COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO.

I VISITED Colonia del Sacramento for a short period. It lies east of Buenos Ayres, distant across the river thirty miles, and may sometimes be seen from the latter city: when this is the case, it denotes a change of weather to wind or rain.

Colonia is fortified both on the land and sea side: heavy guns are mounted on the lines, and it is capable of making a good defence. It is now in the possession of the Brazilian government. In December, 1821, during my abode there, it was occupied by the Portuguese, and 600 European troops constituted the garrison; they were all light infantry, and had served in the Peninsular war. I should suppose them a “crack regiment,” for in appearance they fully equalled British troops: the uniform, brown jackets with black facings, and caps similar to our’s. Most of the officers wore orders for services in Europe. The music consisted of bugle trumpets. Parade every morning: officers marched to their guard, colours trooped, and all the evolutions of the parade in St. James’s Park. On Sundays they mustered in their best uniform, governor attending, for church. I could not but express my admiration, at the fine order and discipline of the troops, to a Portuguese officer. He answered, that whatever improvement had taken place, was entirely owing to British example and instruction; that we had found them a mob, and transformed them to decent soldiers. It will be long ere Spain can put forth such troops.

The officers, in Colonia, were good-looking gentlemanly men, speaking a little French and English, picked up in campaigning. Many of them had married, and preferred remaining in the country, when the regiment was ordered away, turning farmers, cattle dealers, &c.

The governor (Rodriguez) is a veteran of the Peninsula. Strangers, upon their arrival, are introduced to him. I found him working in his garden, at a cottage, near the town: he received me with great civility. How strangely the Spanish and Portuguese character has been represented to us at home! I cannot discover that assumption of dignity and pride attributed to them; on the contrary, they are of very amiable manners.

In Colonia, the soldiers were much esteemed, and industrious men. A comparison with those of Buenos Ayres would be invidious.

The officers must have had a monotonous life, in so dull a place as Colonia. They were great favourites with the ladies; and, in riding about the country, visiting, and dancing, whiled away their spare time.

The soldiers were quartered in different houses: their behaviour reminded me of the domestic character of our troops; I observed them nursing children, and busily employed about the house, with nothing of that swaggering consequence so usual with foreign troops. The Duke of Wellington discovered and rightly appreciated their merits, which have brought such renown upon the military annals of Portugal.

The world are accustomed to speak very slightingly of the Portuguese character as a nation; and when the deeds in the Peninsula have been mentioned, it has been said, “they have fought well, because British bayonets were at their backs.” Those same British have done the Portuguese army the justice their bravery deserves; and the pitiful sneers of their calumniatos will fall harmless.

Our saucy sailors, too, in the plenitude of their impudence, must have their joke at the Portuguese: I remember, upon my first trip to sea, I was called from the cabin to look at a Portuguese man-of-war, which, they told me, had just hove in sight: I did look, but no vessel was to be seen. At last, the sailors pointed out to me a nautilus, with all sail set, skimming along the water which they asserted, was a Portuguese ship of the line.

Colonia has about 800 inhabitants. There are very few good houses: the greater part may be called huts, and are occupied by a mixture of South Americans, old Spaniards, Portuguese, and some half-dozen of Englishmen married to South-American ladies.

The governor’s house is a very ordinary building. The streets are irregular; and the town altogether presents a most miserable appearance.

The town cannot afford a tavern; there is only a paltry billiard-room, in a public house, to which the Portuguese officers resorted.

The inhabitants of Colonia are very hospitable. I attended a birth-day feast, at one of their quintas; forty persons sat down to a dinner of beef, fowls, turkey, pastry, &c. The wine went merrily round, under a continual call for bompas (bumpers); and after dinner, there was dancing. Some Portuguese officers were present, with their young Spanish wives.

At those dinner parties, they have a practice of throwing bits of bread at each other; and I felt some degree of surprise at first receiving those bread shots.

The captain of the port, Mr. Short, is an Englishman, belonging to the Portuguese navy, and is very attentive to his countrymen, whom business may call there: the same may be said of Mr. Bridgman, who has been many years resident in the town.

Colonia has but little trade. Small craft from Monte Video and Buenos Ayres, bound up the river to Paysan Lee, &c. and sometimes British and other vessels call in, to ship produce. A vessel can anchor within a quarter of a mile from the shore, in 3½ fathom water. The harbour is good, considering the bad anchorage of this river. There is a constant communication overland with Monte Video; the distance is about 150 miles. To load vessels of any burthen, craft are sent from Buenos Ayres. There is a dangerous reef near the harbour, on which a British brig (the Euxine) was wrecked, in March, 1824.

Our ships of war, stationed in the outer roads of Buenos Ayres, send their boats for brush-wood to the Island of St. Gabriel, near Colonia. The church is a conspicuous land-mark, and looks very much like an English country church, in its exterior; the interior has nothing of splendour to boast—no organ, or decorations; the service is confided to some poor old priests, who are fast approaching their earthly end.

If Colonia in itself has nothing attractive, the country around makes ample amends, being interspersed with small hills, dales, lakes, and agreeable rides—affording a fine field to the sportsman. The prospect of the river is uninterrupted, assuming the appearance of a perfect sea. Here is every facility for bathing: the water is clear and bracing. This side of the river, in point of scenery, is far beyond the Buenos Ayrean: an Englishman, however, regards it with almost equal indifference. If any particular view is pointed out, Sussex, Kent, Devonshire, crowd upon his thoughts; in comparison with which, the flat coast and few diminutive hills of this part of South America appear insignificant.

In the environs of Colonia are many comfortable quintas, or farm-houses. Provisions are dearer than in Buenos Ayres, and the beef is not so good.

In the neighbourhood are found the birds called cardinals, from having a tuft of feathers upon their heads shaped like a cardinal’s hat. Their plumage is pretty; and they sing. Care is required to convey them safe to Europe.

The air plant is a singular production of this place; it grows on bushes, and will thrive in the open air, without the aid of mould.

I think it possible, a few years hence, that Colonia may start from its present inferiority, and take a station commensurate with the advantages it possesses as a port in the river Plate. It was occupied by a division of our army in 1807. History reminds us of our countryman, Penrose, and the mishaps he encountered here in 1762.

Lately, the church and several houses have been damaged, and some lives lost, by the blowing up of a magazine of gunpowder.

The occupation of the Banda Oriental by the Portuguese, and now by the Brazilians, has been the subject of a strong remonstrance from the government of Buenos Ayres. The original plea of the disturbed state of the country, and danger thereby to the neighbouring Brazilian provinces, no longer existing, Don Valentin Gomez[37] was sent to Rio Janeiro, but returned without accomplishing his object. The Brazilian flag still waves, and is likely to do so, from the fortresses of Monte Video, Colonia, Maldonado, and the adjacent country. I am not aware upon what arguments the Brazilians determine to keep their hold, excepting possibly that of “might constituting right.” Buenos Ayres would seem its more natural protector. A portion of the inhabitants, it is likely, prefer that the country should remain under its present masters, satisfied with the manner in which authority has been exercised, and dreading revolutions.

The old Spanish part of the population bear no particular love to the Patriots: of the two, it is doubtful which they hate most, the Patriots or the English.

Buenos Ayres would find it difficult to dislodge the Brazilians by force, though there are advocates for this measure. Prudence, I trust, will guide their resolves; and if injustice has been perpetrated, let revenge be deferred until it can be securely taken. The separation, after centuries of fellowship, and falling under foreign dominion, must be galling.

If Buenos Ayres held the Banda Oriental, she would be a powerful state, which it is the policy of the court of Rio de Janeiro to prevent. Its fortresses, fine climate and country, improving population, influx of emigrants, under a strong government, would make even the empire of Brazil to look about them. However, such an event is distant; every thing leads me to think its present occupants will long keep possession.