Voyage to South America, performed by order of the American Government in the years 1817 and 1818, in the Frigate Congress

Front matter

VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA, PERFORMED BY ORDER OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT IN THE YEARS 1817 AND 181U, IN THE JTrtgatr eougrim By H. M. BRACKENRIDGE, Esq. secretary to the mission. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. mutton: PRINTED FCR JOHN MILLER, BURLINGTON ARCADE. 1820. Printed bj W. SMITH, King Street, Long Acre. JDrtnrattcm TO SIR JAMES MACKINTOSH, AS A TESTIMONY OF, AS WELL THOSE SPLENDID TALENTS WHICH ADORN THE LITERATURE OF ENGLAND, THAT ELOQUENCE WHICH ILLUMINES THE BRITISH SENATE, AND IS BRIGHTLY REFLECTED ACROSS THE ATLANTIC, AS OF * THAT SUBLIME EXPANSION OF MIND, WHICH COMPREHENDS AND FULLY APPRECIATES THE FUTURE DESTINIES OF AMERICA, BOTH OF THE NORTH AND OF THE SOUTH, Œfirse Volumes are uiBcrifccIr bs THE AUTHOR.

Preface

. A common complaint is, the want of infor mation on the subject of South America, but the meaning of all who make it, is not precisely the same. By far the greater number, having given but little attention to the geo graphy and history of that vast continent, seem to think that the deficiency lies in the stock of information already accumulated. This, however, is a mistake ; for the works already published, ancient and modern, are sufficient to occupy years of study. The writings of Robertson, and Raynal, are to be procured almost every where ; although the works of Herrera, Garcilasso, Oveido, and others, are extremely rare, yet, they have furnished materials for numerous com pilers. In times comparatively modern, the writings of Ulloa, Humboldt, Depons, Mo lina, and Azara, contain a fund of informa-

PREFACE.

. tion with respect to the geography, statistics, and history of New Spain, Venezuela, Peru, Chili, and La Plata. Without naming any others, it would require at least six months to become master of all the information laboriously collected by these authors. It is not then altogether the deficiency in the stock of information possessed by the public, which furnishes a just cause of com plaint ; the fault must, in some measure, be attributed to those who complain, for not availing: themselves of what is within their reach. The study of South American affairs, has not yet become fashionable ; persons who possess the most minute acquaintance with the different countries of Europe, have scarcely given themselves the trouble to become familiar with the mere geographical outlines of our great southern continent.

To what cause are we to attribute this want of curiosity, with respect to the most im portant portion of the globe ? The works on South America, it is true, are many of them voluminous, but there is no want of abridgements and compilations. Thompson's Alcedo, Walton on the Colonies, Wilcox's Buenos Ayres, and Bonnycastle's South America, can, without difficulty, be procured

PREFACE.

. IX by those who are desirous of obtaining a general acquaintance with the subject. I was more surprised at the number of excel lent works on South America, than at the deficiency, although the field, far from being exhausted, each day acquires new interest. There are some, whose complaints of want of information are much more limited ; they mean that there is no satisfactory account of the actual state of the different countries of South America, or of the nature and conse quences of the dreadful wars, which, for the last ten years, have crimsoned its soil. Of the justice of this complaint, there can be no doubt. The simple perusal of the small volume entitled, an " Outline of the Revo lutions in South America," will satisfy any one how much curious and interesting infor mation may be given.

The reports of the commissioners sent out by the United States, at the same time that they add greatly to what has already been obtained, show how much is yet to be known ; and even these, although very generally perused, have been studied by few. Why then, it will be asked, do I swell the pile of unappropriated, ne glected information, by the addition of two octavo volumes ? X

PREFACE.

. It is certainly not with the vain hope, of being able to give a full and satisfactory account of all things worth knowing, in relation to one half of the habitable world. Who is there that will be found so adventurous, as to attempt the explanation of all things relating to the geography, soils, sciences, and institutions of Europe, in the compass of two small volumes? Or, what should we think of one who should attempt, in the same limits, to give a full and satisfactory account of these states ? Such a work, however excellent, would necessarily imply much previous information in the reader, or at least much subsequent study. I hope, therefore, the reader will not condemn me for havin<r *****> disappointed him in what he had no right to expect. I do not propose to give an epitome of every thing worthy to be known in the new world ; an account of its topography, rivers, provinces, towns, savages, civil and political history, or the various incidents of the present revolution, on twenty different sanguinary theatres of war. 1 have undertaken to give a narrative of a voyage of nearly twenty thousand miles, with all that 1 saw and heard, or could collect from authentic sources, at the places where I touched.

PREFACE.

. considered it necessary to read much, and with care, in order to direct my attention to proper objects of observation, and to avoid mistaking crudities for new discoveries. Few can tell, how many volumes the traveller, who is anxious to discharge his task with fidelity, must pore over, before he can ven ture to write down a few lines. What is wanted at present, is not so much a work embracing: the necessary information on the subject of South America generally, as one that should create a desire to be in formed. I feel but too well my incapacity for the discharge of such a task. I neither pos sess that grace and fascination of style, which give interest to every subject, nor the literary reputation that can add importance to whatever I may write. My ambition extends no further than to make a fair and honest statement ofthe facts that have come within my knowledge, together with the inferences I have drawn from them. 1 affect no humility, for the purpose of disarming criticism ; I ask neither more nor less than the mea sure of justice, to which others are entitled. To the American public, to whom / make my report, I address myself with confidence,

PREFACE.

. fully convinced that its sentence will be just, even if against me. During a residence of four or five years in Louisiana, part of the time as one of the judges of the state, I had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the Spanish character, laws, and government. I applied myself a good deal to Spanish literature, having previously acquired a knowledge of the Spanish language as well as of the French ; and living on the borders of New Spain, I had an opportunity of forming an acquaintance with several intelligent natives of that country, who contributed much to remove the prejudices, which, in common with many of my countrymen, I had formed against every thing Spanish, whether European or American. My feelings were thus at an early period enlisted on the cause of South American emancipation ; but I felt no other interest than this : I was never either directly or indirectly connected with the fortunes of any ofthe chieftains, or other persons, actually engaged in the patriot cause. I wished well to those who directed the affairs of the patriots, and judged of them chiefly by their suc cess, for I knew that any other mode, at

PREFACE.

. XIII this distance from the scene of action, could not be much relied on. If, by any fatality, I should have been enlisted in the private views and interests, of any of these chiefs, I would honestly avow myself a partisan^ and leave to others to judge, whether my testimony could be impartial. I have uniformly condemned the whole scheme of privateer ing in the name of the patriot governments, especially of those that have neither ships, seamen, nor even ports of their own. I con sider it as an abominable abuse, calculated to bring the patriot cause into disrepute with good men, tending to demoralize our mariners, and to gratify a thirst for plunder, in many who care for little else. The sphere of my personal observations, I own was extremely limited ; the reader must judge whether my opportunities were ne glected.

It is not by remaining a few months in a strange city, or running full speed over uninhabited plains, that much profound knowledge is to be obtained; such a tra veller can only speak with confidence of the mere surface of things ; he can see but little, and must take his accounts from the few whom accident, or their own officious ness, throws in his way. It is true the tra-

PREFACE.

. veller may interrogate those who are well acquainted with the different parts of the country, but he must do this skilfully, and receive with caution every thing he hears. " Do, sir, write me down what you have just stated," is the usual request of inexperienced travellers ; on their return, should they publish, their works are chiefly made up of these indigested scraps. I carefully sought out persons who had been in different parts of South America, and endeavoured to extract from them all the information I could ; at the same time I carefully cultivated the acquaintance of individuals in all classes of society, the military, the clergy, the bar, and the officers of government ; my situation as secretary affording many facilities without the trammels of ceremony and formality, that would have been imposed on me by appearing in a different capacity.

Some men profess to be in search of truth, while they believe they have already found it ; others set out with theoretic frames, to which every thing must conform,^ar aut impar, and are as sensitive in their favourite notions as the horns of a snail; but I know that we must be often wrong before we can be right.

PREFACE.

. XV It is justly observed by a celebrated philoso pher, that the simplest ideas are those which suggest themselves last ; first thoughts in matters of right and wrong are probably the best, but not so in human science and knowledge. Almost from the first moment of my arrival at Buenos Ayres, I diligently sought after every printed paper, no matter of how little apparent value, knowing that in coun tries struggling for political life, every thing from the press should be examined, in order to discover whether it bears the harsh stamp of despotism, or breathes the fragrant breath of liberty. I had the good fortune to make an extensive collection of pamphlets, files of newspapers, and political tracts ; with the help of these, and the histories of Greece, of Italy, of Switzerland, of Holland, and even of the United States, I have ventured, though not without hesitation, to risk some observa tions on their political transactions.

I have been politely favoured with the perusal of the papers of commodore Sin clair, and have taken the liberty of occasionally interweaving some of his observations, in the narrative of the voyage.

PREFACE.

I have employed myself at different times in translating interesting documents, and state papers, of the South American governments, and intended to have inserted them in the Appendix, but it will not be possible to find room for more than two or three. I could have desired the insertion of the provisional constitution, translated with great accuracy by Mr. Read, a gentleman of fine taste and acquirements. I have inserted a translation of the manifesto of independence of La Plata ; the substance of that of Chilis may be seen in the documents appended to the report of Mr. Bland ; but from its preserving the Spanish idiom, I should judge the translation to have been executed by a Spaniard ; it is, therefore, not surprising that it should seem to be rather a tame production. The English reader, for instance, would mistake the following sentence for a syllogism : " We want — we can — then we ought to be free."

But in the original it is nothing more than a bold apostrophe. " We resolve — we are able to be free — then we shall be free." It is a common sentiment that nothing more is necessary for a people to be free, than to will it— but if, in addition,

PREFACE.

. XVII they exceed their oppressors in physical strength, they may be said " to hold a bond of fate." " By oppression's woes and pains ! By your sons in senile chains ! We will drain our dearest veins, But they shall be free ."* — Burns. I cannot flatter myself with the hope that these volumes are free from errors in point of fact arid inference — there must necessarily be riiany, and I hope they will be cor rected by those who possess better informa tion. My ambition will be gratified, if my work shall be found to aid in producing a spirit of inquiry. The fact that we pay too little attention to South America, ought to be repeated again and again, until we shall be roused from our state of apathy. On the part of the United States, as well as of Great Britain, it would be inexcusable to be inat tentive to what is goirig forward, in that quarter of the world.

They are capable of defending themselves, of governing them selves, and of being free, in spite of all that maybe said by narrow minded self-sufficient men. They expect friendship and good will from us, and have a right to expect it. If we cannot speak favourably of them, b

PREFACE.

. at least we ought not studiously to display, what we conceive to be their foibles and faults. What people more sensitive than we, to the slanders of such men as Weld or Ashe, and yet we sometimes venture sneers and ill-natured taunts against people who believe they are following our glorious example ! These are regarded by them as " the unkindest cuts of all." They are keenly and deeply felt by the patriots of the South, and I fear they have produced disgust that will not easily be removed ; but I will venture to say to them, in the name of my country, and the government of my country, that such sentiments are dis claimed BY BOTH. To the many inaccuracies, and inelenan cies of composition, I plead guilty, and sub mit to the sentence of the public, allea-ing in mitigation, that authorship in this country is not a profession, that it has been engaged in by me at the expense of the occupation by which I must earn my bread. I have had no time to polish and correct • having been obliged, in general, to keep pace with the printer. CONTENTS. VOLUME I. Page Preface vii

Appendix

. Documents referred to in the president's message at the commencement of the second session of the fifteenth congress Mr. Rodney to the Secretary of State, 1 Mr. Graham to the Secretary of State,

INTRODUCTION.

. Importance of Spanish America — Remarks on the Population — State of Learning and Information — Spanish Colonial Government and Policy — System of Finance — Commercial Policy — Obstacles to the Revolution. X erhaps no sovereigns ever possessed an empire of such vast extent and importance, as that of the kings of Spain in America. The South American continent alone, when considered with relation to its capacities and future destinies, is probably equal to all the rest of the habitable globe. Its geographical surface is less, indeed, than that of Africa, but when we consider how small a part of that continent is capable of sustaining human life, how bad its climate, and how deficient in rivers, the veins and arteries of the earth, it sinks in the scale far below the new world. Of Europe, much is given up to excessive cold ; and of Asia, immense portions are barren and uninhabitable.

Internal seas, lakes, and marshes, occupy a much greater proportion than in New Spain, or South America. The steppes, or grassy plains of Asia, are of much greater extent than those of the American continent. The plains of New Spain are better supplied with water, and consequently more fertile ; the pampas of La Plata, it is true, wear a more unpromising appearance; but I am inclined to think, Vol. i. B

INTRODUCTION.

. that when they shall become more perfectly known, they will be found deserving of a better character. They have advantages of climate and soil, which place them far above the immense steppes in the north of Asia. But that part of South America, by some called Amazonia, (from the wonderful river by which it is watered, with its numerous branches, indicating the fecundity of the soil they traverse), has nothing equalling it in any other quarter of tbe world. The imagination is lost in con templating the future destiny of this immense region, still inhabited by hundreds of unknown tribes, and where the labour and enterprize of civilized man, will have full scope for thousands of years. I. The countries watered by the Amazon, the Parana, the great rivers of Brazil, the Rio Negro of Patagonia, and by the Oronoko, may be regarded as still in a state of nature.

In North America, the interior of Guatimala is yet scarcely known. Honduras, and Yukatan, may be considered as uninhabited forests. The seats of civilization in South America, are but specks on its vast surface ; and even these, (with the exception of a few districts), scarcely contain a hundredth part of tho population they are able to support. The whole South American population has been estimated at nineteen millions ; it probably does not exceed that of the island of Great Britain ; while the mildness of the American climate, and the fertility of its soil, are such, as to enable ten times the number of people to subsist, on a given space of the same extent. An estimate of the capacity of South America for the subsistence of population, would fill any one with amazement who has not reflected on the subject. It would not be hazardous to assert, that if all the inhabitants of Europe and Asia could be transported to the new world, its fruitful bosom

INTRODUCTION.

. 3 could furnish subsistence for them all. The whole of the Spanish possessions may be said to enjoy a temperate climate ; lying between thirty-eight degrees north, and fifty-four degrees south, they never experience extreme cold ; and between the tropics, even under the equator, the heats are not greater than in some of the temperate climates of Europe.* The position of South America as relates to the United States, to Europe, Africa, and Asia, holds out the most singular advantages for commerce. When the commerce of the east comes to receive that direction which seems to be pointed out by nature, through the Carribean sea and the gulf of Mexico, America will then be the acknowledged centre of the earth. There are scarcely any of the vegetable, or animal productions of the other parts of the world, which may not be easily naturalized here, not to speak of a variety found no where else.

Of the precious metals, America may be considered the treasury of all civilized nations ;f and, therefore, as possessing the power to regulate their activity and enterprize. In spices, gums, and in articles useful in the materia medica, she equals, if not sur- * The climate of Rio Janeiro bas been compared by an English writer to that of Naples. During the time we were in South America, we experienced at no time so great a degree of heat, as that which we felt in the month of July, near Norfolk, on our return. f The quantity of gold and silver annually sent by the new con tinent into Europe, amounts to more than nine-tenths of the pro duce, of the whole mines in the known world. The Spanish colonies, for example, furnish annually three millions and a half marks of silver, (2,370,046 troy weight), white in the Whole ofthe European states, including Asiatic Russia, the total annual produce of the mines scarcely exceeds three hundred thousand marks, (230,130 pounds troy.) B2

INTRODUCTION.

. 4 passes, the East Indies. Possibly, the time may come, when the attraction which has so long drawn the nations of Europe to China and Hindostan, will be much dimi nished. In time, almost every thing that the earth can produce, will be found in America. All the commercial nations of Europe, have mani fested at different periods, a desire to obtain a foot hold in South America. The attempts of the Dutch to wrest the Brazils from the Portuguese, gave rise to one of the most bloody wars ever known on this side of the Atlantic. The English never for a moment, re linquished their designs on the new world. Although in a great measure, masters of its commerce, they were also ambitious of being masters of its soil. Scarcely any part of South America, has escaped the daring enterprize of this nation.

Their capture of Carthagena, and of Cuba, the possession of which they afterwards resigned, and their subsequent attempts on La Plata, are well known. England in every mode has occasioned the greatest annoyance to Spain of any other nation; she was almost the only one from whom she had any thing to fear; and but for the extraordinary occurrence which converted these natural enemies into allies, there is no telling how far England would have taken advantage of the decrepitude of the Spa nish monarchy. It is probable, however, that in stead of open attempts at conquest, she would have resorted to the arts of seduction to withdraw the Americans from allegiance to Spain, holding out to them a feigned guardianship and protection.* However this may be, the only possessions of Great Britain at pre- * I allude to the proclamation of Picton, and the other plaus on foot in 1797.

INTRODUCTION.

. 5 sent on the southern continent, are those of Esequibo and Demerara, inconsiderable colonies near the equator, taken from the Dutch. The French and Dutch colonies of Guyana, are comparatively of little importance. South America may therefore be considered as divided between Spain and Portugal ; the former including the provinces which have gained, or are struggling for independence. Spanish America is distributed into four viceroyalties; New Spain, New Grenada, Peru, and Rio de la Plata; and into the captain-generalships of Yukatan, Guatimala, Venezuela, Chili and Cuba. The islands belonging to, or claimed by Spain, are Cuba, Porto- Rico, Margarita, and St. Andrews. In the Pacific, she possesses the Archipelago of Chiloe, and the island of Juan Fernandez, with some others on the coast of Chili.

With the exception of Peru, (some times called Lima from its capital), all Spanish Ame rica has been the theatre of revolutionary struggles, or is now actually in possession of the patriots. The viceroyalty of Grenada, a territory more extensive than our old thirteen states, was for several years the scene of a bloody contest for independence. The in cidents of this contest in the provinces of Carthagena, Santa Martha, Choco, Popayan, and Quito, are fami liar to most readers.* The blaze has subsided, but the fire is not yet extinguished, nor will be, until there cease to be any combustible materials. The incidents of the wrar in Venezuela, are also tolerably well known ; but, excepting in the island of Margarita, the contest still rages. On the plains of Calabozo and • See " The Outline of the Revolution in South America," a work written with great impartiality and regard to truth. B3

INTRODUCTION.

. 6 Caraccas, the bloody and exterminating war, it is feared, will not soon be brought to a close. It is only in the viceroyalty of La Plata, that the progress of in dependence has been firm and sure. It is true, this mighty cause has been desperately contested in the rugged mountains of the provinces on the heads of thc Paraguay and Amazon; the theatre on which La Plata has been struggling for liberty with various success for the last eight years. Chili in close alliance with this republic, may bid defiance to Spain : without this, if we may judge from thc past, the question is doubt ful. The only viceroyalty of South America, which has remained quiet from the beginning of the contest, is Peru ; the most feeble, and with the exception of its mineral wealth, the least important of them all.* This was the point first seized upon by Pizarro, and his daring followers ; it was, therefore, the seat of govern ment for all the rest of South America, on their successive discovery and conquest.

From the reluctance of Spain in the adoption of any new measures called for by the exigence of circumstances, the inconve nience of this arrangement was felt long before the remedy could be applied. Some of the provinces lay two thousand miles from Lima, the residence of the viceroy; and being separated by trackless deserts, • It contains about a million of inhabitants, more than one half composed of the spiritless Indian peasantry ; of the other half thc greater part is made up of negroes and mulattoes. Scarcely a fifth are whites, and the number of monks and nuns is greater than in any other catholic country in the world, and may account for the slow progress of population and the dissoluteness of morals. The staple manufactory of Peru, is priests; and of them, a sufficient number is made to supply all South America.

INTRODUCTION.

. 7 the greatest inconvenience was experienced, from the want of communication with the capital. It was not until 1718, that New Grenada was erected into a viceroyalty, nor until 1731 that the provinces of Vene zuela were placed under a separate government. Chili was erected into a captain-generalship about the same time. In the year 1778, La Plata was erected into a viceroyalty, together with the upper provinces of Peru, which have already been spoken of as the theatre of war; and which, in point of wealth, and numerical population, constitute by far the most important portion of the viceroyalty.* In the physical configuration of America, there are many interesting peculiarities. The great traveller, Humboldt, has exhibited the principal of these, in the works already published by him ; in those which he is still preparing for the press, the magnificent outline will be filled up.

The most striking features of the new world, constituting the principal difference be tween it and the other quarters of the globe, are its mountains and rivers. The chain of the Andes, is undoubtedly the longest in the world, traversing both North and South America, and in some points, (unless we except the mountains of Thibet), the most elevated. Beyond the Isthmus these mountains separate, and traverse the continent in three distinct chains or ridges. The first is the Cordilleras, which runs along the Pacific, and is in fact a continuation of the rocky mountains of North America. The second is the chain which branches from the Cordillera in the pro vince of Quito, passes through New Grenada towards • See the report of Mr. Rodney, for a clear and Succinct notice of the establishment of the different colonial governments.

INTRODUCTION.

. 8 the Atlantic, and pursuing a course nearly parallel, is interrupted by the Oronoko, reappears in Guyana, and approaches the Amazon, when it is in like man ner broken by the immense valley of this river. It afterwards shews itself in Brazil, traversing it in the whole extent, again subsiding in the highlands of Maldonado, near La Plata. The third chain, called the Eastern Cordillera of Peru, runs towards the tro pic, whence it takes an inclined direction, and termi nates in the south cast, in the plains of the Grand Chaco. There are besides, a number of interior chains, particularly those which separate the valleys of the great rivers of Brazil. From the eastern ridges, there is a gradual slope to the interior, while on the coast their ascent is abrupt and steep. Their elevation is considerably less than the Cordillera or Andes, and they are more irregular and broken.

The vast track of country which stretches along the heads of the Amazon and La Plata, upwards of three thou sand miles in length, and probably more than three hundred in breadth, is one of the most rugged and mountainous on the globe ; it is a continued succes sion of deep vallies, of various dimensions, enclosed by mountains whose summits, in general, are covered with perpetual snows. In the northern part, there are plains of such elevation as to afford all the advantages of the most temperate and delightful climates ; to the south, thc vallies are in general lower, and although extremely fertile, are more hot. The land communication from one valley to another, is exceedingly difficult ; which is not the case with the water communication, although circuitous. The difficulties of passing the mountains which separate these vallies, as related to us by travellers, seem almost to border upon the marvellous. If Johnson had been

INTRODUCTION.

. 9 acquainted with this country, it would have been unnecessary for him, in his beautiful story of Rasselas, to have had recourse to invention. In tracing the minute descriptions of Sobreviela, and the difficulties of passing from one valley into another, I often thought of the prison of the prince of Abyssinia. Although the mountains of Brazil are not so elevated as the Andes, they are much more so than the Alleghanies ; and their ridges abound in mineral wealth. The coast of the Atlantic differs, in several very im portant particulars, from that of the Pacific. Being in general bold and rocky, and having the estuaries of the great rivers, it affords a number of the finest harbors in the world. The coast of Brazil especially, a length of three thousand miles, is highly favored in this particular.