperia.» We shall now begin our tour through the partidos, beginning with the north, and in every instance the distance will be calculated to the chief town or centre of the partido.

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CHAP. II.

THE RIVERINE PARTIDOS.

FROM BELGRANO ΤΟ SAN NICOLAS.

Belgrano.

THIS partido does not properly form one of the camp districts, being merely a suburb of Buenos Ayres, and as such it has been described in Section B. It is bounded on the North and East by the River Plate, on the N.W. by San Isidro, and on the S.W. by San Martin and Flores: it covers two square leagues. The Municipality is composed of six members, and has a revenue of about 500,000 mc. per annum. The property valuation amounts to 25,000,000, against 12,000,000 in 1862. The state-schools are attended by 76 boys and 89 girls. The largest land holders are

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There are fifty smaller chacras, making, with the above, a total of 10,000 acres under tillage. There are also 227 handsome country-seats, of which the principal are

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This partido includes Palermo, the former residence of Rosas. (See Section B).

San Isidro.

Situate five leagues North of the city, is alike remarkable for the beauty of its situation and the fertility of its grain chacras. Along the barranca overlooking the River Plate there is a succession of charming quintas, which make San Isidro a most fashionable residence in the summer months. The largest land-holders are

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There are numerous handsome residences surrounded, each, by a few acres of pleasure-ground, and the following are the principal:-

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Among smaller holdings are those of Denby, Moore, Hunt, Yateman, Nelson, Tornquist, Sinclair, and other foreign residents. The total property valuation amounts to 16,000,000, against 14,000,000 in 1862. The quintas and chacras are mostly cultivated by Basques and Italians, who make much money in supplying Buenos Ayres with hay, wheat, maize, and vegetables. About thirty years ago the district was much infested with gaucho highwaymen. The partido formerly comprised four square leagues, but on the formation of Belgrano it lost half its territory. It contains at present 1506 chacras, covering about 10,000 acres, all under cultivation. The farming-stock consists of 4126 horned cattle, 1.267 horses, 760 sheep, and some swine. The population of the partido is set down as follows:Argentines 2793, Italians 459, Spaniards 202, French 150, English 45— Total, 3,649. There are a Justice of Peace, 8 Alcaldes, 42 police, and 380 National Guards.

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The village of San Isidro was founded in the beginning of the last century, and has a very ancient look. The church stands on a high ground, with a plaza in front and a fine view of the coast. Araujo relates that, the year 1706, the inhabitants of all the territory lying between Las Conchas river and the Arroyo Maldonado being destitute of religious service, a gentleman named Domingo Acasuso, who was a Spanish captain and a native of Madrid, resolved to build a chapel here in honor of St. Isidore; for this purpose he endowed the parish with a pension of $2,000, and a site of ground 300 yards x 6,000. The chapel was inaugurated on Pentecost Sunday 1708, its first curate being Rev. Fernando Ruiz Corredor. There are—an inn, 3 drapers' shops, 28 smaller stores, and about 600 inhabitants, who have a Municipality composed of four members. There

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