The Republican journal., 1904-07-28
family life goes on. The numerous
tanneries and leather manufactures
are explained by the fact that nearly

|
all the exports from this point are
hides, dry and wet, and leather in some
form. As for the ''columna'' (Cleopa-
tra's Needle), the good citizens mani
testify pitied our ignorance when we
inquired what it meant. If you have
never heard of the miracle connected
with the origin of Corrientes you should
post yourself thereon before coming
here, would you win the respect of the
people. The story runs this way: In
the year 1888, when Don Juan Torres
de Vera y Arragon was governor of
Paraguay, he sent his young nephew,
Alonza de Vera, with twenty eight SOL
diers, from Asencion to found another
city in some advantageous position
lower down the river. Don Alonzo
selected the site of Corrientes, and on
the third of April in the year above
mentioned he climbed the high, steep
bank with his handful of followers.
According to the invariable custom of
the pious frauds of those days, the first
thing the Spaniards did before laying
violent hands upon the property of
Others, was to erect huge cross, not
only as a symbol of the faith within
them, but as signal that they had
taken possession of the country in the
name of the Spanish sovereign and
San Jago, patron of Spain, and all the
saints in the calander. At that time
this section was inhabited by the Qua
ranis, war-like tribe, numerous as
the sands on the shore. They knew,
from the sad experience of their breth-
eren, who were suffering in bondage in
Paraguay, how dreadful was the tyran-
ny of the white man; and, naturally, at
sight of the hated usurpers, they pre-
pared for desperate resistance. Hav-
ing set up their cross at the entrance
to a wooden palisading built for de-
tense, the pale-faces mustered behind
it-twenty-eight against six thousand
dusky warriors. The latter poured a
deadly shower of arrows upon the lit
tie band, who found the frail barricade
of branches and brambles but indiffer-
ent protection. Before returning the
assault with their arquebuses, the
Spaniards, as usual, knelt at the foot
of the cross and offered fervent prayer
in loud voices The Indians, hearing
the earnest cries to heaven and observ-
ing the Ito them) strange movements
of those who were on their knees, be-
lieved that the mystic symbol contain
ed some charm which would protect
the foe as long as it stood intact.
Therefore they turned their attention
to destroying this symbol, piling dry
branches and grass around it and set
ting fire to the heap amid savage yell
ing and dancing. For more than an
hour the mass famed up, communicat-
ing itself to the palisade and adjacent
tree; but when all the com unstable ma
terial within reach was exhausted,
great was their surprise to find the
sacred symbol standing in the midst of
UIlC tOliCO SIllllCiy oiCo. my lO
turned to apply new fire, but when the
first Indian approached to stir up the
smouldering embers, he was struck
dead on the spot-true believers say by
a thunderbolt sent from heaven to pun
ish impiety, while the ungodly are of
the opinion that his timely taking off
was due to shot from a Spanish ar
quebuse. The savages, however, took
it as a mark of displeasure from the
white mans deity, and at once the
whole six thousand, with their power
full caciques and women and children
fell upon their faces and submitted te
the yoke of handful of adventures
The beloved cross is still preserved il
beautiful chapel built especially fol
it near the spot where the miracle was
performed.
About a hundred years later the
fierce Guaicarus Indians from tn,
Gran Chaco side of the Parana cam,
over in fleet of canoes and attacked
the colonists. The latter discreetly
took to the woods, abandoning thu
town and all their property to the mer
CHESS marauders. The savages reached
the city and destroyed everything ex
, cept the miraculous cross. They rid
died the church containing it, and lief
nothing but the bare walls and the small
square of brass railing curtained will
purple silk, within which stands tn
holy relic; for the fate of the Indial
{ who was stricken with death for med
| ding with it century before yet lin
! gered in tradition.
AS in duty bound, we made solemn
, pilgrimage to the "Columna" whicl
r marks the spot where the cross wa
originally planted. 1t is simple col
f umn of rough stones smeared will
, plaster, about fifteen feet high and 81,
+ feet square at the base. Small bras
l plates are set in two sides Of the pedes
f tai, inscribed Gn Spanish) as follows
t 'The people of Corrientes erect thi
3 monument as a testimonial of thei
, gratitude to the SOVEREIGN auther @