MAGDALENA. 153 years, in 1863 I visited Ensenada, when all my former convictions were confirmed. On my return to England I caused a comparative map to be published of Ensenada and the Clyde. I remember navigating the Clydə in 1837, in steamers of 400 or 500 tons, and meeting with constant obstructions from the shallowness of the river, while now it is the channel for ships of 4,000 or 5,000 tons, and all this from the effect of dredging, the same operation as will be needed in Ensenada to constitute it a port of much greater capacity than the Clyde, as is clearly shown in the comparative map referred to. The locality of Ensenada as an entrepot for Buenos Ayres is favorable: the land, it is true, is low, but susceptible of being drained ; the swampy fringe lying between the firm ground and the proposed pier may be filled when necessary, while the creeks which intersect it will assist the drainage and accommodate the traffic of small crafts and boats.»> Formerly there was a town at Ensenada, of which some traces remain, as well as of some saladeros of the olden time. A road was begun from hence to town, but never finished: it is to be hoped that the saladeros of Barracas will be transferred hither, which will impart some life and activity to the neighborhood. Near the port there are a dozen houses, and the remains of an old battery. Near Ensenada are found large deposits of shells, which make excellent lime; and the adjacent country abounds in game. The state schools are attended by 25 boys and 26 girls. Ensenada is famous for a great naval victory by Admiral Brown. Ensenada is eight leagues N.W. of Magdalena, 10 N. of the Sanborombon, 93 E.N.E of San Vicente, 8 E. of Glew Station, and 9 E.S.E. of Lomas de Zamora. Justice of Peace, Don Ignacio Correa; Postmaster, Don Lisandro Nuñez. Municipality, four members. No Standard agency in the town. Magdalena. Situate nineteen leagues S.E. of Buenos Ayres, has an area of 124 square leagues, and comprises 132 estancias. The partido extends 22 leagues along the coast in a S.E. direction, from Arroyo del Pescado to the mouth of the Sanborombon: this coast line includes Point Atalaya, Point Indio, Point Memoria and Point Las Piedras: at Point Indio there is a light-ship for vessels to steer by, in coming up or down the River Plate. In many places the coast is covered with a thick plantation or «monte.»> The Piñero estancias lie along the coast from Point Las Piedras to the mouth of the Sanborombon, forming what is called the Rincon de Nuario, and taking in the «montes» of Luis Chico. Veloz, and Gutierrez. Another large property is that of Don Sisto Fernandez, also on the sea-boards it goes by the name of Espiritu Santo, and is traversed by an arroyo called Cañadon Grande. South of Point Indio are the estancias of John Malcom, R. Fernandez and Escribano: that of Hamilton is more inland, and the Chaves estates are in the vicinity of Todos los Santos, an affluent of the Sanborombon. The lands of Newton, Rebol, and Achaval are watered by the Cañada Larga: while those of Moujan, Romero, Illescas, Cajaraville, and Montes de Oca, lie nearer the coast. The Arroyo Dulce traverses the lands of Martinez, Velazco, Miguens, and Lopez: theArroyo del Puesto traverses the Otamendi estancia; both these fall into the Sanborombon. The camps of Magdalena are in general low, but well suited for sheep, and the prices realized for wool are higher than in any other partido. The land is valued at $400,000 per square league; total valuation $39,000,000, against $15,000,000 in 1862. Rents are high, and land difficult to be obtained, but it is a favorite district of sheep-farming, and the English and Irish population exceeds 1,500. The Irish Catholics are visited by the Rev. Mr. Mullady. Communication with Buenos Ayres kept up by the Southern Railway, a diligence plying regularly between. Magdalena and Ferrari Station, a distance of thirteen leagues. The returns of stock are-86,000 cows, 91,800 horses, 570,000 mestiza sheep, 7,000 creole sheep, and 4,900 swine; being an average of 700 cows, 800 horses, and 5,000 sheep per square league. Population—12,813 Argentines, 1,483 Spaniards, 718 English, 197 Germans, 334 French, 242 Italians: total 15,807. There are 40 houses and 633 ranchos, including 73 pulperias. There are 6 alcaldes, 23 tenientes, 12 policemen, and 1,129 National Guards. Agriculture is in its infancy, there being only 36 chacras, covering altogether about 1,000 acres of tillage: the obstacle to agriculture is the want of proper roads or conveyance for produce. The village of Magdalena consists of thirty-nine houses, six shops, a church, state-school, inn, brick-kiln, and several ranchos, with a population of 2.000 souls. The best houses are those of Arreaga, Gondra, Fejeiro, Miranda, .Dés, and Abrega, valued from $100,000 upwards. The stateschool is attended by thirty boys and sixty-three girls. The village is distant a league from Point Atalaya, on the sea-board; it is situate on a lagoon which empties its waters by the Arroyo de Atalaya. Magdalena figures among the smaller ports for coasting traffic: the annual port returns show a total of 90 vessels, with an agregage tonnage of 2,290 tons. The formation of the now partido of Rivadavia will deprive Magdalena of one-half its territory, reducing it to a coast-line of six and a half leagues by ten and a half leagues in depth to the Sanborombon river. Magdalena is distant five leagues N.W. of Point Indio, eight N. of the Sanborombon, sixteen E. of San Vicente, and eight and a half S.E. of Ensenada. Justice of Peace, Don José Maria Miguens; Curate, Rev. Angelo Garibaldi; Postmaster, Don J. Ybarra ; Standard agent, Mr. Richard Simons; Municipality, four members; Municipal revenue, $150,000; Contribucion tax, $156,000, Rivadavia. This is a new partido recently formed in the Rincon de Nuario, between the southern districts of Magdalena and the River Sanborombon, covering a superficies of about sixty square leagues. It commences at the Miguens estancia, a little north of Point Indo, and follows the coast down to the mouth of the Sanboromben. It comprehends the estancias of Sisto Fernandez, Malcom, and Escribano, and the vast territory of the Piñeros. The lands of Chaves, Otamendi, Hamilton, Thompson, Molina, and others, are also included in this new demarcation. There are no returns of stock, population, &c., all these being included in the partido of Magdalena. The partido takes its name from the eminent statesman Bernardino Rivadavia (A.D. 1826), who introduced almost every measure of progress and improvement that Buenos Ayres can boast of: he died in exile, at Cadiz, but his remains were afterwards treated with extraordinary honors and are now lodged under a splendid mausoleum at the Retiro Cemetery. The new partido is bounded on the N.W. and W. by Magdalena, on the S. by the Sanborombon, and on the E. and N.E. by the River Plate. There is no town or centre of population. The Rincon de Nuario is 12 leagues S.S.E. of Magdalena, and about the same distance E. of Chascomus. Castelli. Another new partido, situate on the sea-board, about 35 leagues S. E. of Buenos Ayres, was hitherto included as a part of Tordillo. The partido has a coast line of ten leagues from the mouth of the Rio Salado to the Arroyo las Vivoras, and it extends inland about twelve leagues, to the borders of Dolores: the area is about seventy square leagues. There are numerous lagoons, some of which have excellent fish that come down from the Rio Salado by the Encadenadas lakes. The most important estancia is that of Messrs. Martinez de Hoz: it is called the Araza, and comprises various establishments, that go by the names of Mercedes, San Nicolas, Sebastopol, Esperanza, San José, Villanueva, &c. There are fifty-two puestos on the ground. The estancia-bouse is a fine comfortable residence, where one of the owners constantly lives: it has two large «galpones,» and extensive plantations and meadow farm. Several of the puestos have also good plantations. The first introduction. of fine German sheep was in the time of old Mr. Martinez de Hoz (A.D. 1837), and since then the blood has been maintained by new importations of Negrettis, some of which have been personally chosen by one of the brothers Martinez out of the cabaña of Hochlitz in Moravia. The stock of this estancia comprises 100,000 sheep, 15,000 cɔws, and 4,000 horses. The Negrettis rams are pure blood, and their offspring are often sold by auction in Buenos Ayres. The various wools are classified on the estancia, baled and despatched direct for Europe, via Southern Railway to Buenos Ayres: the Chascomus terminus is twelve leagues from the estancia. The horned cattle are being much improved by introducing the Durham breed, and there is already a good sized «rodeo» of cross breeds. The attention paid to improving the breed of horses is no less noteworthy, and several fine stallions were brought from England in 1868. There are few Argentines more earnestly dedicated to the progress of their country than the Messrs. Martinez de Hoz, whose establishment in Cañuelas is also an honor to Buenos Ayres. Besides the Negretti rams they have imported the Lincoln and Leicestershire breeds, while their Durham cows and prize draught horses call equally for admiration. They obtained a medal for their wool at the Paris Exhibition of 1867. Don José Martinez de Hoz was one of the leading men who founded the Sociedad Rural Argentina, and his |