PARAGUAY. 



f,<)3 



fort of Brllu Vista, on the frontier, oc- 

 cupied ly a Brazilian brigade, placed there to 

 jruanl the Apa country, which ho purposed to 

 unit*' with his, and take on to Dourados. 

 However, when not far from Bella Vista, ho 

 \\ord from the commander there that 

 /. had not continued on the road to Dou- 

 rados, but had left it and turned to the west to 

 ix-nipy an excellent camping-ground in the 

 middle of the mountains, on the south side of 

 the Aqnidaban, just within Paraguayan terri- 

 tory. Only two roads from it existed, one 

 running west and north to, Donrados, which, 

 fur a long distance, was cut through the bush, 

 impenetrable, like all South American bush. 

 After fifty or sixty miles, the bush-road di- 

 vided, one fork going to Dourados and the 

 other to Panadero. The other outlet led in 

 the opposite direction. Camara then changed 

 his plans; he ordered the brigade at Bella 

 Vista to march with all speed to Dourados, get 

 into the trnck there, and hurry down to occu- 

 py the fork of the road and shut the outlet 

 at that side, while ho himself hastened by 

 forced marches to shut up the outlet at the 

 other side, to the northwest of the Aquidaban, 

 north of which river Camara then was. On 

 this march Camara learned from a deserter 

 that his march from Concepcion was totally 

 unknown to Lopez, and that he believed him- 

 self free from attack for some time. Camara 

 then determined to push on with a small body, 

 in the hope of surprising Lopez before he an- 

 ticipated any danger. Three days' march 

 brought him to the mouth of the outlet, and 

 Lopez was shut up at that side. In front of 

 Lopez was the Aqnidaban, and about three 

 miles before it was the Taquara. At the first 

 river four cannon were planted to defend the 

 crossing at the ford leading to the camp ; at 

 the Taquara ford were two cannon and about 

 twelve men, as an outpost. Some Brazilian 

 cavalry succeeded in crossing the Taquara 

 during the night, and, at daybreak, charged on 

 the outpost, securing the cannon before they 

 could be fired. An ambush, placed in the 

 bush-road between Lopez's camp and the cap- 

 tured outpost, secured an officer, who gave 

 valuable information. One or two men of the 

 party escaped the ambush and hurried back to 

 Lopez. Camara hastened to attack; his in- 

 fantry deployed upon the bank of the Aquida- 

 ban, and opened on the artillery on the other 

 side ; the cavalry and infantry charged across 

 the river, captured the cannon, routed a force 

 arriving too late to reenforce the defence, and, 

 with the lancers in front, debouched upon the 

 open ground where Lopez's tents were pitched, 

 and a force of about four hundred men drawn 

 up in column, himself at the head. According 

 to instructions, the lancers divided and swept 

 round past the column to occupy the mouth of 

 the bush-road and close the trap, and, while 

 the Brazilian carbineers (Spencer carbines) 

 formed as they emerged from the road from 

 the ford to the camp, tho commander of the 

 VOL. x. 39 A 



attacking troops, with his staff and a few cav* 

 airy, charged to engage the column and pre- 

 vent Lopez escaping. It was a bold and a 

 dangerous act, but the carbineers carne on in 

 line, enveloped the column, pouring their ter- 

 riblo fire into it, and especially on the part 

 where Lopez was. The starved and poorly- 

 armed Paraguayans could do nothing against 

 such a fire. The daughter was frightful, and 

 in a few minutes it was a saute gui pent. 

 Lopez, with his staff and a few of his body- 

 guard, made for tho bush, followed by tho 

 party of Brazilian officers and cavalry who 

 had devoted themselves to his pursuit. In his 

 flight he was wounded by a corporal of cav- 

 alry, and his protectors were cut down almost 

 to a man. When he readied the stream be- 

 yond which was the thicket, he threw himself 

 from his horse, waded it, but was so exhausted 

 that he fell half-fainting on the opposite bank. 

 There the Brazilian general summoned him, to 

 surrender, and, on his striking with his sword, 

 ordered him to be disarmed, which was scarce- 

 ly done when Lopez died. 



A provisional treaty was concluded between 

 the allies and the temporary government of 

 Paraguay, at Asuncion, under date of June 

 20th. It declared peace restored between tho 

 allies and Paraguay, and opened the Upper 

 Parana and the Paraguay within the limits of 

 the republic to the merchant and war vessels 

 of the allies, free of all burdens and obstacles. 

 The allies promised to abstain from all inter- 

 ference in the elections and in the organization 

 of a permanent government. The provisional 

 government promised that the election should 

 take place within three months from the date 

 of the treaty. If this was not done, the allied 

 governments would come to an understanding 

 as to what to do in regard to the making of a 

 definite treaty of peace. If allied troops were 

 left in Paraguay, they were not to be subject 

 in any way to tho Paraguayan Government, 

 but measures should be taken to avoid their 

 presence having any influence on the election. 



On the 30th of June the provisional gov- 

 ernment obtained the aid of Brazilian forces to 

 guard Asuncion, as trouble was anticipated 

 from the party in opposition. A fearful riot 

 broke out at the capital, but was finally sup- 

 pressed %y the Government. The latter, with 

 the aid of the Chamber of Deputies, was hast- 

 ening the framing of a new national charter, 

 and the election of a new government. The 

 Assembly passed, after considerable debate, a 

 bill granting religions freedom. The country 

 was fast settling into order and comparative 

 prosperity, although the exodus of foreigners 

 and foreign capital continued. As these were 

 the main sources of wealth for the country, 

 the. Government was anxious to stay their 

 flight by allaying their fears of a revolutionary 

 outbreak previous to the election. Although 

 the excitement was very great, the election, 

 which took place on December 10th, passed 

 off quietly, and resulted in the choice of C. A. 



