Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-10
THE RIVER PARAGUAY.
FOR THE NATIONAL INrELL1aEsoEn.

FOR THE NATIONAL INTELL1GEsoER.
THE GREAg RIVER PARAGUAY, WITH ITS ArFLuESrs, AND
THEIR CAPABILITIES FOR STEAM NAVIGATION, drawn from
the latest authorities including Sir WooDBISE PARISHES
Buenos Ayres and the Provinces Of Rio de la Plata with
NEW map and illustrations. London, 1882
The Paraguay has its in seven little lakes Las
sete Lagunas situated in about latitude l3o SOUTH ong
tude 500 20 in those elevated ranges the Of Bra
I'll which constitute the watershed Of some of the prin
cpal rivers of South America, from the northern dec
vities Of which descend the MADEIRA the Tapajos and
other great streams auents of the Amazon whilst those
which pour down towards the south unite with the Para
quay 1t is joined by several navigable streams as it
passes through the rich Brazilian provinces of Matte
Crosse and Cuyaba The short portage that nteryenes
between the Of the Jauru Of its upper
auents and the GuaporG, which falls into the Amazon
is all that breaks continuous water from the
mouths Of that mighty river TO that Of the La Plata
The mouth Of the Jaur is in atitute Ice 25/ ongi-
tude $50 3 and was the boundary established between
the Spanish and Portuguese dominions by Joint COM
mission in pursuance of the treaty Of 1850. To this
point the Paraguay is navgable upwards Of twelve hum
dred miles from the for vessels Of fifty burden
little below the Jaur that region Of swamps
odica inundatons Of the rivers that descend from the
mountains above Cuyaba, is flooded for vast extent,
forming great shallow inland from latitude Ire
whore IL may be said 70 commence to 300 reaching
tnree hundred mlies north 10 SOuth upWArus
Of one hundred in width, nundating .of the low
lands in the province Of Chiquitos and Of the Gran
Chaco The rivers which fow into the Paraguay from
the eastward afford the Of communication with the
gold and diamond districts Of Brazil and lover down
with those districts Of Paraguay proper which abound in
the finest timber and produce the yerba mate the article
most in demand in that country
From the west the most important auents Of the Pa
raguay the Pilcomayo and the Vermejo which fall
into it below the town of Assumption the capital Of the
Republic Of Paraguay; both the rivers 8ow through
vast extent Of country having their in the eeya
ted regions Of the Bolivian Andes The Paraguay unes
with the Parana Corentes 10 latitude 27o 30 north
Its total course Is about sixteen hundred miles
The Pilcomayo rises In the the northwest
Of Potos and Is shortly after increased by several smaller
streams and amongst others the Cachimayo rising in the
vicinity OF Chuqusaca the capital Of Bolivia About two
hundred miles below where is crossed by the high road
between Potos and Chuquisaca It receives its i'm
porant western tributary the Playa formed by the uni
ted streams Of many small rivers descending from the
mountains Of Lipez, Tupza, and Tuina; whence,
ming in southeasterly direction after very tortuous
through the fat low country in the Of the
Gran Chaco Il falls into the Paraguay by two branches
near Assumption; called the Araguay -guard or
Mini or Little Araguay, about twenty miles fur
tier down Its total is estimated Mt two thousand
miles II s navgable for vessels Of eighty tons burden
about two hundred and seventy miles TO its bfurcaon
where the navigation s obstructed by ledge IT.
The Vermejo, or Red River, rises the Bolivian from
tier and joins the Paraguay fourteen miles southwest Of
Neembuca Its total course s estimated at hun
bred and fifty miles, and is navigable from its junction
with the Lavayan in about latitude 23o far from the
town Of 0rsn the confines of Bolivia the Paraguay
and thence 70 Buenos Ayres distance Of more than two
thousand miles.
About thirty miles below the mouth Of the vermeo the
Paraguay IL joined from the east by the great river Para
n6 which name the united waters thence take tin thew
are finally lost in the La Plata This river rivaling in
extent the Paraguay ITSELF rises in the chains of
the Brazilian Province Of Mnas Geraes The northwest Of
Rio de Janeiro in latitude 20 deg south Turning first
ed by several large rivers amengt which the most noted
are the Rio Grande Para, the Tet< the ParanapAn
and the Cmtba On reaching the Guaran Missions near
Candslsris in about lat ~ deg 10 min il turns again
westward until IL falls into the Paraguay Thcnce these