i833.] DOWN THE PARANA. 145 



and the only really gallant action on either side was per- 

 formed by the Spanish admiral. It struck me as rather 

 characteristic, that this man should prefer his countrymen 

 being thought the worst of traitors, rather than unskilful 

 or cowardly. 



October iSth and igth. — We continued slowly to sail down 

 the noble stream ; the current helped us but little. We met, 

 during our descent, very few vessels. One of the best gifts 

 of nature, in so grand a channel of communication, seems 

 here wilfully thrown away — a river in which ships might 

 navigate from a temperate country, as surprisingly 

 abundant in certain productions as destitute of others, to 

 another possessing a tropical climate, and a soil which, 

 according to the best of judges, M. Bonpland, is perhaps 

 unequalled in fertility in any part of the world. How 

 different would have been the aspect of this river if English 

 colonists had by good fortune first sailed up the Plata ! 

 What noble towns would now have occupied its shores ! Till 

 the death of Francia, the Dictator of Paraguay, these two 

 countries must remain distinct, as if placed on opposite sides 

 of the globe. And when the old bloody-minded tyrant is 

 gone to his long account, Paraguay will be torn by revolu- 

 tions, violent in proportion to the previous unnatural calm. 

 That country will have to learn, like every other South 

 American state, that a republic cannot succeed till it con- 

 tains a certain body of men imbued with the principles of 

 justice and honour. 



October 2.0th. — Being arrived at the mouth of the Parana, 

 and as I was very anxious to reach Buenos Ayres, I went 

 on shore at Las Conchas, with the intention of riding there. 

 Upon landing, I found to my great surprise that I was to 

 a certain degree a prisoner. A violent revolution having 

 broken out, all the ports were laid under an embargo. I 

 could not return to my vessel, and as for going by land to 

 the city, it was out of the question. After a long conversa- 

 tion with the commandant, I obtained permission to go 

 the next day to General Rolor, who commanded a division 

 of the rebels on this side the capital. In the morning 

 I rode to the encampment. The general, officers, and 

 soldiers, all appeared, and I believe really were great 

 villains. The general, the very evening before he left the 

 city, voluntarily went to the governor, and with his hand to 

 his heart, pledged his word of honour that he at least 

 would remain faithful to the last. The general told me 



