The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1888-02-08
IMPRESSIONS OF SOUTH AMERICA.
N PLEASING LETTER EiOAI AN IN
TELLIGENT OBSERVER.
The Country and tho PcopIc--IntercSting
Facts Gathered on IL j Journey.
tLcttcr to the Edgcncld chronicloJ


RIVER, September 3, 1887. live days
ago, just as your summer began to wane,
and our spring to set in, we quilted
Monteyidco in the beautiful steamer
"Farfaletta," and sped 60 miles across
tho great bay which forms tho mouth of
the Rio do In Plata, to Buonos Ayres,
the immense and magnificent capital of
the Argentine Republic, of which inter
esting city will give you some account
in future letter. Here, after u night
and day, we take o larger steamer, the
"San Martin, bound for Assuncion, the
capital OF Paraguay, 1000 up the river,
In the extreme heart Of South America.
First, as this mammoth river ncars the
sea, it is called tho Rio do In Plata; a
hundred miles farther up, it becomes
the Parana; and FINELY it divides into
two great streams, one keeping the name
Parana, the other taking that OF Para
quay. AS We steam, rather slowly, up
INTO the land of the monkey ahd hoa
constructor, L seat myself on tho deck Of
the ''San Martin to write Yen a letter.
The first three days Of our Journey up
the Parana are rather monotonous. The
waters continue turbid and muddy, and
the shores mostly barren ana woodless,
given up to huge herds of cattle which
Craze on the natural growth, aud with
but few signs of cultivation. We pass
several tlourishing towns, the most
notable being Rosario, recently and
rapidly developed into II city of 10000
inhn hi Re cr
have introduced modern comforts and
the iuxuries of civilization, gas, tcle
graph, telephones, tramwnys, &c, and
founded Il Protestant church. il is also
tho focus of tho most extensive railroad
system south Of the Isthmus Of Panama,
and the commercial centre of the sur
rounding country. There is large
foundry at Rosario, belonging to an
American, besides two others, and facto-
ries, saw mills, Drewerics, hospitals,
libraries and schools Of note. The schools
are under the direction of nn American
lndy, who is appointed Superintendent
Of public instruction, was brought out
by the Argentine Government, and re-
coives salary of $1,000 Year, Il house
and perqrisitcs.
The next city Of Importance is Parann,
once the capital Of the Argentine Rrpuh-
lie. It's old government buildings, now
coffee houses, stand ont on the elevated
ridge in showy array. On the opposite
bank, miles distant, can be seen Santa
Fe (holY faith) ono of the oldest towns
on the Kiver Plata, once Jesuit centre
Further mp the river, Bella Vista shines
out, worthy OF It's name, where white
houses and orange trees crown the high
cliffs, which overlook the mighty liver,
whose grandeur and beauty now begin
to strike the most casual observer. The
glossy leaved orange C"0vcs increase,
varied by lighter foliage of water oak
and willow, with few picturesque palms
here and there. The water seems to eX-
pand into succession of lmpid lakes,
whose shores and islands mingle, with u
continual change OF scenery, as we glide
along our tranquil course, now ard then
meating various craft and sails.
The fifth morning of our voyage finds
us before the quaint old Spanish town
Of Oorrientes, settled in 1888 by the
planting Of the Holy Cross of the Jeeuits.
1t presents charming picture rs we APP
proach, the steaplcs and towers Of the
four churches and the columns of public
buildings glistening nndcr the Jazzling
rays of South American sun. Cor
ricntes was formerly jesuit stronghold,
bic sect are still pointed out. The nlus.
sive doors of tho "NIadriZ' were carved
by the iriars out of hard Parapuuynn
wood, nearly thrco hundred years ago,
and are, even now, rs solid and hard as
iron. There arc also an organ and altar
ornaments made by the same friars.
This city is S52 miles from Buenos
Ayres, and receives it's name from the
many currents uniting here. Even at
this great distance from its mouth, this
ImmCnse river is said to De three miles
twidc.
70 tho right we now leave The Parana,
which extends to the shores Of Brazil,
while wo pursue the Paraguay, noble
and beautiful stream. Hore we begin to
note decided change III scenery wrought
by our 900 miles voyage from south TO
north, and nearer approach to the
tropics. On the eastern shore we behold
the dense cool forests Of Paraguay, with
its woods of brushy, outsprending
branches, yaricgated with sparing foliage
Of lighter hue, and pink blooming trees
Ola Bracho) and the yellow Quabracho
whose hard wood never rots. There are
guavas and bamboos, and exquisite pum-
pas grasses covered with thousands OF
feathery blooms, and palms and palmet-
tos and plantains.
The western shore, which presents a
striking contrast, is bordered by low
bushes and abundant grasses, for here
stretches back for hundreds OF miles
from the waters edge, to the great Andes
cordillera, the "Grand Chaco," tho great
unexplored region Of South America,
whose mysteries, from the days of Soils,
have baflled the most adventurous tray
clers, and from whose "undiscovered
bourne" but fow have returned. For the
most part, tho "Grand Chaco" is dense
forest, but, in tho vicinity OF great
rivers, is low and swampy. Though
nominally belonging, chiefly, to the
Argentine Republic, it is still in posses
sion OF the native fierco tribes of in.
diane, as well hs other native animals OF
oil classes. However, / look in vain
for wild beasts and birds, monkeys ono
boa constrictors j discover nothing
more strange or formidable than slim1