ARGENTINA 111 



has carved for itself a deep bed in. the soft, red sandstone. 

 But here, in the south, its banks have broadened, and it has 

 lost much of its old impetuosity. It cannot, as in the far-off 

 falls of Guayra, burst its way through the obstacle to pour in 

 a straight flood ever southwards. So at the south-east corner 

 of Paraguay it is forced to swerve sharply to the west, making 

 a 200-mile boundary for the north of Corrientes. Some 100 

 miles past the bend the river crosses the last vestige of the 

 hills in a short rapid at Itati (the ' many rocks '), which pro- 

 hibit navigation on the "Alto Parana for all vessels drawing 

 more than 3| ft. of water. 



" The Paraguay basin has a character entirely distinct from 

 that of its rival. It runs for the greater part in a path recon- 

 quered from the ocean rather than a bed carved out by running 

 stream. At its headquarters, the lonely lagoon-morass of 

 Xarayes, over 2000 miles from the bustling Argentine capital, 

 its height is calculated at only 700 ft. above sea-level. In 

 time of flood both the main, stream and its tributaries over- 

 flow their low-lying banks to the extent of many hundreds 

 of square miles. Of all these tributaries the greatest now 

 advances on it. Just above Corrientes the Alto Parana merges 

 in, and swallows up the Paraguay in spite of its reinforcement 

 by the Bermejo, whose mouth is clearly visible from the town. 

 Then, assuming the right-of-way, it turns once more to the 

 south, and enters the Plate as the Parana proper (' the Mother 

 of the Ocean '). So it has come about that the Paraguay has 

 lost its pride of place as one of the world's greatest waterways, 

 whilst the Uruguay rises into sudden importance as it takes 

 up the abandoned eastern route. When we read that the 

 Plate is formed by the junction of the Parana and the Uruguay, 

 the statement is true in fact, but not in proportion. The latter 

 river can boast in all of but a thousand miles of length, whilst 

 the totals of the Paraguay and the Parana together sum over 

 4000 miles. A better idea would be given if we read : ' The 

 River Plate is represented in South America by Parana and Co.' 



" It has been necessary to dwell thus far on the vagaries of 

 the Parana system, inasmuch as they set a straight boundary 

 round the Mesopotamia, clearly defining the fines upon which 

 its future development must be laid. Its eastern boundary, 



