CHAPTER II 

 UP THE PARAGUAY 



On the afternoon of December 9 we left the attractive 

 and picturesque city of Asuncion to ascend the Paraguay. 

 With generous courtesy the Paraguayan Government had 

 put at my disposal the gunboat-yacht of the President him- 

 self, a most comfortable river steamer, and so the open- 

 ing days of our trip were pleasant in every way. The 

 food was good, our quarters were clean, we slept well, 

 below or on deck, usually without our mosquito-nettings, 

 and in daytime the deck was pleasant under the awnings. 

 It was hot, of course, but we were dressed suitably in our 

 exploring and hunting clothes and did not mind the heat. 

 The river was low, for there had been dry weather for 

 some weeks — judging from the vague and contradictory 

 information I received there is much elasticity to the 

 terms wet season and dry season at this part of the Para- 

 guay. Under the brilliant sky we steamed steadily up the 

 mighty river; the sunset was glorious as we leaned on the 

 port railing; and after nightfall the moon, nearly full and 

 hanging high in the heavens, turned the water to shim- 

 mering radiance. On the mud-flats and sand-bars, and 

 among the green rushes of the bays and inlets, were stately 

 water-fowl; crimson flamingoes and rosy spoonbills, dark- 

 colored ibis and white storks with black wings. Darters, 

 with snakelike necks and pointed bills, perched in the trees 

 on the brink of the river. Snowy egrets flapped across the 



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