The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-21 00:00:00

THE IV AR IN SOUTH AMERICA.

The following is taken from the Anglo-Brazilian Times
of the 23rd of March:—" From the seat of war we learn
that the three Brazilian ironclads returned to Tayi upon
the 26th of February. Asuncion was not found deserted
by its inhabitants, as at first reported, and the vessels
were even fired on from a small battery, but the defensive
works were weak and a sufficient land force could
easily take it. Two steamboats were lying sunk in the
port. All the villages along the river were abandoned. In
the Chaco, opposite to the Tebiquary, the • Paraguayan
depots were seen on fire, and a schooner in tow of a
steamer was captured. On returning from Asuncion they
were fired on by infantry posted at the mouth of the Tebi-
quary. On the 2nd of March the Paraguayans made an
intrepid attempt to capture the eight Brazilian ironclads
stationed between Curupaity and Humaita. Before day-
light 48 boats, with 1,200 picked men armed with carbines,
revolvers, hatchets, and hand-grenades, pulled quietly
from the river bank, after covering themselves with boughs,
so as to resemble a floating islet. Fortunately, a guardboat
in patrolling came near enough to detect the artifice, and
hurried back to give the alarm ; but before the crew of
the nearest vessel, the Lima e Barros, could all ensconce
themselves inside the towers, 14 boats were alongside, and
the Paraguayans boarding, a short hand-to-hand fight
ensued, in which the captain and the first officer were
severely wounded. The Cabral was also boarded from 12
boats, but the crew had no time to enter the casemate.
On both vessels the desperate struggle was continued
through the ports with firearms, every shot of the defenders
telling in the dense mass of the assailants, and the former
suffering severely from grenades thrown in. Meantime
the plan of simultaneous attack had been frustrated in
the excitement and by the current, and the ironclads
Silvado and Herval, warping themselves into position,
opened grape with deadly effect upon the boats, while the
Brazil swept the decks of the boarded vessels. The
case then being hopeless, the Paraguayans leaped into the
boats on the river and sought to escape. The boats of the
squadron were sent off to save the swimmers, but they
refused to surrender, and only 13 prisoners were taken.
The Paraguayan loss is estimated at 400 men, 110 bodies
being found on the deck of the two vessels. On the part
of the Brazilians, 32 were killed and wounded, five being
killed on the Lima e Burros, and three in the Silvado.
On the early morning of the 3rd the two wooden gun-
boats, Beberibe and Mag 6, steamed up past Curupaity
with trifling injury and only one man wounded. The
river was at the highest. The Brazilian railway in the
Chaco and Lopez road were both under water, but
the vessels above Curupaity bad sufficient stores to last
for a considerable time. The expeditionary corps of
10,000 men announced previously by the Marquis de
Caxias as ready to start from Tayi towards Asuncion was
still in camp. Their absence, indeed, would be
dangerous at such a critical juncture at Humaita, and it
is not clear what good the expedition could effect, even if
sufficient to force the Tebiquary. It is now well known
that Madame Lynch has two brothers who are chief
officers in Lopez's army, and that he is entirely guided by
them to the extent of his giving them full discretionary
power. It seems most probable that Lopez is not at
Humaita, and that he is at Tebiquary superintending a
defence there."

MYSTERIOUS DISAPPE.kIiANCE OF A LADY.—A
matter of a very mysterious nature is now engaging atten-
tion at Lancaster. On Good. Friday, Mrs. Ganderton, a
widow lady of independent means, residing in that town,
visited Morecambe, and on returning in t►_ie evening die.
covered that she had lost her purse and money. She then
set off along the main road to walk to Morecambe, and
was met at eight o'clock about two miles from that place.
Since that time, however, no tidings have been heard of
her, notwithstanding all her friends have been communi-
cated with, and printed notices, offering a reward, as well
as giving a full description of her, have been circulated.
The lady's sudden and mysterious disappearance' as caused
considerable speculation as to what has t--^7e of her. She
is about fifty years of age. • -