CHAPTER X. 
THE FALLS OF GUAYRA. 
The morning sun shone gaily upon the little 
town, and a tame parrot on a tree was talking 
cheerfully to himself, as we crossed the court¬ 
yard in search of breakfast. The place looked 
new washed in the early light. We had heard 
a bell at six o'clock that called the peons to 
work, and by the time we were up nearly all of 
them had disappeared into the forest, with 
their armed overseers; some to collect yerba 
leaves, others to work at the clearings or on the 
small railway. Looking down the sloping road 
we could see a wide river dotted with islands, 
long sheds and wooden buildings at its edge, 
and the outlines of small craft tied to the river 
bank. Beyond that the distance melted into a 
haze that betokened fine weather. 
The Parana River above the Falls is three 
miles wide. At the Falls it is compressed into 
a narrow gorge, and the greater part of the 
water thunders in mighty rapids through the 
head of this gorge. The rest of the broad river 
flows past the head, and, turning, tumbles over 
