GROUP OF 3 VERY INTERESTING LETTERS: 1) ALTERNATIVE ROUTE TEST: Entire letter sent from PELOTAS to Buenos Aires, endorsed "per steamer, via Rio Grande and Montevideo". Inside it is only written: "Gramajo, let me know the day you receive it and whether it is much later than the rest" (and signed by the sender, NOT dated). It bears datestamps of "CORREIO DE PELOTAS - 18-5" in black and "ADMON DE CORREOS - MONTEVIDEO - 13/MAR/1858" in red, also pen rating "2". This letter was probably sent to test the delivery speed for the mail that the sender dispatched to Buenos Aires via a more direct route than the usual one, which run from Pelotas to Rio and from there to Buenos Aires. 2) Entire letter dated Pelotas 9/JA/1862 and sent to Buenos Aires, it evidently followed the "short" route via Montevideo or it was dispatched directly in a ship that had that destination via Rio Grande. It bears a transit mark of MONTEVIDEO for 15/JA/1862, and "1" rating in red pencil. 3) Long entire letter dated PELOTAS 26/JA/1865, sent to Buenos Aires (during the Brazilian occupation of Uruguay). The text is very interesting, about the problems brought by the war: "I am told that the steamer that was expected from Rio de Janeiro will continue to Montevideo, and although this is doubtful given the STATE OF WAR between this and that country, I am writing all the same in case it does. Now, if they continue to Montevideo it is likely that it is with the intention of leaving the mail and passengers with some foreign ship because I do not think that after the fright of last trip they dare go into port". Then there follow various considerations about "how poorly business is doing", and prices of varied products are mentioned. In the second page the sender reproduces a previous letter with many economic observations and some racist comments and about slaves: "...leaving my family to come to this dreadful place with the hope of making a fortune...", "...I have a small capital..., some savings of my wife and slaves that I could gather...", "...tell them to know that they have a little cousin that is a 'brasilerita chinita', they should know so they don´t look at her with scorn when they meet her..." The letter was taken somehow to Rio de Janeiro, and there it received the double circle datestamp: "CORREIO GERAL DA CORTE - BRAZIL". The 3 letters show a very interesting outlook of the postal routes between Pelotas and Buenos Aires, and the changes brought by the war, all of excellent quality. Unique lot!
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