Evening star., 1899-02-04
The Argentine Mesopotnmia.

from the cold. All speak Spanish. and,
with the exception of ourselves, there are
no English or Americans.
The Argentine Mesopotamia.
1t is not long after reaching Buenos
Ayres before we come into the great wheat
fields of the Argentine. We pass Rosario,
the second city of the Argentine, and its
greatest wheat port 1t is built on bluff
eighty feet above the river, so high that
the masts of our steamer are below the
foundations of the houses. AS we go by
we see great ocean steamers at the
wharves with iron chutes extending down
into them.
is galoping, the wheat flowing from the
cars directly in the holds of the steamers.
But l have already written of the wheat in
dustry. We see signs of 1t everywhere as
we go onward. We pass big mills and great
grain elevators and go by towns which owe
thelr existence to the wheat fields.
provinces of Santa Fe the left and
Entire Rios and Corrientes the right.
Santa Fe wheat is known al over the
world The province is larger than New
York and its business is wheat raising.
Entire Rios and Correntes the right of
the river are bounded the east by the
Uruguay, being embraced by two of the
most fertile rivers on the globe These
provinces are known as the Argentine
Mesopotamia- They are very rich and
their soil is of wonderful fertility. Each
is of about the size of South Carolina.
Entire Rios is growing very fast 1t now
has about a quarter of a million people but
upon its pastures 100000 cows and about
5,omWo,N0 sheep are feeding. This is en-
average of twenty sheep and fifteen cows
for every man, woman and child in the
province. At five to the family this would
be 100 sheep and 10 cows per family. Sup
pose we had a state every family of which
possesses 100 sheep and - cows. 1t would
be the banner state of the Union. The
stock, however, is not equally divided and
much of it is in the hands of large holders.
The Scenery of the Parann.
The Parana is one of the grandest rivers
of the world. Its beauties increase you
travel up it, and the calm, quiet pictur-
sequences of its surroundings grow upon
you. The sunsets are gorgeous, painting
the clouds in every color and shade Of
rosy pink and red. and often make a great
golden canopy over the dark blue Parana.
The morning sun strikes the dew drops
upon the fresh green fields and feathery
grasses and gives you shower of diamonds
on emerald field, while at night the
heavens and earth are clad in the gorgeous
glories of the semi-tropics You pick out
the Southern Cross from among the stars
and wonder at the tropical brilliancy of the
Milky Way.
AS you travel toward the equator the veg
citation changes. The trees are larger. the
grasses more luxuriant and the islands
have great punches of featherv green and
ferny bamboo. The country grows wilder.
Now you see n white farm house cut out
Of the forest, and now stop at a little town
consisting of thatched huts, one-story brick
buildings. rooted with red tiles with al
ways a church sDire rising over the low
roofs. After three days journey you reach
Corrientes, and then leave the Parana for
the River Paraguay.
In the Paraguay River.
The Paraguay is not wide as the Pa
rama. Between Corrientes and Asuncion. 4
distance of between 300 and 300 miles, the
banks not wider. I judge. than those Of
the Mississippi above ST. Louis. but the
waters are equally deep. The river seems
perfectly navigable. You often go so close
to the bank that you can the birds of
brilliant plumage which inhabt the woods
There plenty of crocodiles. and you now
and then get a shot at one as ii ScudS
through the water to swim ont of the way
of the boat There is plenty of shooting
Flocks Of wild ducks rise from the bends
of the river and the lagOOns at every few
miles. and curious birds fly about the
steamer Along the left bank of the river
in what is known as the Chaco. there is
little else than virgin forest, and YOU are
told that these are inhabited by jaguars
and that you could not travel a mile or
tapirs. pecaries, monkeys and wild hogs
The Paraguay side is also wild save that
here and there you pass little towns. at
some of which the ships stop to load and
unload freight. You now get your first
sight of the Paraguayan people. of whom
you meet more and more as you sail on
ward, and finally come to anchor in the
capital of Paraguay.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.