Chapter 19

[413]las del Norte. This includes the provinces of Salta, Tucumán, Jujuy, and what was known as Alto Perú, or Bolivia.[414]encabezar partidos,i.e.,secundarios. Cf. 181, 17.[415]dos derrotas. The Argentine army of the North had been defeated twice: at Huaquí in June, 1811, and in the battle of Nazareno in January, 1812.[416]haciendo por último pie firme,making at last a resolute stand.[417]como el vacío de la máquina neumática que apaga los oídos,like the vacuum of the pneumatic pump which deadens the hearing.[418]tres Repúblicas. Argentine by birth, Las Heras fought for the independence of Peru and Chile besides that of his own country.[419]en ella,i.e.,en la época colonial.[420]Bayardo, famous French knight of the fifteenth century who was called “le chevalier sans peur et sans reproche”, “the fearless and faultless knight”.[421]No se le vió nunca,He was never seen.[422]y no... manifestaciones,and were felt only through the hidden and persevering force of their cold manifestations.[423]sin que él reclamase jamás su competencia,without his ever putting forward his fitness.[424]Huaquí. The Argentine forces under the command of Balcarce suffered here a severe defeat, after which Pueyrredón took command of the retreating forces.[425]algo de interno y de poderoso,something profound and powerful.[426]lo manejaba... severidad,he wielded it even in the extremes of firmness and severity.[427]compañero de Logia. Francisco Miranda, a Venezuelan patriot, had been the prime mover in establishing a vast secret society with branches in Europe and America. The purpose of this society was to bring about a republican form of government in all South America. San Martín established a chapter of it in Buenos Aires under the name ofLogia de Lautaro, and with its support carried through his invasion of Chile and Peru, despite party opposition.Lautarowas synonymous with patriotism because it was the name of an Araucanian chief famous for his fierce resistance against Valdivia, the conqueror of Chile.[428]con quien... personal,with whom he held political views in common and whom he resembled in his personal character.[429]solemnidades patrias,national holidays.[430]sol. The Argentine flag has two horizontal blue stripes and in the middle a white one with the image of the sun in it.[431]mayo de 1810. A reference to the 25th of May, 1810. The first cry of independence was heard in Buenos Aires, and Cisneros, then Viceroy, was put out of power. V. Introduction.[432]no él,i.e., he made no efforts at self-glorification.[433]Quiere... propios,He wishes as it were to do away with the very names.[434]Colonia,i.e., Argentina, prior to its independence.[435]Tácito, Tacitus, famous Roman historian (55-120A.D.).[436]y... chispa,hardly any light.[437]Vieytes(Hipólito), one of the leaders of the Argentine revolution and member of the Junta Gobernativa.[438]Virreinato,i.e., Spanish rule in Argentina.[439]árbitro de,free to.[440]ejerciendo,by exercising.[441]Manzanares, river in Spain, on the banks of which Madrid is located; here synonymous with Spain.[442]Congreso, reference to the Congress of Tucumán, in 1816, which declared the independence of Argentina. Cf. 222.[443]El rumbo... estrella,The course was pointed toward the best star,i.e., democracy.[444]su modo de ser definitivo,its established form of government.[445]Salta, province of Argentina, and its capital. Güemes used to refer to Salta as mi provincia.[446]sea que..., sea que,whether... or.[447]país accidentado. Salta and Jujuy, as can be seen from the map, are in a mountainous region.[448]la resistencia de la población en masa. While San Martín was conquering Chile in 1817 and invading Peru in 1821, the Spaniards were trying to fight their way down from Peru into Argentina. Güemes’ efforts were most important in holding the Spanish forces back until San Martín struck at the heart of their power, Lima.[449]dirección más inteligente,i.e., de San Martín.[450]se veía... entrañas,saw its very vitals torn.[451]un ejército,i.e.,el ejército del Norteunder Belgrano’s command.[452]de otro,i.e., San Martín’s army.[453]guerra civil. From the very beginning there was, as in the United States, a “Tory” party in Argentina that stood against independence.[454]aquél,i.e., Belgrano, who defeated the Spaniards in the battles of Salta and Tucumán.[455]el general La Paz(José María), Argentine statesman and general who, in defense of the unitarian cause, fought against Rosas and made himself famous during the eight-year siege of Montevideo (1835-1843).[456]el Dr. Vélez Sársfield, famous Argentine statesman and jurist; author of the Argentine Civil Code.[457]constituído,placed.[458]Alí-Bajá de Monvoisin, reference to the painting by the French artist Monvoisin of Ali Pasha, who was known for his cruelty in Albania and put to death in 1822.[459]Ravel(Pierre-Alfred), French actor of the nineteenth century.[460]estudiante de Brienne,i.e., Napoleon, who studied at the military school of that name.[461]Mameluco oscuro,i.e., Mehemet-Ali, who, though not a Mameluke himself, fought with the Mamelukes against Napoleon in 1798, and later became Viceroy of Egypt. Cf. 70, 3.[462]Medusa, one of three sisters in Greek mythology, whose hair was turned into a tangle of serpents because she incurred the wrath of Minerva. Any one who looked at her was turned to stone.[463]no había cómo hacerlo callar,there was no way of making him keep quiet.[464]famoso expediente. When two women came before Solomon, each claiming a newly born child as hers, he ordered that the child be cut into two parts so that each claimant might have a half. The true mother was found to be the one who, for the love of her son, abandoned her claim rather than cause his death.[465]amanezca mañana,appears at dawn tomorrow.[466]¡tú eres...!you are the culprit![467]que está... The antecedent isél, referring toFacundo.[468]que nada desmiente,that nothing can belie.[469]Júpiter Tonante. Jupiter was represented as the Thunderer in Greek mythology.[470]después de habérselo anunciado. The more correct usage is,después que se lo han anunciado.[471]continuando de, unusual forcontinuando a.[472]el movimiento revolucionario de nuestra literatura. The publication of Echeverría’sLa Cautivain 1837 inaugurated a movement towards the Americanization of literature in Argentina. Cf. 24, 13.[473]Podría presentársele,He might be presented.[474]las obras de Echeverría. His most important works areElvira o la novia del Plata,Los Consuelos,Lara o la Partida,Las Rimas(which contain among other shorter poemsLa Cautiva),El Dogma Socialista, andCantos a Mayo.[475]Cuando se trata de evitar que los hombres de letras se puerilicen,When it is a question of keeping men of letters from becoming childish.[476]desdeñoso como Horacio. The Latin poet Horace has expressed his distaste for the rabble in his often-quoted verse:Odi profanum vulgus, “I hate the ignorant rabble.”[477]el bienvenido,i.e.,el escritor bienvenido,the favorite writer.[478]el malogrado argentino. Besides his voyage to Europe in 1825, Echeverría had to exile himself from his country twice owing to the persecution of the Dictator Rosas.[479]que se refieren al bien de la sociedad,which deal with the welfare of society.[480]la invisible confidente,i.e.,la musa.[481]Rompió la tradición clásica. Cf. 24, 13.[482]perdiendo, with concessive force,though losing.[483]Tucumán. V. map.[484]las Provincias Unidas de la Plata. Until 1853, the date of the adoption of the Federal Constitution, the republic of Argentina was known by the above name.[485]del pueblo que la realizaba. The pronounlarefers todeclaración, in the previous sentence; trans.,of the people that proclaimed it.[486]seis años después, etc. The first revolutionary uprising took place the 25th of May, 1810. The great victories of Chacabuco and Maipo did not come until 1817 and 1818.[487]las armas,the armies—by metonymy.[488]Proclamada, with concessive force,Though proclaimed.[489]que habría de retardar por otro medio siglo,which was to retard for another half century. It was not till 1853 that the Constitution was adopted. Even then it took some ten years more before the old feud between federalists and unitarians was settled.[490]las dos grandes revoluciones,i.e., in North and in South America.[491]a que se lanzara Francia,upon which France had embarked.[492]un gobierno propio,a government of their own.[493]imperio militar,i.e., of Napoleon Bonaparte.[494]Año Terrible. The period in French history from May 31, 1793, (that is, from the fall of the Girondins), to July 27, 1794, (date of the fall of Robespierre), is known as the “Reign of Terror”.[495]antes bien, emphatic form ofantes,rather.[496]a la del Sur,i.e.,por lo que toca a la América del Sur,as regards South America.[497]una como presunción,a certain superior assumption.[498]se aguardan. V. 2, 9.[499]se apresura,is anxious.[500]y de aquí,and hence it is. The verbesis understood.[501]esos próceres,i.e., the leaders of the Revolution.[502]habría pecado por exceso,would have gone too far.[503]excepto en cuanto reconocían,except in so far as they recognized.[504]por razón de su origen,i.e., by reason of their common nationality.[505]hace notar,brings out.[506]el cabildo abierto,the town meeting.[507]nunca se insistirá demasiado,one can never insist too much. Notice thatinsistiráis future of probability or possibility.[508]cuando no,if not.[509]puesto que,since.[510]plantea. The subject isdemocracia.[511]haciendo que los representantes lo sean en común de las grandes divisiones políticas, lit.,bringing it about that the representatives be so in common from the great political divisions; trans.,electing their representatives at large from the great political divisions,i.e., the representatives represent a province and not a district.[512]se pretendía hacerle desempeñar,they(la gente culta de las ciudades)intended to have it(the people)play.[513]exteriorizando los cuales,upon manifesting which.[514]Aunque figuras menores. The verbsonis understood.[515]habiendo algunos,there being some.[516]o sea el voto secreto,that is, the secret ballot. Mr. Hipólito Irigoyen, the present incumbent of the presidency, is the first Argentina president to have been elected by the secret or Australian ballot.[517]esa ley,i.e., of the Australian ballot.[518]surefers topoder.[519]inhibiendo, trans.,to prevent.[520]de cuya presión... los sirven,the results of whose pressure oftentimes are laws favorable to them, though ostensibly not meant to be such.[521]que en el acto de celebrarse el Congreso de Tucumán,than on the occasion when the Congress of Tucumán was held.[522]después de seis años de rotas las hostilidades,six years after the breaking out of hostilities.[523]llevaba involucrados,carried within itself.[524]de este último,i.e.,el proceso idealista.[525]Uno de ellos,i.e., one of thecaudillos. V. Introduction.[526]a su alrededor,around it.[527]que habría de regir,which was to rule.[528]Córdoba. V. map. Its university, having been founded in 1613, is the third oldest in South America, that of San Marcos in Lima (which was founded in 1551) and that of Bogotá (founded in 1572) having preceded it.[529]Charcas, capital of Bolivia, to-day called Sucre. It used to be known also under the names of Chuquisaca and La Plata. Its famous university was founded in 1623. It has a school of law, theology, and medicine.[530]Santiago de Chile, capital of Chile. V. map. The university was founded in 1738.[531]Colegio de San Carlos, in Lima, Peru.[532]véase el estado general del país,see the general condition of the country.[533]uno de los más ilustres miembros del Congreso,i.e., Fray Cayetano Rodríguez. Cf. 240, 3.[534]chocados,clashing.[535]negándose algunos,some being opposed.[536]habría que agregar,there ought to be added.[537]Alto Perú, name applied to the present republic of Bolivia during the colonial and revolutionary period.[538]la aproximación del enemigo. The last secret session of the Congress of Tucumán was held January 17, 1817, when the Spanish forces were advancing from the north, after invading the province of Jujuy.[539]Lima, capital of Peru, was founded in 1535 by Pizarro. It was by far the most important South American city during the colonial period.[540]a quien tocaría,whose lot it would be.[541]el golpe definitivo. The battle of Ayacucho (1824), fought between the Spaniards and the combined Colombian and Argentine forces under the command of Sucre, Bolívar’s lieutenant, put an end to Spanish domination in South America. As a feat of arms it stands among the most brilliant of those recorded in the annals of South American history. Sucre, though his forces numbered but half those of the Spaniards, completely routed them, capturing about one-third of their army, including La Serna, the commander-in-chief, as well as all their baggage and ammunition.[542]describiera. Cf. 66, 16; 223, 16.[543]Fray Cayetano Rodríguez(1761-1823), historian of the proceedings at the Congress of Tucumán. As a poet he wrote a sonnetAl 25 de Mayo, and versified on other events of his time.[544]no es de extrañar,it is not to be wondered at.[545]Se pensó en traer,Some thought of bringing.[546]San Martín,Belgrano. Cf. 18, 17, and Introduction.[547]uno de los detractores de la monarquía. One of the few voices raised against the monarchical idea was that of the deputy Anchorena, but his arguments were so specious that they rather strengthened the supporters of the monarchy.[548]una mano firme. Argentina owes in large measure her present republican form of government to Fray Justo de Santa María de Oro, who at the Congress of Tucumán stood out firmly and energetically in behalf of a republic.[549]la vía,i.e., of democracy.[550]de aquél,i.e.,del Congreso.[551]la larga noche de la anarquía. The period of internecine struggles, from the expulsion of the Spaniards till the downfall of Rosas and the subsequent adoption of the Federal Constitution.[552]eltercerodel sur. On rainy days the streets of Buenos Aires were turned into veritable brooks, which were named numerically, first, second, third, etc.[553]D. Juan María Gutiérrez. Cf. Biographical Notes, p. liii.

[413]las del Norte. This includes the provinces of Salta, Tucumán, Jujuy, and what was known as Alto Perú, or Bolivia.

[414]encabezar partidos,i.e.,secundarios. Cf. 181, 17.

[415]dos derrotas. The Argentine army of the North had been defeated twice: at Huaquí in June, 1811, and in the battle of Nazareno in January, 1812.

[416]haciendo por último pie firme,making at last a resolute stand.

[417]como el vacío de la máquina neumática que apaga los oídos,like the vacuum of the pneumatic pump which deadens the hearing.

[418]tres Repúblicas. Argentine by birth, Las Heras fought for the independence of Peru and Chile besides that of his own country.

[419]en ella,i.e.,en la época colonial.

[420]Bayardo, famous French knight of the fifteenth century who was called “le chevalier sans peur et sans reproche”, “the fearless and faultless knight”.

[421]No se le vió nunca,He was never seen.

[422]y no... manifestaciones,and were felt only through the hidden and persevering force of their cold manifestations.

[423]sin que él reclamase jamás su competencia,without his ever putting forward his fitness.

[424]Huaquí. The Argentine forces under the command of Balcarce suffered here a severe defeat, after which Pueyrredón took command of the retreating forces.

[425]algo de interno y de poderoso,something profound and powerful.

[426]lo manejaba... severidad,he wielded it even in the extremes of firmness and severity.

[427]compañero de Logia. Francisco Miranda, a Venezuelan patriot, had been the prime mover in establishing a vast secret society with branches in Europe and America. The purpose of this society was to bring about a republican form of government in all South America. San Martín established a chapter of it in Buenos Aires under the name ofLogia de Lautaro, and with its support carried through his invasion of Chile and Peru, despite party opposition.Lautarowas synonymous with patriotism because it was the name of an Araucanian chief famous for his fierce resistance against Valdivia, the conqueror of Chile.

[428]con quien... personal,with whom he held political views in common and whom he resembled in his personal character.

[429]solemnidades patrias,national holidays.

[430]sol. The Argentine flag has two horizontal blue stripes and in the middle a white one with the image of the sun in it.

[431]mayo de 1810. A reference to the 25th of May, 1810. The first cry of independence was heard in Buenos Aires, and Cisneros, then Viceroy, was put out of power. V. Introduction.

[432]no él,i.e., he made no efforts at self-glorification.

[433]Quiere... propios,He wishes as it were to do away with the very names.

[434]Colonia,i.e., Argentina, prior to its independence.

[435]Tácito, Tacitus, famous Roman historian (55-120A.D.).

[436]y... chispa,hardly any light.

[437]Vieytes(Hipólito), one of the leaders of the Argentine revolution and member of the Junta Gobernativa.

[438]Virreinato,i.e., Spanish rule in Argentina.

[439]árbitro de,free to.

[440]ejerciendo,by exercising.

[441]Manzanares, river in Spain, on the banks of which Madrid is located; here synonymous with Spain.

[442]Congreso, reference to the Congress of Tucumán, in 1816, which declared the independence of Argentina. Cf. 222.

[443]El rumbo... estrella,The course was pointed toward the best star,i.e., democracy.

[444]su modo de ser definitivo,its established form of government.

[445]Salta, province of Argentina, and its capital. Güemes used to refer to Salta as mi provincia.

[446]sea que..., sea que,whether... or.

[447]país accidentado. Salta and Jujuy, as can be seen from the map, are in a mountainous region.

[448]la resistencia de la población en masa. While San Martín was conquering Chile in 1817 and invading Peru in 1821, the Spaniards were trying to fight their way down from Peru into Argentina. Güemes’ efforts were most important in holding the Spanish forces back until San Martín struck at the heart of their power, Lima.

[449]dirección más inteligente,i.e., de San Martín.

[450]se veía... entrañas,saw its very vitals torn.

[451]un ejército,i.e.,el ejército del Norteunder Belgrano’s command.

[452]de otro,i.e., San Martín’s army.

[453]guerra civil. From the very beginning there was, as in the United States, a “Tory” party in Argentina that stood against independence.

[454]aquél,i.e., Belgrano, who defeated the Spaniards in the battles of Salta and Tucumán.

[455]el general La Paz(José María), Argentine statesman and general who, in defense of the unitarian cause, fought against Rosas and made himself famous during the eight-year siege of Montevideo (1835-1843).

[456]el Dr. Vélez Sársfield, famous Argentine statesman and jurist; author of the Argentine Civil Code.

[457]constituído,placed.

[458]Alí-Bajá de Monvoisin, reference to the painting by the French artist Monvoisin of Ali Pasha, who was known for his cruelty in Albania and put to death in 1822.

[459]Ravel(Pierre-Alfred), French actor of the nineteenth century.

[460]estudiante de Brienne,i.e., Napoleon, who studied at the military school of that name.

[461]Mameluco oscuro,i.e., Mehemet-Ali, who, though not a Mameluke himself, fought with the Mamelukes against Napoleon in 1798, and later became Viceroy of Egypt. Cf. 70, 3.

[462]Medusa, one of three sisters in Greek mythology, whose hair was turned into a tangle of serpents because she incurred the wrath of Minerva. Any one who looked at her was turned to stone.

[463]no había cómo hacerlo callar,there was no way of making him keep quiet.

[464]famoso expediente. When two women came before Solomon, each claiming a newly born child as hers, he ordered that the child be cut into two parts so that each claimant might have a half. The true mother was found to be the one who, for the love of her son, abandoned her claim rather than cause his death.

[465]amanezca mañana,appears at dawn tomorrow.

[466]¡tú eres...!you are the culprit!

[467]que está... The antecedent isél, referring toFacundo.

[468]que nada desmiente,that nothing can belie.

[469]Júpiter Tonante. Jupiter was represented as the Thunderer in Greek mythology.

[470]después de habérselo anunciado. The more correct usage is,después que se lo han anunciado.

[471]continuando de, unusual forcontinuando a.

[472]el movimiento revolucionario de nuestra literatura. The publication of Echeverría’sLa Cautivain 1837 inaugurated a movement towards the Americanization of literature in Argentina. Cf. 24, 13.

[473]Podría presentársele,He might be presented.

[474]las obras de Echeverría. His most important works areElvira o la novia del Plata,Los Consuelos,Lara o la Partida,Las Rimas(which contain among other shorter poemsLa Cautiva),El Dogma Socialista, andCantos a Mayo.

[475]Cuando se trata de evitar que los hombres de letras se puerilicen,When it is a question of keeping men of letters from becoming childish.

[476]desdeñoso como Horacio. The Latin poet Horace has expressed his distaste for the rabble in his often-quoted verse:Odi profanum vulgus, “I hate the ignorant rabble.”

[477]el bienvenido,i.e.,el escritor bienvenido,the favorite writer.

[478]el malogrado argentino. Besides his voyage to Europe in 1825, Echeverría had to exile himself from his country twice owing to the persecution of the Dictator Rosas.

[479]que se refieren al bien de la sociedad,which deal with the welfare of society.

[480]la invisible confidente,i.e.,la musa.

[481]Rompió la tradición clásica. Cf. 24, 13.

[482]perdiendo, with concessive force,though losing.

[483]Tucumán. V. map.

[484]las Provincias Unidas de la Plata. Until 1853, the date of the adoption of the Federal Constitution, the republic of Argentina was known by the above name.

[485]del pueblo que la realizaba. The pronounlarefers todeclaración, in the previous sentence; trans.,of the people that proclaimed it.

[486]seis años después, etc. The first revolutionary uprising took place the 25th of May, 1810. The great victories of Chacabuco and Maipo did not come until 1817 and 1818.

[487]las armas,the armies—by metonymy.

[488]Proclamada, with concessive force,Though proclaimed.

[489]que habría de retardar por otro medio siglo,which was to retard for another half century. It was not till 1853 that the Constitution was adopted. Even then it took some ten years more before the old feud between federalists and unitarians was settled.

[490]las dos grandes revoluciones,i.e., in North and in South America.

[491]a que se lanzara Francia,upon which France had embarked.

[492]un gobierno propio,a government of their own.

[493]imperio militar,i.e., of Napoleon Bonaparte.

[494]Año Terrible. The period in French history from May 31, 1793, (that is, from the fall of the Girondins), to July 27, 1794, (date of the fall of Robespierre), is known as the “Reign of Terror”.

[495]antes bien, emphatic form ofantes,rather.

[496]a la del Sur,i.e.,por lo que toca a la América del Sur,as regards South America.

[497]una como presunción,a certain superior assumption.

[498]se aguardan. V. 2, 9.

[499]se apresura,is anxious.

[500]y de aquí,and hence it is. The verbesis understood.

[501]esos próceres,i.e., the leaders of the Revolution.

[502]habría pecado por exceso,would have gone too far.

[503]excepto en cuanto reconocían,except in so far as they recognized.

[504]por razón de su origen,i.e., by reason of their common nationality.

[505]hace notar,brings out.

[506]el cabildo abierto,the town meeting.

[507]nunca se insistirá demasiado,one can never insist too much. Notice thatinsistiráis future of probability or possibility.

[508]cuando no,if not.

[509]puesto que,since.

[510]plantea. The subject isdemocracia.

[511]haciendo que los representantes lo sean en común de las grandes divisiones políticas, lit.,bringing it about that the representatives be so in common from the great political divisions; trans.,electing their representatives at large from the great political divisions,i.e., the representatives represent a province and not a district.

[512]se pretendía hacerle desempeñar,they(la gente culta de las ciudades)intended to have it(the people)play.

[513]exteriorizando los cuales,upon manifesting which.

[514]Aunque figuras menores. The verbsonis understood.

[515]habiendo algunos,there being some.

[516]o sea el voto secreto,that is, the secret ballot. Mr. Hipólito Irigoyen, the present incumbent of the presidency, is the first Argentina president to have been elected by the secret or Australian ballot.

[517]esa ley,i.e., of the Australian ballot.

[518]surefers topoder.

[519]inhibiendo, trans.,to prevent.

[520]de cuya presión... los sirven,the results of whose pressure oftentimes are laws favorable to them, though ostensibly not meant to be such.

[521]que en el acto de celebrarse el Congreso de Tucumán,than on the occasion when the Congress of Tucumán was held.

[522]después de seis años de rotas las hostilidades,six years after the breaking out of hostilities.

[523]llevaba involucrados,carried within itself.

[524]de este último,i.e.,el proceso idealista.

[525]Uno de ellos,i.e., one of thecaudillos. V. Introduction.

[526]a su alrededor,around it.

[527]que habría de regir,which was to rule.

[528]Córdoba. V. map. Its university, having been founded in 1613, is the third oldest in South America, that of San Marcos in Lima (which was founded in 1551) and that of Bogotá (founded in 1572) having preceded it.

[529]Charcas, capital of Bolivia, to-day called Sucre. It used to be known also under the names of Chuquisaca and La Plata. Its famous university was founded in 1623. It has a school of law, theology, and medicine.

[530]Santiago de Chile, capital of Chile. V. map. The university was founded in 1738.

[531]Colegio de San Carlos, in Lima, Peru.

[532]véase el estado general del país,see the general condition of the country.

[533]uno de los más ilustres miembros del Congreso,i.e., Fray Cayetano Rodríguez. Cf. 240, 3.

[534]chocados,clashing.

[535]negándose algunos,some being opposed.

[536]habría que agregar,there ought to be added.

[537]Alto Perú, name applied to the present republic of Bolivia during the colonial and revolutionary period.

[538]la aproximación del enemigo. The last secret session of the Congress of Tucumán was held January 17, 1817, when the Spanish forces were advancing from the north, after invading the province of Jujuy.

[539]Lima, capital of Peru, was founded in 1535 by Pizarro. It was by far the most important South American city during the colonial period.

[540]a quien tocaría,whose lot it would be.

[541]el golpe definitivo. The battle of Ayacucho (1824), fought between the Spaniards and the combined Colombian and Argentine forces under the command of Sucre, Bolívar’s lieutenant, put an end to Spanish domination in South America. As a feat of arms it stands among the most brilliant of those recorded in the annals of South American history. Sucre, though his forces numbered but half those of the Spaniards, completely routed them, capturing about one-third of their army, including La Serna, the commander-in-chief, as well as all their baggage and ammunition.

[542]describiera. Cf. 66, 16; 223, 16.

[543]Fray Cayetano Rodríguez(1761-1823), historian of the proceedings at the Congress of Tucumán. As a poet he wrote a sonnetAl 25 de Mayo, and versified on other events of his time.

[544]no es de extrañar,it is not to be wondered at.

[545]Se pensó en traer,Some thought of bringing.

[546]San Martín,Belgrano. Cf. 18, 17, and Introduction.

[547]uno de los detractores de la monarquía. One of the few voices raised against the monarchical idea was that of the deputy Anchorena, but his arguments were so specious that they rather strengthened the supporters of the monarchy.

[548]una mano firme. Argentina owes in large measure her present republican form of government to Fray Justo de Santa María de Oro, who at the Congress of Tucumán stood out firmly and energetically in behalf of a republic.

[549]la vía,i.e., of democracy.

[550]de aquél,i.e.,del Congreso.

[551]la larga noche de la anarquía. The period of internecine struggles, from the expulsion of the Spaniards till the downfall of Rosas and the subsequent adoption of the Federal Constitution.

[552]eltercerodel sur. On rainy days the streets of Buenos Aires were turned into veritable brooks, which were named numerically, first, second, third, etc.

[553]D. Juan María Gutiérrez. Cf. Biographical Notes, p. liii.

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