326 AMAZONIA AND LA PLATA. 



a yard of his native land without paying a rent to New York, London, or 

 Amsterdam bankers. 



Industries — Communications. 



Although there a e no local industries beyond a few distilleries, brick and 

 soap works and flour mills, the Gruarani are excellent craftsmen, and under the 

 Jesuits displayed great skill in many trades. The women still weave all kinds of 

 textiles, amongst others the nanduti, " spiders' webs," of extremely delicate texture. 



Before Argentina had begun its railway system, Paraguay already possessed 

 a line running from Asuncion to Paraguari, since extended to Villa Pica, and the 

 country was also traversed by roads accessible to wheeled traflBc. One of these 

 roads skirted the left bank of the Paraguay ; another reached the Parana at 

 Encarnacion, while others radiated from Villa Pica. After the war all these 

 roads disappeared beneath the swamps and quagmires ; but they have since been 

 repaired and other tracks have been opened between the Yerbales and the river- 

 side ports. Small steamers ply on some of the affluents, while large vessels 

 ascend the Parana from Buenos Ayres to Encarnacion. The traffic is still more 

 active on the Paraguay', nearly the whole trade of the Republic being centred in 

 Asuncion. 



The telegraphic and postal services have been greatly developed, especially 

 since Paraguay has joined the Postal Union. The schools have also been re-opened, 

 and in 1891 nearly 20,000 children were receiving an elementary education. The 

 country is thus gradually recovering from the drastic " reforms " which closed 

 the churches, suppressed the marriage rites and legiil unions, and swept away all 

 public institutions. Before the period of independence education was entirely 

 controlled by the priests, and in those days most of the children, if unable to read, 

 could at least say their prayers. They also delighted in singing the church 

 hymns, for the Guarani people have a distinct talent for music. But most of the 

 ecclesiastics having been deposed or banished by the dictator Francia, the system 

 of public instruction was greatly modified, and transformed to an almost military 

 education. In all the villages the children were assembled by the beat of the 

 drum, and under pain of reprimand or punishment the local magistrate was bound 

 to see that all the boys followed the prescribed course of instruction. Thus, 

 before the outbreak of the war, nearly all Paraguayans had learned to read and 

 write. But it was all done under compulsion, for they took no pleasure, as a rule, 

 in these accomplishments. 



Printing presses were also rare, although some had already been introduced by 

 the Jesuits. But after their time no printing office was opened till the year 1844. 

 The head of the Administration issued his orders verbally, well knowing that they 

 would be implicitly obeyed. Later, when the official journal began to appear, 

 the representatives of authority assembled the inhabitants of all the villages, and 

 solemnly read out the decrees of the Government, which were listened to with 

 religious silence. 



