PARA. 



PARAGUAY. 



70 



300 miles, and of which some of the mountains attain a height of 

 10,000 feet, and one to as much aa 12,800 feet. The declivities of the 

 mountains are generally covered with wood, but these forests are free 

 from underwood, which is rather a rare occurrence between the tropics. 

 Small rivers are numerous, and there are probably some larger streams 

 in the wider part of the island. In some places the surface is covered 

 with good grass. Along the northern coast the sea is deep enough to 

 be navigated by the largest vessels, and there are a few good harbours. 

 On the south-eastern coast Captain Stanley found a ridge of shoal 

 water at about 6 miles from the land, with strong currents in various 

 directions. At a distance of from 10 to 20 miles from this coast there 

 are numerous islands, which seem to lie in a row, and among which 

 several are of volcanic origin. Dampier noticed three active volcanoes. 



Along the southern shores, the country west of the isthmus is like- 

 wise mountainous, and the coast rather high and rocky, but it does 

 not rise to any considerable elevation on the shores of MacCluer's 

 Bay. The isthmus itself is formed by a chain of high hills. East of 

 the isthmus, aa far as Cape Buro (135 E. long., 4 S. lat), the moun- 

 tains advance close to the shore, and the sea cau be navigated by large 

 vessels. Cape Buro rises to a great height close to the sea ; but east 

 of this promontory the mountains recede farther inland. They are 

 visible from the sea as far east as 138 E. long., but appear to be a 

 great distance from the shore, which shows that they must attain a 

 considerable elevation. Some navigators think that they have observed 

 snow on them. Mo mountains appear east of 138 till we reach the 

 peninsula in about 146. The country between the sea and the 

 mountains, and the whole country e.ist of 138% as far as it has been 

 seen, in very low, and covered with extensive swamps, but generally 

 occupied by lofty trees. This low coast cannot be approached, as it 

 is lined by a broad belt of mud-banks. South of 8 S. lat, a wide 

 and low promontory projects into the sea, between 138 29' and 139 

 E. long. It i called Valsche Caap (Cape False), and up to 1835 was 

 considered a part of Papua, but in that year a Dutch vessel discovered 

 a strait betwt cu it and the mainland of Papua. Along the low shores 

 are the mouths of some considerable river*, but they are not accessible 

 to vessels, on account of the eztcnnre mad-banks at their mouths. 



The natural production* of these islands are little known. The 

 only animals are dogs, wild cats, and hogs, which are rather plentiful. 

 Fi h aud turtle abound, and the inhabitants of the coast subsist chiefly 

 on them. The ground appeared to Captain Stanley to be well culti- 

 vated, and the villages numerous. Lemons, limes, bamboo, and rattans 

 eem to grow spontaneously. It is supposed that gold is found in the 

 interior. 



Papua i inhabited by two or perhaps three nations. The Papuas 

 are rather stout, an I not so short as the Australians. Their eyes are 

 small and dark ; the nose somewhat curved and projecting downwards ; 

 the lips thick, the mouth large, and the teeth eic. edingly whitw ; their 

 hair U woollj ; and their colour resembles that of the native Austra- 

 lian. Ti.e men wear a thin stuff, made of the fibres of the cocoa-nut- 

 tree tied round their middle ; and the women wear blue Surat cloth. 

 The Uaraforai live in hut*, built between the branches of high trees, 

 to which acccM can only be bad by a ladder, which is drawn up daring 

 the night. They are said to be distinguished from the Papuas by a 

 lighter colour, straight hair, and greater strength and activity of body. 

 They are cannibals, and no person U permitted to marry until he can 

 show the skull of a man whom he has killed. In this they resemble 

 tome tribes of Borneo and the Battas of Sumatra. They seem to 

 have made tome progress in agriculture, and they raise provisions, 

 among which are plantains and kaUvanstt. 



The Cbiuete and the inhabitants of the Ceram Laut and Ooram 

 Islands appear to carry on a very lucrative trade, the former on the 

 northern and the latter on the southern coast The Chinese import 

 into Papua iron tools, especially chopping-knives and axes, blue and 

 red cloths, China-beads, plates, basins of China, and other similar 

 articles, and take in return, slaves, ambergris, trepang, tortoise-shell, 

 small pearU, black loorie*. Urge rrd loories, birds of Paradise, and 

 many kinds of liirds which the Papua* have a peculiar way of drying. 

 Bat the principal article of export is a bark called masoy bark, which 

 U taken to Japan, where the powder made of it is extensively used 

 for rubbing the body. In Japan a pecul of this bark fetches thirty 

 dollars. The harbour of Dory, near the western aide of the Bay of 

 Qeelvink, is the most frequented by the Chinese. 



The Portuguese discovered the western part of Papua soon after , 

 they had settled in the Moluccas, between 1512 and 1530. The 

 Spaniard Saavedra visited it in 1528. Several other navigators dis- 

 covered other part* of the coast Our countryman Dampier discovered 

 the strait which divides the island from New Britain, and sailed 

 along the whole extent of its northern coast In 1792 MacCluer 

 surveyed the bay which bears his name; and in 1802 Flinders examined 

 the country adjacent to Torres Strait, which was discovered by the 

 Spaniard Torre* in 1606. In modern times Kolff, a Dutchman, has 

 discovered and surveyed the south-western coast ; and on his report 

 respecting the advantageous trade which may be carried on with this 

 island, the Dutch government founded a colony, and erected, in 1828, 

 a "mall fortrew on a spacious bay, called by the butch, Tritons Bay. 

 The fortres*, which is called Dubus, is situated in 3 42' a lat, 

 184 15' E. Ion.-. 



PARA, or with it* full title, Santa if aria de Btltn. do Gram Para, 



is a towu in Brazil, the capital of the province of Para, in 1 18' S. lat, 

 48 22' W. long. It is built on the eastern banks of a wide river, 

 formed by the confluence of the river Tocautins with the TagipurCi, 

 or southern arm of the Amazonas, and called Rio do Pard. Opposite 

 the town the river is about 7 miles wide, and this may be considered 

 as its mean width to its mouth, a distance of more than 70 mile?. 

 On the south side of the towu is the Rio Guamd, a considerable 

 stream, which joins the Rio do Pard by a westerly course. The streets 

 of Pant are wide and straight, and intersect one another at right 

 angles. The houses are chiefly built of stone, but not high, consisting 

 rarely of more than two floors and frequently of only one. The 

 cathedral is large and has a fine appearance. The best edifice in the 

 town U the College of the Jesuits, now the residence of the Bishop 

 of Parti : a part of the building is occupied by the college, in which, 

 young persons study divinity. The church contiguous to the college 

 has been converted into an hospital. The palace of the governor and 

 the custom-house are also good buildings; and there are several 

 churches and a theatre. 



The commerce of Parsl is considerable. The exports consist of 

 sugar, rum, molasses, coffee, cacao, cotton, vanilla, copaiba, copal, 

 dye-woods, India-rubber, indigo, arnotto, Brazil nuts, nud various 

 other articles, some of which are brought from the countries ou both 

 sides of the Amazonas, and frequently from a distance of 1000 miles 

 and more. Pari sends articles of European manufacture by way of the 

 Amazonas aud Kio Tapayos to the western interior province of Matto 

 Qrosso, from which it receives gold in exchange. 



The town was founded in 1615 by Francisco Caldeyra. In 1820 its 

 population amounted to above 20,000 ; but in 1836 its prosperity was 

 checked by an insurrection of the Indians of the province, who took 

 possession of the town and kept it for about six months ; the popu- 

 lation is now estimated at 10,000, chiefly of European descent. 



PARAGUAY, Republic of, South America, is situated nearly in the 

 centre of that continent, between 20 and 27 30' S. lat., 54 30' and 

 59' W. long. It lies between the rivers Parana and Paraguay ; and is 

 bounded E. and N. by Brazil; W. by the desert and unsettled country 

 known as the Gran Chaco, claimed by the Argentine Confederation, 

 but occupied by native Indian tribes; and S. by Corrientes. The 

 area is about 75,000 square miles. The population is about 250,000. 



Surface, Soil, Hydrography. The northern part of the country is 

 mountainous. From the Serra Seiada. one of the mountain ranges 

 which traverse the middle of Brazil from east to west, a branch called 

 Sierra Amauibahy detaches itself near 15 S. lat and 55 W. long. 

 ThU branch runs for some distance south-south-west, and then south, 

 dividing the tributaries of the ParamS, which run east, from those of 

 the Paraguay, which run west It enters Paraguay nar 20 S. lat., 

 pssia* in a southern direction to the vicinity of 24 S. lat, where it 

 turns eastward aud terminates on the banks of the Rio Parana, opposite 

 the Salto Gran le de Setto Qui-das. [BRAZIL, vol. U. col. 94.1 Where 

 it rung west and east tuis range is called Sierra Maracaju. That 

 portion of Paraguay which lies on the east and north of this range is 

 little known, being posseued by native tribes. It seems to have a 

 very broken surface, exhibiting a succession of valleys aud ranges of 

 high hills, all covered with tull forest-trees. The rivers which descend 

 from it are full of rapids and cataracts. The country west of the 

 Sierra Amambahy is less mountainous, but has likewise a broken 

 aurf.ice, and its rivers run witli great velocity, though their course is 

 lew interrupted by rapids. It U also well wooded, and in general of 

 great fertility, but few if any whites have settled iu this part. 



The remainder, or that part which is situated south of 24 S. lat., 

 is one of the most fertile aud most pleasant countries of South America. 

 Tiie greater part of the surface is a succession of hills aud gently 

 sloping eminences, and broad open valleys intersected here and there 

 with lakes. The liigh lands which form the watershed between the 

 aUlutMiU of the Para nd and those of the Paraguay, are throughout this 

 southern and cultivated part of Paraguay much nearer to the Rio 

 i'aranii. The lower grounds and plains are in some tracts savannahs, 

 and afford excellent pasture-ground ; single palm-trees are dispersed 

 over them. The hills aud slopes however arc wooded from the top to 

 the bottom, aud frequently with stately forest-trees. The vigorous 

 vegetation shows the great fertility of the soil, which is still more 

 evidently proved by the extent of cultivation. Though cultivation 

 generally occur* only in detached patches and isolated tracts, no part 

 of the interior of South America has a larger proportion of the soil 

 under cultivation than the southern half of Paraguay. But there are 

 some tract* less favourable for agriculture. Nearly thirty miles south 

 of Assunciou begins a low tract of alluvial soil, which is covered with 

 extensive marshes partly occupied by shallow pools of water. It is 

 several miles wide, and extends along the Paraguay to its junction 

 with the PaiMiiit. Though in general destitute of trees, it is separated 

 from the banks of the river by forests, which supply occupation to a 

 small number of wood-cutters, the only inhabitants of this unhealthy 

 tract Near the place where the Paraguay joins the Parand the coun- 

 try is more elevated, and its surface is overgrown with thorny acacias 

 aud underwood of every kind. But along the Paraud other tracts of 

 marshy ground of a similar description extend as far aa the island of 

 Apipe', from which to the Salto de Sette Quedas the hills aud elevated 

 ground come close up to the banks of the river. 



The rivers Parand and Paraguay which inclose Paraguay on three 



