ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION. 



ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION. 



been explored. It is however known that in the same direction there 

 occurs a vast forest, three days' journey long, which covers a hilly 

 tract, and other forests of a similar description occur in the centre of 

 the Pampas, and lie in the same direction. 



The country between the Sierra del Vuulcan and the Sierra 

 Ventana and the ridges dependent on them, resembles in its natural 

 features the country south of the Rio Salado. Along the base of the 

 Sierra Ventana extends a level country, interspersed with some low 

 hills ; the surface is dry, and fit for agricultural establishments. But 

 in approaching the chain of the Sierra de Vuulcan, Darwin found the 

 country, to the width of 80 miles, covered with swamps. In some 

 parts there were fine moist plains, covered with grass, while others 

 had a soft, black, and peaty soil. There were also many extensive but 

 shallow lakes, and large beds of reeds. He compares this tract with 

 the better part of the Cambridgeshire fens. These swamps probably 

 owe their origin to the rivers which descend with a rapid course from 

 the Sierra Ventana and Sierra Guamini to the level country. 



The greatest part of the Western Pampas, namely, all the country 

 west of 62 W. long., and extending theuce to the Andes between 34 

 S. 1st and the Rio Negro, is almost unknown, having only been 

 explored along the courses of the rivers, except in one line, in which 

 it hag been traversed by land. The few points which have thus been 

 examined are too isolated to authorise us to form an idea of the 

 capabilities of this immense country. But we are well acquainted 

 with that portion of the plain which lies between 33 and 34 8. Int., 

 as it is traversed by the great road that leads from Buenos Ayres to 

 Mendoza, and thence over the Andes to Chili. 



In the country which surrounds the sources of the Rio Salado, the 

 oil of the plain begins to be impregnated with muriate of soda, and 

 continues more or less so to the base of the Andes. But it has a 

 different character east and west of 66 W. long. East of that meri- 

 dian, a great part of the surface is covered with extensive saline 

 swamps overgrown with reeds ; the more elevated spots of these 

 swamps are covered with a saline efflorescence. The dry tracts which 

 intervene between the swamps are overgrown with a coarse grass that 

 attains a height of 6 feet, and resembles rye or wild oats. This grass 

 grows in clumps, and is salt to the taste. The soil consists of a dark 

 friable mould, without the smallest pebble in it. In every part of 

 this country there are lakes containing salt water. Many of them are 

 from 10 to 20 miles long, and nearly as wide. These lakes are most 

 numerous between 64 and 65" W. long., where an extensive shallow 

 depression occurs, perhaps 50 miles in length, and 20 miles in width. 

 The whole of this depression is filled with water when the Rio Quinto, 

 which originates in the Sierra de Cordova, is raised by a freshet from 

 the mountains, at which time it sends a great portion of its waters 

 into this depression. When the water has been evaporated by the 

 heat of the miiumer, it only remains in the numerous lakes and ponds 

 with which the depression is interspersed. Where the plain 

 approaches the hilly country that surrounds the south side of the 

 Sierra de Cordova, the surface is broken in many places into low hills, 

 with a steep ascent and furrowed by ravines ; the hills are separated 

 from each other by grassy plains. The grass is smooth, short, and 

 thick, and there are low bushes on it. The hills are partly clothed 

 with' thorny trees of a stunted growth, and with brushwood. The 

 rivers which intersect this country run in beds from 20 to 40 feet 

 below ita surface ; their banks are very steep, but during the greater 

 part of the year there is no water in them. It is only in the hilly 

 tract of this part of tit. \V, -.item Pampas that there are any 

 agricultural settlements ; in the level country there are only estancias, 

 or cattle-fai-i 



The plain which extends from 66 W. long, to the base of the 

 Andes presents a less level surface. The soil consists of loose sand, 

 impregnated with saline matter, and unfit for the growth of grass. 

 The vegetation is limited to low thorny trees, some resinous bushes, 

 and saline barilla plants. But this arid and sterile soil, when irrigated, 

 is changed into the most fertile fields. The saline matter, as it seems, 

 when applied to a soil so light, becomes by the assistance of constant 

 re the most active stimulus to vegetation, and serves as a never- 

 failing manure. The rivers in this region, being very little depressed 

 below the general surface of the plain, are extensively used for 

 irrigat settlements on the Kio Tunuyan, Rio de Mendo/;i, 



and Rio de S. Juan are rather numerous, and increasing in extent 

 and number. Indian corn and wheat are grown to a great extent, and 

 exported to the neighbouring countries. The soil seems particularly 

 adapted to fruit-trees. The plantations of vines, figs, peaches, apples, 

 olives, and nuts are extensive, and their produce goes to the neigh- 

 bouring countries, especially to (,'liili. 



The Argentine Confederation contains also an extensive tract of hilly 

 country which lies between the rivers Parana 1 and Uruguay. In the 

 northern part of this region is the Lagnna de Ybera, which extends 

 from no th to south in some places nearly 100 miles, and nowhere less 

 than 40 miles ; and from east to west about 80 miles. It covers an 

 area of more than 3000 square miles. A narrow strip of elevated 

 flu TH l,nli>r t'n.m t.li.- JUo | '-id it is 



supposed that it is Htipplii'd with wiitcr fr-uti that river by infiltration, 



as no stream enters it ; and it supplies with water four small rivers, 



whirli, the Mirinay, runs to the Uruguay, and tin- ilnvc others 



to the I'aranti. The surface of thi.-i low tract however is only u deep 



swamp, interspersed with numerous small lakes. It is chiefly covered 

 by aquatic plants and shrubs, but in most parts it is impassable. The 

 country extending southward from this lake to the confluence of the 

 Parana 1 with the Uruguay has an undulating surface, the heights 

 seldom rising into hills, except in the interior and at a few places 

 along the Paranit. It is chiefly overgrown with trees, between which 

 there are some savannas of moderate extent. On the plains numerous 

 herds of cattle are pastured, which constitute the wealth of the 

 country. Though the trees are of stunted growth, the entire want of 

 forests in the surrounding countries makes this wood of great demand 

 for the ordinary purposes of cabinet-work, for carriages, and as timber 

 for small houses. The interior of the country appears to be much more 

 hilly than along the rivers, and is occupied by the forest of Monteil, 

 which extends more than 1 00 miles from north to south, with an 

 average width of 40 miles. It is encumbered with brushwood and 

 studded with small trees. At the southern extremity of the country, 

 along the banks of the Paranit, there is% low tract, which is subject 

 to occasional inundations. . That portion of this country which 

 extends from the lake of Ybera in a north-eastern direction to the 

 boundary-line of Brazil, is known tinder the name of the Missiones, 

 from the circumstance of the Jesuits having collected here a great 

 number of aborigines, and accustomed them to a civilised life. The 

 establishments are now in ruins, and the population dispersed. The 

 south-western part, which is uudulating, has a soil of great fertility, 

 producing cotton, sugar, and other tropical productions. To the 

 north-east of it the country rises into high hills and mountains, which 

 are covered with tall timber-trees, the most southern which occur 

 east of the And.es from the Strait of Magalhaens. 



t/i/tlrography, Communication*, Ac. All the rivers which drain the 

 Argentine Confederation, as far as it is situated north of 34 S. lat., carry 

 their waters to the wide restuary called La Plata. [PLATA, Rio DE LA.] 

 Before they reach this fresh- water sea, they form two large rivers, 

 the Parana and the Uruguay, which with their affluents are not only 

 admirably adapted to render available all the resources of the Argen- 

 tine Provinces, affording an unbroken channel of communication for 

 some thousands of miles, but would open a ready means for adven- 

 turous traders to penetrate into the heart of the mineral districts of 

 Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru, Along the banks of these rivers there cau 

 be little doubt that when the country becomes thoroughly freed from 

 anarchy, and its inhabitants turn to the peaceful pursuits of commerce, 

 the population will concentrate and numerous busy towns will arise. 

 The ParanA originates hardly twenty miles from the shores of the 

 Atlantic, on the table-laud of BRAZIL. After leaving that country at 

 its confluence with the river Iguazu, the Paranit continues to run 

 between the Argentine Confederation and Paraguay, in a southern 

 direction for about 50 miles, when it turns gradually to the south- 

 west, and continues in that direction to the large island of Apipe", a 

 distance of about 100 miles. This part of the river is not navigable 

 in all its extent, as there are several rapids and small falls, the last in 

 the neighbourhood of the island of Apipd. This large island, with 

 whose dimensions we are not acquainted, is the point where the unin- 

 terrupted navigation of the Parana begins, and where large quantities of 

 timber are shipped, the river being navigable for vessels of 300 tons 

 burden. From Apipe the river runs westward nearly 100 miles, whjn 

 it is joined by the Rio Paraguay from the north, and at the point of 

 confluence it suddenly turns to the west of south. Below the junction 

 with the Paraguay, the width of the river varies from one mile and a 

 half to two miles, but the whole volume of water seldom flows in one 

 channel, as the current is divided by a continuous series of islands 

 overgrown with low trees, and subject to inundations. The islands, 

 which are of various sizes, are in a constant course of decay and 

 ivtiuvation; new ones are continually being formed whenever any 

 obstruction occurs, and old ones constantly being destroyed. These 

 islands and the numerous sand-banks render the navigation slow and 

 tedious. At Santa Fe 1 the river begins to divide into various branches, 

 and to run southward. After a course of about 100 miles it turns to 

 the south-east at Rosario, and thence to its mouth in the La Plata the 

 number of its branches increases. It opens into the La Plata with a 

 large number of embouchures, forming a long but comparatively 

 narrow delta, composed of a great number of islands. The most 

 northern branches fall into the wide mouth of the Rio Uruguay. Its 

 principal outlet is that which is called Paranri Guazu (the Great 

 Parana) in which there is seldom less than two fathoms and a half of 

 water. The mouth called Paranfl de las Palmas is the deepest, next 

 to the Guazu. The Paranfl runs nearly 900 miles within the boundary 

 of the republic, of which 750 miles are navigable for vessels of 300 

 tons all the year round. In the summer the river is raised somewhat 

 above its natural level, owing to the. melting of the snows, but 

 towards the end of the year, intertropical rams' having filled the 

 upper branches, it begins to rise, and continues to do so for four 

 months, to the end of April. The average rise below its junction 

 with the Paraguay is stated to be 12 feet. It then inundates the 

 adjacent grounds, especially below Santa F6, and the tracts which are 

 thus laid under water are said to cover a surface of 4000 square 

 miles, an estimate which is perhaps overrated. The water leaves 

 behind a gray slimy deposit, which is very favourable to vegetation. 

 At the cud of April the water begins to fall, and the fall is somewhat 

 more rapid than the rise. Tin- han been said, is navigable 



