ntil, at the period when the
Viceroyalty of Buenos Aires was constituted, it consisted of the
provinces of Paraguay, Tucuman, Cuyo, the River Plate, Santa Cruz de la
Sierra, and Charcas.

The value of these River Plate provinces was now become apparent to
Spain. Lacking in minerals though they were, these south-eastern
territories of the Continent were now exporting an amazing quantity of
horns, hides, tallow, and other such produce of the pastoral industry.
So abundant, indeed, had become the wild herds of cattle which roamed on
the plains of the alluvial country that a stray buccaneer or two landed
a force with the object of collecting horns and hides.

At a later period a French adventurer of the name of Moreau endeavoured
to establish himself permanently on the Uruguayan shore for this
purpose. He had already fortified himself, and had collected a
considerable store of hides, when he was attacked by the Spaniards and
driven from the spot. He returned to attempt the venture for the second
time, but his force was again defeated, and on this occasion he lost his
life.

The Indians in these provinces had now become expert horsemen. They,
too, possessed their share of the enormous quantities of live stock with
which the country abounded; but if from drought or any other such cause
the numbers of their animals grew uncomfortably diminished, they would
raid the European settlements, and, taking the colonists by surprise and
slaughtering without mercy, would sweep the country-side clear of live
stock, and scamper away to their own haunts at top speed.

Thus the hatred between the natives and the colonials grew ever more
bitter, and weapons, ambushes, and massacres constituted the sole means
of communication between the two. These Indians of the open plains
proved themselves formidable enemies, and, utterly merciless as they
showed themselves to the vanquished, they rapidly became a continual
source of dread to the pioneers living in the remoter settlements.

In 1767, when the order was received from Spain to expel the Jesuits
from the Spanish colonies in South America, the expulsion took place
unattended by any untoward circumstances in such places as Cordoba,
Corrientes, Montevideo, and Santa Fe. In these places the buildings that
had been devoted to the objects of the Order were ransacked, and,
unfortunately, many valuable collections of books and similar objects
were destroyed.

The authorities regarded with more