PARANA, a vast river of South America, originating in those mountainous ranges which traverse the Brazilian provinces of Minas Geraes and Goyas. Like the Paraguay, it is formed of a great number of small streams, the sources of which extend over several degrees, probably from the sixteenth to the twentieth of south latitude. Before the Parana reaches the parallel of south latitude under which the Paraguay commences, it has drained an immense tract of country, and become swelled to a mighty stream. About this point, which is the verge of the great table-land which forms the inner part of Brazil, it tumbles over a precipitous rocky channel, at a place called Setequedas, or Seven Falls. Some have spoken of a continued rapid and broken advance of the river for several leagues; but Cazal, a high authority, represents it as here narrowed from a league in breadth to a hundred yards, by six small rocky islands, between which the water rushes, foams, and falls. But the hundred yards mentioned must refer only to the breadth of that part of the river which is wholly uninterrupted by the islands; between all of them various minor currents must of course flow, and these are certainly not included in the statement of the width of the Parana at this part. Azara describes these stupendous cataracts under another name. The first, called Sant de Canendigu, which was the name of a cacique who inhabited this part of the country at the time of the coñquest, and Sant de Guayra, from the vicinity of the province of that name, is situated not far from the tropic of Capricon, in 24. 4. 27. of south latitude. It is a frightful cascade, and worthy of being described by the poets. Immediately before this immense river falls over the precipice, or rather inclined plane, it is suddenly contracted from above two hundred toises to about thirty toises in breadth, and descends into the frowning abyss with frightful fury, causing the solid earth to tremble around. The fall is not vertical, but at an angle of fifty degrees, the perpendicular descent being fifty-two French feet. The vapours which rise from the shock of the waters, and the pointed rocks situated in the channel of the precipice, are seen at the distance of many leagues, in the form of columns. Rainbows of the most lively colours, formed by the rays of the sun, appear suspended over the cataract; and in these a quivering movement may be perceived. The sound is heard at the distance of six leagues; and the clouds which are formed by the ascending vapours form an eternal rain in the vicinity. There are other cataracts either belonging to the Parana or its tributaries, but they are not of such magnitude as the Setequedas. The general bearing of the Parana, in by far the greater part of its course, is southerly. About the twenty-seventh parallel it takes a westerly direction, in which it continues to flow until its junction with the Paraguay. Not far from the point where it takes a great bend from southwest to nearly due west, it meets with a rocky edge, over which it is precipitated at the island of Apipé, and here navigation for large vessels terminates. But when the waters are large, the passage is free for galliotes and small craft. Near this is the lake. Ibera or Ybyera, one of the most considerable in the country, and which, like the Xarayes of Paraguay, is said to be formed by the water of the upper part of the Parana. Azara, however, asserts that it has no connection with that river. It is thirty leagues in breadth at its northern extremity, where it is parallel with the Parana, and to which it is very near, though without having any visible communication with that river. Thirty leagues to the south, there is formed what has been called the Gorge of Yuquicua; after which it again enlarges in proportion as it advances southward, until it terminates by forming the river Miriñay, which is considerable, and flows into the Uruguay. From Yuquicua the lake Ybyera also stretches thirty leagues to the west, and there three rivers issue from it, called the Saint Lucie, the Corrientes, and the Bateles. It has no apparent source, receiving neither river nor rivulet, and continues during the year almost without any variation, being filled with aquatic plants, and even with some trees. A great part of it must therefore partake more of the character of a marsh than a lake; and it is to be observed that several recent authorities maintain that it is connected with the river Parana, and follows the rise and fall of its waters. “In the dry season,” says Luccock, “it covers an extent of about a hundred and fifty square leagues, and all around the land supplies an abundance of food for cattle; but about a month after the rains have commenced in the upper country, that is, in December, the Ybyera swells to a vast extent, covering hardly less than two thousand square leagues. At this period it is said to communicate both with the Parana and the Uruguay; a circumstance which, if correctly stated, indicates that these streams once united there, and that the lower grounds have been formed by their concurrent operation continued for ages.” Higher up on the same river, and in the midst of the woods, is another lake called the Jagape, but little more is known of it than its name, and that chiefly from the report of people dwelling in its neighbourhood, who occasionally find their way to Rio de Janeiro.

After the confluence of the Parana and Paraguay, in latitude 27. 27., the river under the former name assumes a grand and majestic appearance. It is studded with innumerable islands, some of which are of considerable size, thickly clothed with trees and shrubs, and forming a refuge for foxes, tigers, and other wild animals. The volume of its waters is of course very great. It is above two miles in breadth, of considerable depth, and has a current more rapid than that of the Paraguay before its junction. “The Parana and Paraguay,” says Air Luccock, “rolling impetuously through a very extended course, bring down a great quantity of wreck, and soil of a reddish colour. When they have arrived at the more level grounds, and their currents are become comparatively slow, much of it is deposited; there it remains until the next wet season, when it is again urged onward by a resistless torrent, which not only sweeps the bottom, but frets and tears the banks, which had before been raised.” The main current is never less than two fathoms and a half in depth; and it is near the sides of the river, not in the centre, that the channel is deepest. Its periodical rise commences in December, which is some time after the commencement of the rainy season in the countries situated between the tropic of Capricon and the equator; and it continues rising without interruption till the month of April, when decreasing till July, with somewhat more rapidity than it rose, it again shrinks within its legitimate bounds. In the latter month it is usual to perceive a slight rising, which the inhabitants of the country call “Èl repunte ;” and which is attributed to the waters which the river receives from the streams pouring down from the temperate zone, where the season of winter is almost always rainy. But the “repunte” is of such trivial moment that it never overflows the lands even in the lowest situations. The rains, [7:17:67]although invariable as to their recurrence, are greater in some years than in others; and the height to which the river rises, of course, corresponds with the quantity of rain which falls. The navigation of this river is of considerable importance. “There are three causes which regularly impede the navigation of rivers,” says Don Ignacio Nuñez, in his work on the united provinces of the Rio de la Plata, “the great rapidity of their currents, the shallowness of their waters, and the shoals, rocks, or banks which obstruct their passage. None of these inconveniences are met with in the Parana, till reaching the island of Apipé. The rapidity of its course varies with the state of the river, and the conformation of its channel. When the rising is at its greatest height, the velocity of its current is greater than when it is on the decrease; and, in both seasons, it is always greatest in those parts where its channel is the narrowest. In the Rosario, in Punta Gorda, and in Hernan de Arias, which are the places where it is the most straitened in width, six observations made during the time of its rising gave for its average velocity a foot and a half per second. When the river is in its natural bed its stream has much less velocity, and that is not alike in all places in its breadth. In the centre of the channel it is greater than on the shore towards the bogs; and there, on account of its being very accessible, it is greater than in the places near the islands, where the velocity is almost null; which is not the case in the Rio de la Plata, in which the currents are invariably in proportion to, and in direction with, the winds which blow. It is therefore evident that the rapidity of the current of the Parana is no impediment to its navigation; which, indeed, experience has long since proved. As regards the depth, no person is ignorant of its capability for the navigation of vessels of all burdens as far as the island of Apipé; and it would continue with depth enough for that object for a great distance farther, did not a cataract situated in that place impede its progress.” He then goes on to state, that its depth at the shallowest is quite sufficient for very large vessels; and that the greater part of its sinuosities and arms are not only navigable in the rainy season, but even when the river is at the lowest. “From Cape Saint Maria to the island of Apipé,” he continues, “is a distance by water of five hundred leagues, navigable without any other reef than the English Bank (Banco Ingles), which will cease to be dangerous as soon as a vigilant and protecting government shall watch over the commerce and prosperity of the country. In the whole course of the Parana there is not a single stone; its bottom is clay and very fine sand; and although some banks and shallows are here and there met with, a sufficient channel is left at all times for the passage of vessels.” In reference to, the extent of country inundated, he says, “The average rising is about twelve feet; but the islands and lands subject to be overflowed never have that depth of water over them, owing to their greater height. When the river is at the highest, the lowest of the islands scarcely have more than three feet over them, and some, for the distance of many leagues, are covered by only eight or nine inches. There are also places which are not inundated except during extraordinary risings, which may not occur for a considerable length of time. There are likewise inundations so low that they form lakes, which disappear solely through evaporation and filtration, leaving a great quantity of fish out of their element. Calculating the immense extent of territory inundated by the Parana, only from its mouth to Cayasta, of which we can speak with accuracy from our own observations, its waters during the inundation cover about one thousand one hundred square leagues; and, making an approximate calculation of the whole extent of country which enjoys this beneficial circumstance, from near the tropic of Capricon, where the river begins to assume this quality, to its mouth, the space participating in so vast an advantage, without any aid from art, may be reckoned at about four thousand leagues.” A river so extensive as the Parana is of course supplied by many tributary rivers. Amongst the most considerable of these is the Salada or Salado, which rises in the province of Salta, and flows into the Parana at Santa Fé. It is navigable for many leagues, and as it traverses a very fertile country, it will one day become of far more importance than it is at present. It is to be distinguished from another river of the same name, which unites with the Rio de la Plata in latitude 36°, four or five degrees farther down. The Parana flows into the river last named by several mouths, comprehended between latitude 34. and 34. 20. south. Here also the Rio de la Plata receives the Uruguay, and these united streams flow majestically to the Atlantic Ocean. (r. r. r.)