MENDOZA, a city containing a population of 15,000 souls, was founded on the eastern side of the Andes in 1560. It stands at S. lat. 35° 50', on the direct road from Buenos Ayres to Santiago de Chile, 650 miles westward from the former, and 150 eastward from the latter city. The ground on which Mendoza stands is ele vated 4G5G feet above the ocean. The provincial juris diction of Mendoza is bounded west by the Andes, south by the river Diamante; on the north and east it touches San Juan and San Luis, and on the south-east borders on thesavage or barbarian frontier. The whole province is about 400 miles from north to south, with a breadth of 300 east and west. This would give an aggregate of 120,000 square miles, but the far greater part is merely nominally connected with the capital, and much spread into the pampas, and is uninhabitable.
The really cultivated section adjacent to 'Mendoza, is, however, amongst the best improved parts of Spanish America. Beside the capital there are several towns of considerable note, such as San Carlos, towards the south in the valley of Uco, Coriconto, towards the east, and another, Los Barriales, in the same direction. Towards the north, at the very extremity of the jurisdiction, lies a town, the name of sufficiently expresses its favoura ble locality—Las Grandes. Lagunas de Guanacache.* Towards the N. E. six miles from Mendoza, stands San
Vinccnte, a town of considerable importance. Entire population 35,000 souls.
The inhabitants of the city and province of Mendoza, are amongst the most enlightened of the republic, as is proved by the facility with which religious and political fanaticism have yielded to more liberal opinion. The character of the inhabitants of both sexes is amiable and hospitable. This city was rendered remarkable in the annals of the revolutionary war, because in it was organ ized the army which carried independence to the repub lic of Chile, and which also opened the road to that of Peru. The province is the most agricultural of the re public to which it belongs, and its people most devoted to labour. Their chief employment consists in the cul tivation of vines, clover, and other productions usually met with in a fertile soil abundantly irrigated. They also carry on an extensive traffic in wine, brandy, and dry fruits, with the neighbouring provinces, particularly Buenos Ayres, Santa Fe, and Paraguay, managing even to export dry fruits as fat- as Brazil. The country pro duces Indian corn and wheat adequate to the internal consumption. The people of Mendoza arc also active ly and very extensively engaged in the transport trade, from Buenos Ayres to Chile.