Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-11-18
THE RIVER pAkANA.

liz III Ell ! aitnlNn.
Translated from the Statistic Register
OF Buenos Ayres, tor the New York Daily
Advertiser.
The River ParaDa derives its origin
from the CorilIlera OF bills which lies north
west from BIO JsDeIro, in 81 degrees OF
south latitude lis beginning, like tha' OF
all other rivers. is humble and insignificant.
until after It's junction with the PsraDabla,
the Tiese the ParsDapane, and The Cur
tiba, 1t turns tow wards the north west. 10
this direction II runs IL it reaches the 1911
degree Of latitude, when it changes its
course again, and running south. enters
the missions OF the Guarantees. At this
place II assumes . new character. and
forms an Archipelago of an innumerable
assemblage of the islands which 1t is ex
lremely difficult TO- describe. turning also
towards the west to flow towards the Pa.
raguay. This last rver might claim the
superiority, on account OF the distance OF
It's head stream IN latitude IL, As well as
the straiiness OF Us C urse; hut the peCull-
ar character OF the islands which extend 10
the very mouth have preserved 10 The u
nite1 rivers the name OF Parana.
Until II reaches The city the current is
formed only OF waters supplied by the
hills OF Brazil; but there 1t begins to meet
With streams from the Andes OF Peru, in
the rivers OF bermejo and Pilcomsyo
which pour into the Paraguay. Here il
begins 10 present that grand and majestic
appearance OF an inland sra, which il ex.
h,bits under the name Of LA Plata between
the parallels OF l5 and 80, and bears a.
long with IT TO the ocean.
One OF the properties of the Parana
which most OF all recommends it TO the at.
tenlIon Of the curious observer. is the ma.
lure Of lts periodical currents. similar in a
remarkable degree to those of the Nile -
Indeed 1t is to be doubted whether there
oan be found any two r,vArs whose quail
TIES 50 strongly resemble each other
Both OF them rise in the torrid zone. and
nearly equldIstsnt irons the equator, al
though in different hemSpberes. Both
also discharge their waters almost in the
same latitude, and in directions towards
their respective poles. They are both
navigable tor the distance ufmany leagues
and contain numerous cataracts: both have
periodical foods, which overflow their
banks. and Inundate an immense extent OF
ground. Ia both, also, the cause Of the
hooda is, in our opinion the same, being
the abundance of water falling in the tor
rid zone during the four months 10 which
the sun ls nearest the tropics. To speak
Tor any other case than this, is 10 search
for a miracle. Even a systematic phiIoso-
ptier can attribute it to nothing else but
the regular winds which blow continually
during the ~fullness of the waters: and with
regard to the P%arana, we can give an as
surance 70 the contrary, for the winds have
not the slightest influence on the foods.
The Winds are indeed constant four
months IN the year, and their influence is
lrTegularly felt on the Plata, but without
producing a constant and stated increase
Ii is we'll known that the sWellings of The
Plata are as variable and uncertain az the
wind Mhlch produces them In the morn
ing the river falls considerably and rises
IN the evening, ON account of the different
force Of the breeze; and if the Plata has no
constant increase, il is certain that it can
not produce one 10 the Parana. Besides,
i is well known that the waters in the
Ilata have q sSsater elevation in winter,