PARAGUAY, OR LA PLATA. 



SITUATION AND EXTENT. 



Mile*. Degrees. Sq. Miles. 



Length 1500 £ . „.,„„ 5 12 and 37 South latitude. "> , nnn non 

 Breadth 1000 $ between \ 50 and 75 West longitude. \ 1> 000 > 000 



Boundaries. ...Bounded by Amazonia on the north ; by Brazil on 

 the east; by Patagonia on the south ; and by Peru and Chili on the 

 west. 



Divisions. Provinces. Chief Towns. 



pParaguay . . Assumption 



t, ,. • . . . ! Parana ... St. Anne 



East division contains^ Guaira ? ; ^ ciudad Real 



l^Uragua . . . Los Reyes 



f Tucuman . . St. Jago 



South division . . < Rio de la Plata Buenos Ayres, west long. 



I 57° 54', south lat. 34° 35', 



Rivers, lakes. ...This country, besides an infinite number of small 

 rivers, is watered by three principal ones, the Paragua, Uragua, and 

 Parana, which, united near the sea, form the famous Rio de la Plata, 

 or Plate River, and which annually overflow their banks ; and, on 

 their recess, leave them enriched with a slime that produces the 

 greatest plenty of whatever is committed to it. 



The Rio de la Plata has a course of about 1900 miles in length, 

 but it is principally remarkable for its breadth at its mouth. It falls 

 into the South Atlantic Ocean, between the capes St. Anthony and 

 St. Mary, which are 150 miles distant from each other, and at Monte 

 Video, a fort above 100 miles from the sea, the land of either shore 

 cannot be seen from a vessel in the middle of the channel. This 

 country abounds with lakes, one of which, Casacores, is 100 miles 

 long. 



Climate, soil, produce. ...This vast tract is far from being wholly 

 subdued or planted by the Spaniards. There are many parts in a 

 great degree unknown to them, or to any other people in Europe. 

 The principal province of which we have any knowledge is that 

 which is called Rio de la Plata, towards the mouth of the abovemen- 

 tioned rivers. This province, with all the adjacent parts, is one con- 

 tinued level, not interrupted by the least hill for several hundred 

 miles every way. The climate is in some parts extremely hot, in 

 others temperate and pleasant. The soil is very fertile, producing 

 cotton in great quantities; tobacco, and the valuable herb called 

 Paraguay, with a variety of fruits, and prodigious rich pastures, in 

 which are bred such herds of cattle, that the hides of the beasts are 



