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place of his death are unknown. His father em- barked for America in 1540 in the suite of Cabeza de Vaca. The son served at an early age against the Indians, under the command of his father ; and, although in his writings he deplores the ex- termination of the natives and denounces the san- guinary policy of the conquerors, he showed little mercy toward them in the numerous conflicts in which he was engaged. The greater part of his life was passed in the province of Guayra, of which he became commander: but in this office he refused to acknowledge the supremacy of the governor of Paraguay, and was obliged to justify himself before the audience of Charcas. Aided by his notes and information gained from the conquerors, he undertook to relate the discovery and colonization of the Argentine provinces, un- der the title " Historia Argentina del descubri- miento poblacion y conquista de las provincias del Rio de la Plata." The dedication to the Duke of Medina bears date 25 July, 1612. In spite of its great merit, Guzman's work was not issued until De Angelis undertook the publication of the " Co- leccion de obras y documentos relativos a la histo- ria antigua y moderna de las provincias del Rio de la Plata, etc." (6 vols., Buenos Ayres, 1836). It appears in the beginning of the first volume, ac- companied by biographical researches of great in- terest. The work of Guzman has been copied by most historians that have written on the Argentine provinces.^ The narrative closes with 1575.

GUZMAN-BLANCO, Antonio, president of Venezuela, b. in Caracas in 1830. His father. An- tonio, was a Venezuelan journalist and politician. The son was banished by the government of Gen. Castro, and accompanied Gen. Juan C. Falcon in his invasion of Venezuela, becoming his general secretary. After the final defeat of Falcon at Co- ple in September, 1860, Guzman accompanied his chief in his flight, and was sent to the West Indies to solicit assistance. Toward the end of 1861 he landed again with Falcon on the coast of Coro, and after numerous engagements signed on 22 May, 1863, the treaty of Coche, by which arms were laid down, and a general assembly called at Victoria. which elected Falcon president and Guzraan-Blanco vice-president. The latter was at the same time secretary of the treasury, and went to London to negotiate a loan. On his return he was for a short time in charge of the executive, and afterward was elected presi- dent of congress. After the over- throw of Falcon in 1868, Guzman left the country, but headed a rev- olution in 1869, and in 1870 be- came provisional president with ex- traordinary pow- ers, ruling the country for years

as a dictator. His

successor, Gen. Alcantara, died in December, 1878, and there were several revolutionary uprisings, till Guzman assumed the government again. In the elections of 1883 Gen. Joaquin Crespo, one of his friends, was declared president, and Guzman- Bianco became ambassador to France, living with great ostentation in Paris. In 1886 he again as- sumed the presidency.

GWIN, William, naval officer, b. in Columbus, Bartholomew co., Ind., 5 Dec, 1832; i. on the Yazoo river. Miss., 3 Jan., 1863. He entered the navy as a midshipman, 7 April, 1847, and was pro- moted until he was commissioned lieutenant, 16 Sept., 1855, and lieutenant-commander, 16 July, 1862. At the beginning of the civil war he was assigned to the "Cambridge," doing blockading duty on the Atlantic coast. He was ordered in October, 1861, to the brig "Commodore Perry." and in January, 1862, to the command of the gun- boat " Tyler," of the western flotilla, in which he participated in the attacks on Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. He also took part in the battle of Shiloh, and distinguished himself in the expedi- tion up the Yazoo river in company with the " Carondelet," to meet the Confederate ram " Ar- kansas." After the accidental explosion on the " Mound City " at St. Charles, on White river, by which her commander, Capt. Kelly, was badly scalded, Lieut.-Com. Gwin took charge of the vessel, which he retained until he was transferred to the " Benton," the largest and most powerful of the river fleet. While in command of the latter vessel, and during the attack on Haines's Bluff, on the Yazoo river, he was mortally wounded.

GWIN, William McKendree, senator, b. in Sumner countv, Tenn., 9 Oct., 1805; d. in New York city, 3 Sept., 1885. His father, the Rev. James Gwin, was a pioneer Methodist minister, and also served as a soldier on the frontier under Gen. An- drew Jackson. After receiving a classical edu- cation, the son studied law in Gallatin, Tenn., but abandoned it for medicine.and took his medical degree in 1828 at Transylvania university. He then removed to Clinton, Miss.,

and obtained an

extensive practice, but in 1833 left the profession, and was appointed by President Jackson U. S. marshal for the district of Mississippi. In 1840 he was elected to congress as a Democrat, and became an adherent of John C. Calhoun. Declining a renomination for congress on account of financial embarrassment, he was appointed, on the accession of James K. Polk to the presidency, to superintend the building of the new custom-house at New Orleans. On the election of Gen. Taylor he resigned and set out for California, where he arrived 4 June, 1849. His attention had first been called to that country by Mr. Calhoun, who, when secretary of state, had laid his finger on the map where San Francisco now stands, saying, " There, when this bay comes into our possession, will spring up the great rival of New York." Dr. Gwin took an active part in favor of the formation of a state government, and was elected to the convention that was held in Monterey in September to frame a constitution. In the ensuing December he was elected U. S. senator for the long term, with Gen. Fremont as his colleague. His