SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO, (Santiago of the lake) stands on the right bank of the river Dulce, 600 miles N. N. NV. from Buenos Ayres, and almost exactly equidistant, 350 miles, and directly between Rioja and Corrientes on the Parana. It may be noted as a very remarkable and im portant feature in the physical features of that section of South America comprising the provinces of Cordova, Mendoza, San Juan, San Luis, Rioja, and Santiago del Estero, though embracing a surface upwards of 500 miles square, or 250,000 square miles, have no naviga ble outlet. The most remote northern sources of the Colorado, which flowing S. E. enters the Atlantic Ocean at S. lat. arc found above Rioja at S. let. 27° ; but though flowing through the upwards of 600 miles, it affords no navigable facilities worthy of notice. Leaving the civilized settlements, this stream crosses the pampas and reaches its point of discharge far south from any white establishment. From the Colorado, in the southern part of Mendoza, to the river of Santiago or Dulce inclusive, in a distance from S. W. to N. E. of 500 miles, only one river, that of Cordova, reaches any out let. The river which passes Santiago dcl Estero, called the DuIce, rises in the mountains of Tucuman, flows south-eastward about five hundred miles, and is lost in an interior lake ; and such is also the case with numerous other rivers which issue from the Andes and pursue their courses towards, but never reach the Parana.
The city of Santiago del Estero was founded about 1551, at S. lat. 27° 28'. The city is thinly peopled, but the number of inhabitants under its jurisdiction may be computed at 50,000, whose principal occupation is agri culture. It is a country well adapted to grain, of which sufficient is produced for home consumption. The pro
vincial extent of Santiago is too undefined to admit an estimate of its superlicies.
TueumAN, a city containing 10 or 12,000 souls, fol lows advancing northward, Santiago del Estero, at the distance of one hundred miles. The former is at S. lat. 27°, about 650 miles north-westward from Buenos Ayres, on the road from that city to Upper Peru. The popu lation of Tucuman does not exceed 12,000 souls, but the whole province, it is probable, contains an aggregate of 40,000. The territorial extent is small, being only about 150 miles from east to west, by 180 miles from north to south ; area 27,000 square miles. It is a country well adapted to agriculture and grazing, and both are follow ed by the inhabitants ; wheat, rice, Indian corn, and to bacco are produced. Esculent roots abound, particular ly potatoes of extraordinary size and flavour. Cotton and woollen stuffs arc made here of cheap but good quali ty, for home use and exportation. Though bordering on the Llanos or plains, the higher part of Tucuman abound in forests of very large timber. The city itself is envi roned in one of those woods, in which upwards of fifty species of trees have been enumerated.
la the war of independence Tucuman acted a very distinguished part. In 1812, a splendid victory over the royalists was gained in its vicinity, and in this city, in 1316, was drawn up by the general Congress the Decla ration of Independence, as well of Spain, as of every other foreign power, which had only been the case, de facto, since the 25th of May, 1810. The inhabitants, are affable, amiable, hospitable, and honourable in their deal ings, as well as industriousin their habits.