Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

1832. TIDES — ABSENCE OF TREES. 93 variations in depth be expected, as a natural consequence, but also strong and varying currents. Little or no tide has been hitherto noticed with any degree of accuracy in the estuary of the Plata ; but this anomaly may be more apparent than real for where the depth of water is so fluctuating, and the currents are so variable, it is difficult to distinguish the precise effects of tides, except by a series of observations far longer than has yet been made. To say much of Maldonado village, the town of Monte Video, or the city of Buenos Ayres, would be to repeat an * oft-told tale.' The views attached to this volume will give a tolerably clear idea of a few striking peculiarities which are immediately noticed by the eye of a stranger ; and of the inha- bitants themselves I will only venture to say, upon my slight acquaintance with them, that although prejudiced by their erroneous ideas of freedom, and deficient in high principles, they ai-e courteous and agreeable as mere acquaintances, kind to strangers, and extremely hospitable. It is well known that there are very few trees* on either bank of the Plata near its mouth, or on those immense plains, called pampas, excepting here and there an ' ombu,'-f- or some which have been planted near houses ; or a few copses of small trees (mostly peach) planted for fuel : but I have not heard any sufficient reason given for this scarcity of wood, in a country covered with a great depth of alluvial soil, and adjoining dis- tricts in which trees are abundant. The only second causes for such a peculiarity, which I can imagine, are the following: the nature of the soil, which may be unsuited to most trees, although very productive of grass and gigantic thistles : the furious storms which sweep along the level expanse, and would demolish tender, unprotected young trees : the general want of water, which in some years is so great as to become a severe •drought : and the numerous herds of wild cattle which range * The exceptions are so few, that one might almost say there are no trees which have not been planted. + A kind of elder.