Buenos Ayres
May 8 1834
My dear Sir—
I have delayed writing to you to the present period in order to give you as much News
as possible from this side of the Andes I duly recd. your favour
of the 30 March from the Falklands; which served to corroborate without details
an unfortunate affair of which we had had several vague reports via Rio some days
previous: Accounts recd from a settler called Helsby who left the
Falklands in the Challenger are all the particulars we have received; This affair is
classed here in its true light and is not considered of any political tendency: This ill
fated province is destined never to be quiet. 'Ere this leaves it is very probable that
our present Government will have left office they have already tendered their
resignations; they are not liked by the Restauradores or those Gentlemen who detained
you on your route from Santa fe when you were last here— Rosas has returned
from his glorious campaign and is now at the Monte; not having as yet made his
entrée into the City: 3500 Indians have been put hors de combat
according to his official accounts and an immense quantity of ground good & bad
obtained in exchange for an Expenditure of 9 million of our
``Volatiles''—
I observe what you say respecting the Bones: By the brig ``Basenthwaite'' Mitchinson
Martin for Liverpool I forwarded the Bones and Specimens recd. from
Mr. Keen carefully packed and addressed to the Revd.
Professor Henslow to whom I also forwarded bill of lading with your Letter & a
few lines added by myself: and I shall forward a duplicate by the Packet— I
expect when Mr Hooker returns from his Estate,
which will be shortly, that he will bring down a good collection, which shall be duly
forwarded: I preferred sending the case by a Merchant Vessel to your plan of forwarding
to Rio the expense is only 10/-- for freight which will be paid in England. If I should
not have intruded my services on the Revd. Professor I would have
requested my Agent at Liverpool to forward the Case; but I concluded he would have some
friend to whose care he would recommend it: I am very glad that the Bahia Blanca relics
have pleased your friends at home and as you appear so anxious for the safety of the
head I think you will applaud my plan of forwarding by a Merchant Vessel instead of the
Men of War via Rio where in transhipment it might probably be lost.
Our new Minister has not yet arrived; The Sparrow hawk Brig was spoken a few days ago
to the northwest of Rio; he is reported to be on board this Vessel and will probably
soon make his appearance; Mr Gore is quite tired of us I seldom see him
in the Streets now; I formerly saw daily when making faces at the Wife of an English
[Trainer] here but not being successful I think he has taken a
dislike to our Neighbourhood— Mr Griffiths you will know is as
though he did not exist for the majority of his Countrymen now we seldom hear any thing
of him he is quite secluded— General Quiroga from the
Interior of whose exploits I presume you must have heard is at present here; with the
money he brought down with him he has purchased One Million and a half of our new
created Six per cents he is very rich and goes about here with a poncho wrapped round
him— If you have not heard of him enquire his character in Chile—
The last accounts from England are not interesting— Portugal and Spain were
getting worse; The revolt of the Carlists in Spain was not put down altho' several say
many battles had been fought in difft. parts of the Country: a
number of Friars had been executed and others were in the field with pistols at their
Belts & Cartridge Boxes on their shoulders: The English and French Squadrons in
the Mediterranean had been recalled Russia having giving satisfactory accounts of her
Views towards Turkey— An immense number of shipping had been lost on the
coasts of England & France in the months of December & January last by a
series of westerly Gales— A famine raged in some parts of Russia which caused
great distress— You must not forget to write me and if I can be of any service
to command me: When Hooker comes down I shall forward the bones; and I have charged
Mr. Keen to procure any that he may hear of and I continually make
enquiries myself it is therefore probable I may send some which may prove
interesting— [Zurillos] has been down here and promised to
procure me some from the Carcaraņa—
As we are never to be perfectly settled here; a few fellows came into the town on the
29th. ultim & fired several Shots into the house of
the Canonized Vidal who if you recollect during Balcarces administration went to Santa fe to persuade Lopez to come down with an Army to this province— They also fired into the
house of the Minister Garcia and killed a poor fellow who
happened to enquire what they were about; the town was in great alarm it was only 8
o.Clock when the affair happened— Rivadavia arrived on the 28th. ult. from
France but was ordered on board again 3 hours after landing in order to prevent
disturbance & the Government have consulted the Sala on the Subject—
He still remains in the Roads— Two or three Vessels have arrived at Montevideo
with Slaves or African colonists as they term them and on the representation of
Mr. Gore a vessel fitting out here has been detained— A Breed
of dromedaries has been introduced in the Banda Oriental from the Canary Islands; it is
supposed they will do well— Rivadavia has brought out a number of Mulberry
plants and Silk worms with the intention of propagating the breed in this
country— This Gentleman says he has been accused of attempting to monarchize
the Republics of S. America and untill he is either found guilty or acquitted
he will not leave the Country;— There have been a many discussions in the
public prints relative to the unconstitucional proceeding of the Government in ordering
him to leave the Country—
There have been many failures in America lately owing to the Removal of the Bank
deposits belonging to the Govt. and many angry discussions have
taken place in the Senate & Congress on the subject: The presidents
determination has caused a great deal of mercantile distress and this will in the end
seriously affect the Yankee community at large— The Indians vanquished by
Rosas at all points have lately made their appearance on the frontiers of Cordova
& San Luis & have made terrible havoc so that they are not so completely
destroyed as some anticipated— You must excuse this—heterogeneous
mass of stuff which I hope will prove amusing; let me hear from you when convenient and
with best wishes for your success & happiness, and kind remembrances from
Mrs L and family believe me | My dear Sir | Yours very truly | Edward
Lumb
P.S. To whom did you pay my little a/c at Montevideo
J. G[illeg] has not [illeg] to me for it— L
Pray remember me kindly to Chaffers, & all enquiring. Lumb
