248 AMAZONIA AND LA PLATA. 



gold, and at some points the railway between Pelotas and Bagé traverses coal 

 fields of bad quality. The gold mines of Larras have been worked since 1835. 



In the upper Uruguay basin the only places of any note are *S'. Borja, formerly 

 a famous mission founded by the Jesuits in the midst of the Guarani Indians ; 

 Itaquy, nearly opposite the Aguapey confluence, with a Government arsenal on 

 the Argentine frontier ; Uru(jiia)jaiia, riverside port of Alcgrcte, chief town of the 

 Ibicuy basin. In the war with Paraguay, Uruguay ana was the scene of a 

 memorable event. It was seized in 1865 by 5,000 Paraguayans, who had to 

 capitulate after undergoing a formal siege by three of the allied armies com- 

 manded by the Emperor dom Pedro in person. Almost every town in Brazil has 

 a street, square, or promenade bearing the name of Uruguay ana in memory of 

 this doughty exploit. 



