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ASUNCION.-A STORM BREWING.

rare species; so rare that she knew of but one other in all the country. The bird was blind, and had been so for twelve years. I was anxious to procure a specimen, but no money could purchase this. It is true, the lady presented it to me. I, however, fortunately understood that it was a Spanish offer, and declined it.

"At one or two of the bad passes we have discovered that our descent was well-timed. The water has fallen four and a half feet since our upward passage, and yet there is sufficient depth for a vessel of nine feet draught. Four feet more, and the river will have reached its minimum. It is subject in the month of January to a partial rise, similar to the Repunte of the Parana, which occurs in November, and is equal to five or six feet. While at Asuncion in January, 1854, between the 12th and 21st of the month, it rose eleven inches, continuing from that time to February to decrease, as previously shown.

"December 20th, 1853. Anchored off Asuncion; visited almost immediately by the port captain, whose countenance, like that of the Governor of Concepcion, is ominous of a brewing storm. What can it be?”

CHAPTER XII.

The Captain of the Port.-Momentous Question.-A Call at the Government House. The Secretary of State.-Visit to the President.-The Anniversary of Paraguayan Independence. - Minor Explorations. Congress of 1812.-The Consuls.-Francia.-Provisional Junta. - Another Congress. - President Lopez.-The Constitution.-Ignorance of the People.-Society.-Señoritas and Flowers.-Paraguay Tobacco and Smokers.-The Siesta.-Another Call upon the President. The Vaquerano.-A Tour into Paraguay.-Señor Don Jaimi Corvallan.-Perijû.-Señora Dalmacia.-Villa Rica.-Don Louis Homan.-The Tebiquari.-The Recado.-Puesta del Estado de Jesus Maria.-—The Dinner.— The Peripo.-Mr. Francis Wisner.-Señor Sergente Lopez.-Señora Clara.— Manufacture of Cigars.-The Taquari.-Fertility of the Country.-Medical Men. -Healthful Climate.-Puebla Carmen.-Don Mariana.-The Yûn.-El Secretario.-Ytapua.

THE captain of the port is an important personage at Asuncion; he not only notes all arrivals and departures by water, but is a confidential friend of the President. His every look and act are watched by the Paraguayans as reflecting that of his Excellency. I found him, on my return, not wanting in official courtesy, but depressingly solemn. At last he asked a great and momentous question.

A MOMENTOUS QUESTION.

"How far did you go?"

"I ascended to Corumba in Brazil."

"Then you went beyond the limits of Paraguay ?"

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Here was a key to the mystery. I now understood why all the horses of Concepcion had so suddenly disappeared; why the good commandante, so zealously anxious to serve us in ascending, was so officially cold in descending.

I have alluded to the celerity with which intelligence is transmitted through Paraguay, by means of guardias and piquetes. The port captain knew very well that the expedition had entered the Brazilian waters, and I understood that, in questioning me as to the extent of our explorations, he only acted under instructions, and that my answer would be duly reported.

I said, "having completed the survey of the river throughout Paraguayan territory, and finding that we were on the borders of Brazil, I availed myself of the imperial permission, and ascended to Corumba. It is true, that in my interviews and conversations with the President on this subject, he raised objections to my going beyond the limits of Paraguay, but I always combated them, and as this official letter was sent after my last conversation with him, I concluded from its tenor that he had yielded the point. I know that his Excellency will be gratified at the result of my work, for I can give him information as to neighboring territories which he has never before received." I then showed the official the Presi dent's letter. He looked disturbed, and bade me adios.

I called as soon as possible at the government house. The officer in attendance announced my visit, but returned immediately, saying,

"His Excellency is too unwell to receive you, but requests that you will call on the Secretary of State."

"Express to his Excellency my regret at his indisposition, and say that I have no official business with the Secretary of State; but I will call on him."

The Secretary of State was profoundly polite, but as solemn as if under condemnation to be shot for treason.

"He hoped that I had enjoyed the trip." The secretary was disposed to regard it as a pleasure excursion.

I replied, "I have received pleasure from the exploration of the river beyond Asuncion, and much of this pleasure arises from a knowledge of the success of the work so far; for this success I owe much to the liberality of the Paraguayan government, and

200

INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT LOPEZ.

avail myself of this occasion to express my thanks for the hospitality and official consideration with which we have been received at every point upon the river. I regret that the indisposition of his Excellency the President, obliges me to wait for the pleasure of expressing to him my gratitude.”

The secretary relaxed somewhat from the rigidity of countenance and manner which he had maintained since my entrance. At this propitious moment I rose and said "good-morning."

I understood now the whole question; in entering Brazilian territory I had touched the dignity of the republic, periled its peace, and it was considered necessary to make me aware of this.

After the lapse of a day or two the President's recovery was intimated to me, and I called at the government house, was admitted, and found his Excellency seated as usual at the circular table. The conversation soon turned upon the extent of our explorations, when his Excellency became excited. One would have supposed that I had let "Los Portugases"-as he called the Brazilians—in upon him.

He "knew," he said, "that the imperial government would demand the privilege accorded to the United States expedition."

I said, "I think your Excellency takes a mistaken view of the question. Our explorations can not be assumed as a precedent to do more than the expedition has aimed to accomplish, and if Brazil should demand the same privilege it would be absurd. The surveys of the river have been carefully made. The results will be published, and the imperial government will receive the same benefit that any other might expect."

I reminded him of our last conversation on the subject, also of his official letter, which I regarded as an abandonment of all objections to my ascending as far as I could, and then said,

"I am happy now to present your Excellency with a sketch of the river, throughout the limits of Paraguay, of perhaps far greater accuracy than any thing you have before seen."

He assured me repeatedly, during this visit, of his high consideration for me officially and personally; and from this time my relations with him, until again disturbed, were of a far more friendly and confidential character than they had previously been. A few days later I had an interview with him on some other business; he adverted playfully to the subject of our difficulty, and said, "We are now as good friends as ever."

The 25th of December is the anniversary of Paraguayan inde

ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE.

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pendence, and is therefore, in that country, both a political and religious festival. Accompanied by some of the officers of the Water Witch, I called to pay my respects to the President, who was, as usual, before the circular table, and in full uniform. He requested us to be seated on his right; and we took possession of one of the rows of chairs, to which I have previously alluded as being always stationary. Opposite, on a corresponding row, were seated some Paraguayans. All was solemn and still. I ventured to break the silence by congratulating his Excellency upon the prosperity and peace of Paraguay. In reply he referred, in complimentary terms, to the United States, to their rapid advancement, and their prominent position among the powers of the earth. Neither on this or any similar occasion did I observe the presence of ladies; strong-minded women have then here both political and social wrongs.

The wheels of the Water Witch had become so much damaged, that it was necessary to make some temporary repairs before she could attempt the passage to Montevideo for provisions, and a more thorough overhauling. When ready she was dispatched with such officers as were absolutely necessary, while others were detailed for various duties of the work in Paraguay.

The small steamer was now completed, and assigned to Lieutenant Murdaugh, who was to explore a river which was said to flow from the Chaco into the Paraguay, sixty miles from Asuncion. Finding no such stream he entered an arm of the Paraguay, some distance above; ascended it for fifteen miles, and discovered that it there terminated in grass and camelotes, having no current to indicate it being a river. This was doubtless the supposed tributary, and is but another evidence of the prevailing ignorance of the geography of the opposite territory, even in the vicinity of the capital.

To obtain some information as to the resources and cultivation of this country, I determined to go into the interior; following a route that would lead through the most populous districts, and to some of the old settlements of the Jesuits, among them Ytapua, now called Encarnacion-from which point, north, the Parana forms the eastern boundary of the republic. While engaged in preparation for these new movements of the expedition I had again an opportunity of seeing something of the capital, the centre of trade, politics, and social life. Its population is estimated at from ten to twenty thousand-certainly a wide difference in

numbers; but, from the absence of statistical information, or rather from the objection to making any thing known to strangers, a foreigner is left very much to the result of his own observations. I should say that it contains about twelve thousand inhabitants. The non-intercourse policy of Francia and Rosas has operated here as banefully as in many other towns of La Plata. With no motive for exertion, the habit is lost, and yet I found the Paraguayans quick to avail themselves of the information and intelligence of others.

The independence of this country was acknowledged by Buenos Ayres in 1811; a Congress assembled in 1812, and confided the administration of affairs to two consuls, Yegros and Francia. Yegros possessed some military talent, but was idle and illiterate. He left the management of affairs entirely in the hands of Francia, who regulated the finances, the military, and the administration of justice with so much address, filling every public place with his