Diario de un viage a Salinas Grandes, en los campos del sud de Buenos Aires

Set in the late 18th century, this vivid account follows a massive government convoy that journeys south from Buenos Aires to the salty basin of Salinas Grandes. The expedition, organized each summer to harvest the region’s valuable salt, mobilizes hundreds of carts, thousands of beasts of burden, and a disciplined guard of soldiers, all under the command of a seasoned field marshal. As the caravan rolls across the open pampas, the narrative captures the spectacle of the procession and the uneasy negotiations with the indigenous chiefs who claim the land.

The diary’s author, a colonial officer, records the trek with meticulous detail, blending official statistics with personal reflections on the people and the rugged scenery. Readers are treated to candid descriptions of indigenous customs, the harsh yet beautiful landscape, and the daily challenges of moving such a colossal convoy through forests and lagoons. Written in a clear, earnest voice, the memoir offers a rare glimpse into the early attempts to impose order on a frontier that was still very much a wilderness.