Page:Letters from the Battle-fields of Paraguay (1870).djvu/232



202 UP THE URUGUAY RIVER, AND

poisoned)^ Ibarra of Santiago (1822-43), Quiroga of La Rioja (1825-37, assassinated), and Rosas of Buenos Aires (1830-52, banished) ? I remembered with some amuse- ment the comparison of the tenacious, energetic, impetuous, unscrupulous Basque with the stiff, cold, un genial, and highly moral old man of Mount Vernon.

The preliminary interview over. General Urquiza showed us, under the arcades of the first or eastern court, fresco representations of his battles, done by an Italian of more pluck than skill. Here at Caseros fight, distinguished by a white overcloth and chimney-pot hat, he leads his thick red line of ponchoed men to victory. There at Vences he lands his cavalry across the river in compact bodies : under his rule there were no " dispersos^^ or " pasados" â€” stragglers or deserters â€” upon the principle that made Marshal Narvaez leave no enemies. He then conducted us to the garden west of his palace, and showed us araucarias and cypresses, oranges straw-swathed to keep out the cold, and pears and fruit-trees close shaved that the sap might have the less way to travel. We then visited the two large tanks, one a bathing-place for the family, deep enough in the centre for pisciculture, and provided with a sailing boat and a hand- paddle gig. The second was dry, and served as a corral to contain half- wild cattle when a branding festival is to be given. Between the two is a neat pavilion, whose summit shows the line of the Gualeguaichu River, and the thick dark grove of Acacia and Mimosa ^^ Monte,^^ which extends to Montiel.

D. Justo having wisely ascertained from our introductor that I was not a " traidor," here sat down and chatted en tete-a-tete in Spanish, the only language which he speaks. Part of the conversation may be repeated. The General openly declared, that had not Marshal- President Lopez in- vaded Corrientes, which he looked upon as a portion of his