InourcoursedowntheParana，Iobservedonlythreeotherbirds，whosehabitsareworthmentioning。OneisasmallkingfisherCeryleAmericana；
　　ithasalongertailthantheEuropeanspecies，andhencedoesnotsitinsostiffanduprightaposition。Itsflightalso，insteadofbeingdirectandrapid，likethecourseofanarrow，isweakandundulatory，asamongthesoft-billedbirds。Ituttersalownote，liketheclickingtogetheroftwosmallstones。AsmallgreenparrotConurusmurinus，withagreybreast，appearstopreferthetalltreesontheislandstoanyothersituationforitsbuilding-place。Anumberofnestsareplacedsoclosetogetherastoformonegreatmassofsticks。Theseparrotsalwaysliveinflocks，andcommitgreatravagesonthecorn-fields。Iwastold，thatnearColonia2500werekilledinthecourseofoneyear。Abirdwithaforkedtail，terminatedbytwolongfeathersTyrannussavana，andnamedbytheSpaniardsscissor-tail，isverycommonnearBuenosAyres：itcommonlysitsonabranchofthe_ombu_tree，nearahouse，andthencetakesashortflightinpursuitofinsects，andreturnstothesamespot。Whenonthewingitpresentsinitsmannerofflightandgeneralappearanceacaricature-likenessofthecommonswallow。Ithasthepowerofturningveryshortlyintheair，andinsodoingopensandshutsitstail，sometimesinahorizontalorlateralandsometimesinaverticaldirection，justlikeapairofscissors。
　　October16th——SomeleaguesbelowRozario，thewesternshoreoftheParanaisboundedbyperpendicularcliffs，whichextendinalonglinetobelowSanNicolas；henceitmoreresemblesasea-coastthanthatofafresh-waterriver。ItisagreatdrawbacktothesceneryoftheParana，that，fromthesoftnatureofitsbanks，thewaterisverymuddy。TheUruguay，flowingthroughagraniticcountry，ismuchclearer；andwherethetwochannelsuniteattheheadofthePlata，thewatersmayforalongdistancebedistinguishedbytheirblackandredcolours。Intheevening，thewindbeingnotquitefair，asusualweimmediatelymoored，andthenextday，asitblewratherfreshly，thoughwithafavouringcurrent，themasterwasmuchtooindolenttothinkofstarting。AtBajada，hewasdescribedtomeas“hombremuyaflicto“——amanalwaysmiserabletogeton；butcertainlyheborealldelayswithadmirableresignation。HewasanoldSpaniard，andhadbeenmanyyearsinthiscountry。HeprofessedagreatlikingtotheEnglish，butstoutlymaintainedthatthebattleofTrafalgarwasmerelywonbytheSpanishcaptainshavingbeenallboughtover；andthattheonlyreallygallantactiononeithersidewasperformedbytheSpanishadmiral。Itstruckmeasrathercharacteristic，thatthismanshouldpreferhiscountrymenbeingthoughttheworstoftraitors，ratherthanunskilfulorcowardly。
　　18thand19th——Wecontinuedslowlytosaildownthenoblestream：
　　thecurrenthelpedusbutlittle。Wemet，duringourdescent，veryfewvessels。Oneofthebestgiftsofnature，insograndachannelofcommunication，seemsherewilfullythrownaway——ariverinwhichshipsmightnavigatefromatemperatecountry，assurprisinglyabundantincertainproductionsasdestituteofothers，toanotherpossessingatropicalclimate，andasoilwhich，accordingtothebestofjudges，M。Bonpland，isperhapsunequalledinfertilityinanypartoftheworld。HowdifferentwouldhavebeentheaspectofthisriverifEnglishcolonistshadbygoodfortunefirstsailedupthePlata！Whatnobletownswouldnowhaveoccupieditsshores！TillthedeathofFrancia，theDictatorofParaguay，thesetwocountriesmustremaindistinct，asifplacedonoppositesidesoftheglobe。Andwhentheoldbloody-mindedtyrantisgonetohislongaccount，Paraguaywillbetornbyrevolutions，violentinproportiontothepreviousunnaturalcalm。Thatcountrywillhavetolearn，likeeveryotherSouthAmericanstate，thatarepubliccannotsucceedtillitcontainsacertainbodyofmenimbuedwiththeprinciplesofjusticeandhonour。
　　October20th——BeingarrivedatthemouthoftheParana，andasI
　　wasveryanxioustoreachBuenosAyres，IwentonshoreatLasConchas，withtheintentionofridingthere。Uponlanding，IfoundtomygreatsurprisethatIwastoacertaindegreeaprisoner。Aviolentrevolutionhavingbrokenout，alltheportswerelaidunderanembargo。Icouldnotreturntomyvessel，andasforgoingbylandtothecity，itwasoutofthequestion。
　　Afteralongconversationwiththecommandant，IobtainedpermissiontogothenextdaytoGeneralRolor，whocommandedadivisionoftherebelsonthissidethecapital。InthemorningIrodetotheencampment。Thegeneral，officers，andsoldiers，allappeared，andIbelievereallywere，greatvillains。Thegeneral，theveryeveningbeforeheleftthecity，voluntarilywenttotheGovernor，andwithhishandtohisheart，pledgedhiswordofhonourthatheatleastwouldremainfaithfultothelast。
　　Thegeneraltoldmethatthecitywasinastateofcloseblockade，andthatallhecoulddowastogivemeapassporttothecommander-in-chiefoftherebelsatQuilmes。Wehadthereforetotakeagreatsweeproundthecity，anditwaswithmuchdifficultythatweprocuredhorses。Myreceptionattheencampmentwasquitecivil，butIwastolditwasimpossiblethatIcouldbeallowedtoenterthecity。Iwasveryanxiousaboutthis，asIanticipatedtheBeagle’sdeparturefromtheRioPlataearlierthanittookplace。Havingmentioned，however，GeneralRosas’sobligingkindnesstomewhenattheColorado，magicitselfcouldnothavealteredcircumstancesquickerthandidthisconversation。Iwasinstantlytoldthatthoughtheycouldnotgivemeapassport，ifIchosetoleavemyguideandhorses，Imightpasstheirsentinels。Iwastoogladtoacceptofthis，andanofficerwassentwithmetogivedirectionsthatIshouldnotbestoppedatthebridge。Theroadforthespaceofaleaguewasquitedeserted。I
　　metonepartyofsoldiers，whoweresatisfiedbygravelylookingatanoldpassport：andatlengthIwasnotalittlepleasedtofindmyselfwithinthecity。
　　Thisrevolutionwassupportedbyscarcelyanypretextofgrievances：
　　butinastatewhich，inthecourseofninemonthsfromFebruarytoOctober，1820，underwentfifteenchangesinitsgovernment——eachgovernor，accordingtotheconstitution，beingelectedforthreeyears——itwouldbeveryunreasonabletoaskforpretexts。Inthiscase，apartyofmen——who，beingattachedtoRosas，weredisgustedwiththegovernorBalcarce——tothenumberofseventyleftthecity，andwiththecryofRosasthewholecountrytookarms。Thecitywasthenblockaded，noprovisions，cattleorhorses，wereallowedtoenter；besidesthis，therewasonlyalittleskirmishing，andafewmendailykilled。Theoutsidepartywellknewthatbystoppingthesupplyofmeattheywouldcertainlybevictorious。GeneralRosascouldnothaveknownofthisrising；butitappearstobequiteconsonantwiththeplansofhisparty。Ayearagohewaselectedgovernor，butherefusedit，unlesstheSalawouldalsoconferonhimextraordinarypowers。Thiswasrefused，andsincethenhispartyhaveshownthatnoothergovernorcankeephisplace。ThewarfareonbothsideswasavowedlyprotractedtillitwaspossibletohearfromRosas。AnotearrivedafewdaysafterIleftBuenosAyres，whichstatedthattheGeneraldisapprovedofpeacehavingbeenbroken，butthathethoughttheoutsidepartyhadjusticeontheirside。Onthebarereceptionofthis，theGovernor，ministers，andpartofthemilitary，tothenumberofsomehundreds，fledfromthecity。Therebelsentered，electedanewgovernor，andwerepaidfortheirservicestothenumberof5500men。Fromtheseproceedings，itwasclearthatRosasultimatelywouldbecomethedictator：tothetermking，thepeopleinthis，asinotherrepublics，haveaparticulardislike。SinceleavingSouthAmerica，wehaveheardthatRosashasbeenelected，withpowersandforatimealtogetheropposedtotheconstitutionalprinciplesoftherepublic。[1]ThebizcachaLagostomustrichodactylussomewhatresemblesalargerabbit，butwithbiggergnawingteethandalongtail；
　　ithas，however，onlythreetoesbehind，liketheagouti。DuringthelastthreeorfouryearstheskinsoftheseanimalshavebeensenttoEnglandforthesakeofthefur。
　　JournalofAsiaticSoc。，vol。v。p。363。
　　IneedhardlystateherethatthereisgoodevidenceagainstanyhorselivinginAmericaatthetimeofColumbus。Cuvier。OssemensFossils，tom。i。p。
　　ThisisthegeographicaldivisionfollowedbyLichtenstein，Swainson，Erichson，andRichardson。ThesectionfromVeraCruztoAcapulco，givenbyHumboldtinthePolit。EssayonKingdomofN。
　　SpainwillshowhowimmenseabarriertheMexicantable-landforms。Dr。
　　Richardson，inhisadmirableReportontheZoologyofN。AmericareadbeforetheBrit。Assoc。1836p。157，talkingoftheidentificationofaMexicananimalwiththeSynetheresprehensilis，says，“Wedonotknowwithwhatpropriety，butifcorrect，itis，ifnotasolitaryinstance，atleastverynearlyso，ofarodentanimalbeingcommontoNorthandSouthAmerica。”
　　[6]SeeDr。Richardson’sReport，p。157；alsoL’Institut，1837，p。253。CuviersaysthekinkajouisfoundinthelargerAntilles，butthisisdoubtful。M。GervaisstatesthattheDidelphiscrancrivoraisfoundthere。ItiscertainthattheWestIndiespossesssomemammiferspeculiartothemselves。AtoothofamastadonhasbeenbroughtfromBahama；
　　Edin。NewPhil。Journ。，1826，p。395。
　　SeetheadmirableAppendixbyDr。BucklandtoBeechey’sVoyage；alsothewritingsofChamissoinKotzebue’sVoyage。
　　InCaptainOwen’sSurveyingVoyagevol。ii。
　　p。274thereisacuriousaccountoftheeffectsofadroughtontheelephants，atBenguelawestcoastofAfrica。“Anumberoftheseanimalshadsometimesinceenteredthetown，inabody，topossessthemselvesofthewells，notbeingabletoprocureanywaterinthecountry。Theinhabitantsmustered，whenadesperateconflictensued，whichterminatedintheultimatediscomfitureoftheinvaders，butnotuntiltheyhadkilledoneman，andwoundedseveralothers。”Thetownissaidtohaveapopulationofnearlythreethousand！
　　Dr。Malcolmsoninformsmethat，duringagreatdroughtinIndia，thewildanimalsenteredthetentsofsometroopsatEllore，andthataharedrankoutofavesselheldbytheadjutantoftheregiment。
　　Thesedroughtstoacertaindegreeseemtobealmostperiodical；Iwastoldthedatesofseveralothers，andtheintervalswereaboutfifteenyears。PreviousChapterNextChapterTheVoyageoftheBeagle-Chapter8TheVoyageoftheBeaglebyCharlesDarwinPreviousChapterNextChapterChapter8-BandaOrientalandPatagoniaHAVINGbeendelayedfornearlyafortnightinthecity，IwasgladtoescapeonboardapacketboundforMonteVideo。Atowninastateofblockademustalwaysbeadisagreeableplaceofresidence；inthiscasemoreovertherewereconstantapprehensionsfromrobberswithin。Thesentinelsweretheworstofall；for，fromtheirofficeandfromhavingarmsintheirhands，theyrobbedwithadegreeofauthoritywhichothermencouldnotimitate。
　　Ourpassagewasaverylongandtediousone。ThePlatalookslikeanobleestuaryonthemap；butisintruthapooraffair。Awideexpanseofmuddywaterhasneithergrandeurnorbeauty。Atonetimeoftheday，thetwoshores，bothofwhichareextremelylow，couldjustbedistinguishedfromthedeck。OnarrivingatMonteVideoIfoundthattheBeaglewouldnotsailforsometime，soIpreparedforashortexcursioninthispartofBandaOriental。EverythingwhichIhavesaidaboutthecountrynearMaldonadoisapplicabletoMonteVideo；buttheland，withtheoneexceptionoftheGreenMount450feethigh，fromwhichittakesitsname，isfarmorelevel。Verylittleoftheundulatinggrassyplainisenclosed；butnearthetownthereareafewhedge-banks，coveredwithagaves，cacti，andfennel。
　　November14th——WeleftMonteVideointheafternoon。IintendedtoproceedtoColoniadelSacramiento，situatedonthenorthernbankofthePlataandoppositetoBuenosAyres，andthence，followinguptheUruguay，tothevillageofMercedesontheRioNegrooneofthemanyriversofthisnameinSouthAmerica，andfromthispointtoreturndirecttoMonteVideo。WesleptatthehouseofmyguideatCanelones。Inthemorningweroseearly，inthehopesofbeingabletorideagooddistance；butitwasavainattempt，foralltheriverswereflooded。WepassedinboatsthestreamsofCanelones，St。Lucia，andSanJose，andthuslostmuchtime。
　　OnaformerexcursionIcrossedtheLucianearitsmouth，andIwassurprisedtoobservehoweasilyourhorses，althoughnotusedtoswim，passedoverawidthofatleastsixhundredyards。OnmentioningthisatMonteVideo，Iwastoldthatavesselcontainingsomemountebanksandtheirhorses，beingwreckedinthePlata，onehorseswamsevenmilestotheshore。InthecourseofthedayIwasamusedbythedexteritywithwhichaGauchoforcedarestivehorsetoswimariver。Hestrippedoffhisclothes，andjumpingonitsback，rodeintothewatertillitwasoutofitsdepth；