128 DEPARTURE FROM ASUNCION. CHAPTER VIII. Departure from Asuncion.-The President's Quinta.-Salinas.—A Hill.-The Confuso. The Salado.-Estancia of Lopez.-Variety of Woods and Fruits.-Quebracho.-Capiepomo.- Guazu. —Cattle. - Hospitality. - River Scenery. — An Accident to Engine.-Piquete Ytati.-Wood for Steamers.-Plants and Shrubs. -River Jejui.-San Pedro.-Another Accident to Engine.-Guaycuru Rembiu. -Government Estancia.-The Pacu Fish.-River Changes.-The Ypane.-Arrival at Concepcion. I QUOTE from my journal: "November 7th, 1853. We left Asuncion this morning at half past five o'clock, upward bound. The reply of the President of Paraguay to my letter requesting permission for the expedition to pass through the territory claimed by his government is all I could desire; he attaches no limits to the extent of our explorations on the river. Have in view the President's quinta; it extends for six miles along the river; all is verdant and enameled with cultivation. At the highest point of the rolling land, which rises in wave-like ridges from the river, is placed the dwelling, commanding an extensive view, including the salinas, which at times present a busy scene; for here, in small huts, the salt-gatherers establish themselves during the season of low water, and, by a rude and primitive process, manufacture an extensive supply for the Asuncion market: it is inferior to the imported article, but for cattle or ordinary purposes serves very well. Extensive saline districts exist in the Chaco; the rivers that flow through that country are, with few exceptions, brackish, but this is the second instance in which we have met with this formation east of the Paraguay; the first was below the capital, near Mount Lambare. The earth, when first turned up, exhibits no evidence of the presence of salt, but after being for some time exposed to the sun, it becomes covered with a crust, looking like a white frost. The people collect this efflorescence carefully, but it is from the water, through which the earth is repeatedly washed to extract all saliferous particles, that the principal supply is obtained. In a country rich in pasture-lands, and so far from the ocean, this provision of Providence is only one among the multiplied evidences of bounty to these fair regions of creation." On the President's lands is the port Lasararaxas-the family name of Madame Lopez-and in operation near it are several ex THE CONFUSO.-PINON. 129 tensive brick-kilns. Twelve miles above Asuncion there is, on the Chaco bank, an isolated conical hill of mica schist rising to the height of one hundred feet, the first elevation on that side exceeding twenty feet since leaving "Santa Fé, seven hundred and twenty miles below. It furnishes a 'quarry of building-stone from which great blocks are rolled down by a gradual descent to the water's edge. Immediately above this quarry, the River Confuso, a narrow, tortuous stream, taking its rise no one knows where, discharges itself into the Paraguay. At a subsequent period Lieutenant Murdaugh ascended it for twenty-four miles, encountered some difficulties in the navigation, and made slow progress, though in a steamer of but two feet draught. From his account of it we must conclude that it has its source in the eastern Cordilleras of Bolivia. It has been supposed to be a branch of the Pilcomayo, and is marked on some maps as such, but the difference in the character of their waters must set at rest this idea. That of the Pilcomayo is brackish only when the river is unusually low and sluggish, while that of the Confuso is decidedly bitter and saline. The Confuso, like many other rivers of the Chaco, is probably pure at its source, and becomes impregnated from flowing through saliferous districts. Considered as a branch of the Pilcomayo, the distance through which it would course before reaching the Paraguay is not sufficient to produce so great a change in its waters. If a distinct river, rising, as I believe, in the high lands of Bolivia, it is but a new link and another evidence of the beautiful river system which characterizes the basin of La Plata. Four miles above the quarry, on the Chaco side, a conical rock, called the "Pinon," rises about twenty feet above the water, in the middle of the river. It is surmounted by a block of red sandstone of about six feet diameter at the top, so symmetrical and so nicely adjusted that one might suppose it to have been designedly placed there by some skillful hand. Directly opposite, a small stream, the Salado, which flows from the Lake Ypacaray, discharges its waters into the Paraguay. The country around the lake and bordering this little river is populous and fertile; during a season of extreme drought the Salado is slightly brackish, as its name indi cates. At Quatros Bocas-"Four mouths," four miles above the rock Pinon, the character of the banks on either side is the same, but some distance inland the scenery changes. There is in view a 130 WOODS OF PARAGUAY. sierra, or beautiful range of high land, which is known to extend easterly from the Paraguay nearly to the Parana. Near the Guardia Arigutigua, twenty miles from Asuncion, the "Pirebeby" flows into the Paraguay, and forms the southern boundary of an estate belonging to President Lopez, which has its northern limit on the River Paraguaymi. This estancia extends fourteen unbroken miles on the Paraguay, is particularly fertile, and well stocked with horned cattle and sheep; mandioca and corn are cultivated upon it to a limited extent, as it to a limited extent, as provision for the capitaz and peons-manager and laborers. Two miles above Pirebeby, and about the same distance inland, is the little town of "Ambuscada," at the foot of the sierra. In latitude 24° 54' 32" south, longitude 57° 21' 15," forty miles from Asuncion, we reached the first point at which the wood-cutters agreed to furnish us with fuel for the steamer. I found them punctual to the time, and the wood was all corded, and conveniently placed for being received on board. The bunkers were half full of coal, but we were able to take in thirty-nine cords. In this lot were some ten or a dozen varieties: the Palo blanco, Curupina, Curupay, Arahan, Yrapipe, Espina de Corona, Yrapita, Nangapare, and many others of fine texture are found throughout this country, such as the Algorroba, Espinilla, and Quebracho, or “axebreaker," as its name indicates. All of these trees furnish good fuel for steamers, but in ship-building or for ornamental purposes they would be invaluable. Some of them are giants even in the La Plata forests; others present great floral beauty; some are valued for their fruits, others for their barks; indeed, familiar as I am with the woodlands of the northern section of this hemisphere, as we advanced in the ascent of the river, I was filled with wonder at the surpassing wealth of the forest regions of the south. An accomplished arborist would find in Paraguay an unlimited field of interest and study. The fruits of the Arahan and Nangapare are both pleasant and nutritious. The Algorroba, one of the mimosa, produces a fruit similar in taste (though smaller) to our honey-pod. It contains a quantity of saccharine matter, and is carefully gathered by the Indians, who dry, pound, and preserve it in skins; they also make from it a fermented liquor of which they are very fond, but to me it was unpalatable. This tree flourishes in the Argentine Confederation, where its fruit, considered very precious food for cattle, is gathered, and generally put aside for favorite horses. These animals THE PRESIDENT'S ESTANCIAS. 131 when fed upon it, if not severely exercised, become too fat for active service. The width of the river at this point, as ascertained by the micrometer, is one thousand and seventy-six yards. Its general width from Asuncion to this place is from a half to one mile; least depth twenty feet, greatest seventy-two. The banks have an elevation of fifteen feet at the present state of the water, which is four feet below the highest rise. They are well timbered; the woodland extends some distance back, with intervening sections of palm and grass. Between the towns few houses are to be seen except the guardias, near which are always extensive estancias. Fourteen miles farther (latitude 24° 48′ 27'') we passed another estancia of President Lopez, called Capiepomo Guazu. The dwelling is in the usual style of the better class of country houses in Paraguay, of one story, very capacious, and built round a court; it stands about half a mile from the river, in the midst of a palm plain, skirted with magnificent and lofty trees. The corrals upon these estates are an invariable evidence of the wealth of the estanciaro, and here they were large and numerous. We anchored as the sun was sinking below the horizon in a sea of gorgeous tinges; and as night approached, with little or no interval of twilight, flocks of sheep, by thousands, might be seen gathering under the shelter of the corrals. The number of horned cattle on some of these estancias is enormous, and, with a free communication to the Atlantic, we can understand how great a revenue they would afford. Found at our anchorage forty-eight feet of water, the width of the river being half a mile, the least depth twenty-four feet; current at anchorage two and a half miles per hour. Engaged a bullock and a quantity of fresh milk for an early hour the next morning. The cows are milked but once a day—in the morning always. The capitaz would receive no pay for either, and, on inquiring, found that this was in accordance with the orders of the President. This is only one of what I consider a series of national civilities, offered with a delicacy which reflects high honor upon his excellency. Indeed, government hospitality represents a characteristic of the Paraguayans. A more generous, single-hearted people it is impossible to find, and they have a native tact which rarely offends even the conventional ideas of those who have associated more with the outer world. Much as I was obliged afterward to disapprove and deprecate the course of President Lopez toward the Americans who had set 132 LOPEZ'S HOSPITALITY. tled in Asuncion, and in the unprovoked attack upon the Water Witch while ascending the Parana, the reception of the expedition in his waters, and his entire course toward us, until his outbreak with the consul, was characterized throughout by generous hospitality. At an early hour our bullock was dragged by the lasso from the corral to the river bank, and in an incredibly short time served up on board ship. We soon passed the grass-lands of Capiepomo, where the banks are low, and covered with forests of lofty trees; parasites and epiphytes, with brilliant and fragrant bloom, entwine themselves around the huge trunks, here presenting a floral column, there running over branches, and from tree to tree, forming hanging gardens. To complete the enchantment, birds of gay plumage flit about, enlivening the woods with their merry songs. We passed another estancia near the Guardia Caraguatay. The left bank again rises to the height of fifteen feet, and is well wooded; beyond, a boundless plain of palms aud grass. Saw many fowl, among which were the Pato real-"Royal Duck," and Bigua bay—“Snake-head." The starboard crank-strap broke, and we anchored to repair damages. In an hour we were under way, and passed the mouth of the River Quarepoti, seventy-two miles from Asuncion. On this stream, three miles from the Paraguay, is the town of Rosario, but hid from our view by the woods. Passing an estancia of General Lopez, son of the President, and commander-inchief of the army, we anchored off the Piquete Ytati, our second dépôt of wood, one hundred and two miles from Asuncion. The President's orders were carried out as to the quantity and size of this wood, and there was a punctuality in its supply which, I feel assured, without his instructions, neither love nor money could have procured. I found here fifty-two cords well cut and put up; a familiar sight to us, but a novel one to Paraguayans. Our experience demonstrates fully not only the possibility of obtaining abundance of wood in these waters for steamers, but the fact of its superiority to all used similarly in our own country. In running from 5 to 10 o'clock A.M.-five hours-and from 1 to 5 P.M.-in all, nine hours forty-five minutes-we consumed five and a quarter cords of wood, a little more than half a cord per hour, keeping up twenty pounds of steam, making from eighteen to twenty revolutions, and giving a speed of six miles over the bottom, against a current of from two to two and a half miles per hour. An accurate account of the consumption and careful meas |