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like manner, on the opposite bank, from the mountains of Albuquerque 

 downwards. They have made war repeatedly on the Spaniards 

 and Portugueze, without ever being subdued. They are armed with 

 lances of extraordinary length, bows, arrows, &c. They make long 

 incursions on horseback into the neighbouring territories ; they pro- 

 cure horses in exchange for stout cotton cloaks, called Ponchos, 

 which they manufacture. There are other Indian nations inhabiting 

 these large tracts, some of whom have intermixed both with the Por- 

 tugueze and Spaniards, there being few of the latter on any part of 

 the confines without some traces of Indian physiognomy. 



From the river Xexuy, downwards, the Paraguay takes its general 

 course southwards for thirty-two leagues to the city of Assumpcion, 

 the capital of Paraguay, and the residence of its governor. This city 

 is situated on an obtuse angle made by the eastern bank of the river; 

 the population is by no means trifling, and there are some Portu- 

 gueze among the inhabitants. The government is of vast extent, 

 and its total population is said to amount to near 120,000 souls. 

 The land is fertile, and contains many rich farms : its principal pro- 

 duct is the matte, which is exported to Tucuman and Buenos Ayres, 

 from whence it is sent to various parts of the Spanish dominions, 

 along the coast of Chili and Peru, being a general article of consump- 

 tion among all ranks of people. Its other products are hides, to- 

 bacco, and sugar. From Buenos Ayres large boats arrive at the 

 city of Assumpcion, after two or three months' passage ; the only 

 difficulty in navigating is the great weight of the waters of the Pa- 

 raguay, which flow with great rapidity : but this disadvantage is 

 lessened by favourable winds, which blow the greater part of the 

 year from the south. 



Six leagues below Assumpcion, on the western side of the Para- 

 guay, the river Pilcomayo enters that river by its first mouth ; its 

 second is fourteen or sixteen leagues lower. In this space some 

 other smaller rivers enter on the eastern side, and amongst them the 

 Tibiquari, on an arm of which, twenty leagues south-east from As- 



