SOUTH AMERICA. 



seamen, except that he had a handkerchief tied round 

 the crown of his head, his hair queued behind, and his 

 coarse, thick, black locks, projected to an enormous 

 size on each side. His complexion, though not quite 

 so dark, and his features, were not unlike the North 

 American Indian. His visage was rather longer, and 

 cheek bones not so high. But what was most remark- 

 able in him, was his immoveable gravity of counte- 

 nance, and inveterate silence. He seemed to have no 

 more animation than the figure of Red Pol in Peale's 

 Museum, and his eye had not even the fire and ex- 

 pression of the dead image of the North American, 

 Every thing he did, appeared to be with a slow me- 

 chanical movement, as if produced by machinery, and 

 not by intellect; so that if the same thing had been 

 repeated fifty times, it appeared to me that there would 

 scarcely have been a difference of a single instant in 

 point of time, or the slightest variation of gesture. 

 The owner of our vessel told me, that he had had him 

 in his employment for two years, that although slow, 

 he was exceedingly faithful and trusty. He told me 

 that every person in business, made a point, if possi- 

 ble, to procure a Paraguayo; that they could all read 

 and MTite, were sober in their habits, and very hum- 

 ble and submissive; of late years, in consequence of 

 the state of things, they had almost disappeared from 

 the lower part of the river. In fact, it is chiefly by 

 the commerce with Paraguay, that the sailors of the 

 river are formed; as it was there, also, that the only 

 vessels used in its navigation, were constructed. The 

 greater part of the villages on the Parana, below the 

 Paraguay, are composed of the civilized Gruaranys; 

 aaturally a spiritless race, but rendered, if possible, 



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