[bays, and pools, many of which remain after the floods have subsided. From the intricacy of these inundated plains, the navigation is rendered impracticable to all who do not unite experience with skill. From this position, (the only barrier on the Paraguay), the banks downward are in general high and firm, particularly the e. or Portuguese side. In lat. 22° 5′, a considerable river empties itself into it, which the Spaniards, at the demarcation in 1753, would have to be the Corrientes, whereas the heads of this river are 20 leagues n. of the real Corrientes mentioned in the treaty. Between the Paraguay and the Parana there runs from n. to s. an extensive chain of mountains, which have the appellation of Amanbay; they terminate to the s. of the river Iguatimy, forming a ridge running s. and w. called Maracayer. From these mountains spring all the rivers which, from the Taquari s. enter the Paraguay, and from the same chain also proceed many other rivers, which, taking a contrary direction, flow into the Parana; one of them, and the most s. being the Igoatimy, which has its mouth in lat. 23° 47', a little above the Seven Falls, or the wonderful cataract of the Parana. This cataract is a most sublime spectacle, being distinguished to the eye of the spectator from below by the appearance of six rainbows, and emitting from its fall a constant cloud of vapours, which impregnates the air to a great distance. On the n. side of the Igoatimy, 20 leagues from its mouth, the Portuguese had formerly the fortress of Bauris, which was abandoned in 1777. The Igoatimy has its sources 10 leagues above this place, among high and rugged mountains. The river Xexuy enters the Paraguay on the e. side in lat. 24° 11', twenty leagues below the Ipane, another small river, called the Ipanemirim, intervening. This is a summary description of Portugueze Paraguay, to the point where the territory ought (as our tourist observes) to extend; and such is the situation of this great river, that the abovementioned rivers, which concentrate towards the interior of Brazil, enter it on the e. side; not one enters it on the w. from the Jauru to the parallel of the Ipane. Many parts of the banks of all those rivers are laid under water at the time of the floods, and the plains are covered to a considerable depth. A river of such vast size as the Paraguay, in a temperate and salubrious climate, abounding with fish, bordered by extensive plains and high mountains, intersected by so many rivers, bays, lakes, and forests, must naturally have drawn many of the Indian nations to inhabit its banks: but, immediately after the discovery of the new continent, the incursions of the Paulistas and Spaniards seem to have dispersed and destroyed the numerous tribes: the Jesuits transplanted many thousands to their settlements on the Uraguay and Parana. Other nations fled from the avarice of the new settlers to countries less favoured, but more secure by reason of their distance, and the difficulty of approach. This emigration of one nation to districts occupied by another, became the fruitful source of inveterate and sanguinary wars among them, which tended to reduce their numbers. There are, however, still some Indians left on the borders of the Paraguay, among whom the Guaycurus, or Cavalier Indians, are principally distinguished for valour. They occupy the lands from the river Taquari, extending s. along all the rivers that enter the Paraguay on the e. side, as far as the river Ipane, and in like manner, on the opposite bank, from the mountains of Albuquerque downwards. They have made war repeatedly on the Spaniards and Portuguese, 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 procure 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 Portuguese 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 s. for 32 leagues to the city of Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, and the residence of its governor. This city is situated on an obtuse angle made by the e. bank of the river; the population is by no means trifling, and there are some Portuguese among the inhabitants. The government is of vast extent, and its total population is given by dif ferent authorities at from 97,000 to 120,000 souls. The land is fertile, and contains many rich farms its principal product is the matté, which is exported to Tucumán and Buenos Ayres, from whence it is sent to various parts of the Spanish dominions, along the coast of Chile and Peru, being a general article of consumption among all ranks of people. Its other products are hides, tobacco, and sugar. From Buenos Ayres large boats arrive at the city of Asuncion, after two or] " three months passage; the only difficulty in navigating is the great weight of the waters of the Paraguay, which flow with great rapidity: but this disadvantage is lessened by favourable winds, which blow the greater part of the year from thes. Six leagues below Asuncion, on the w, side of the Paraguay, the river Pilcomayo enters that river by its first mouth; its second is 14 or 16 leagues lower. In this space some other smaller rivers enter on the e. side, and amongst them the Tibiquari, on an arm of which, 20 leagues s. e. from Asuncion, is Villa Rica, a large Spanish town, with much property in cattle on its extensive plains. The river Veimecho enters the w. side of the Paraguay, in lat. 26° 45'. On a remote upper branch of this river is the town of Salto, near an accessible fall: it is an important point to the Spaniards who are transporting their goods from Buenos Ayres, Tucumán, &c. to Upper Peru.] PARAGUAYAURA, a small river of the province and government of Cumaná, which rises in the sierra of Imataca, runs s. and enters the Cuvuni by the n. side. PARAGUAYES, a settlement of the province and government of Buenos Ayres; situate near the river Hueque-Leuvu. Near it, on the s. are two large lakes abounding in salt. PARAGUAYO, an abundant river of the country of Las Amazonas, which rises in the mountains of the Andes in the kingdom of Peru, runs for many leagues towards the n. collecting the waters of many others, until it enters that of Las Amazonas. PARAHAM, a settlement of the province and government of Guayana. PARAHIBO, a river of the kingdom of Brazil, which rises in the country of the Mariquitas Indians, runs n. and turning its course to n.n.e. enters the sea, forming a great mouth or port close to cape Negro. PARAIBA, a province and captainship of the kingdom of Brazil; one of the 14 which compose it, and of the smaller. It takes its name from a river, by which it is irrigated, and fertilized; bounded n. by the river Grande, e. by the Brazilian sea, s. by the province of Itamaraca, and divided from the same by the river Paraiba, and w. by the territory of the barbarous nations of the Tiguares and Petiguares Indians. This province abounds more than any other in Brazilwood, and has many engines for making sugar, this being its principal article of commerce with Europe. The Petiguares Indians, enemies to the Portuguese, continually infest and destroy VOL. IV. their settlements. The climate is benign and the soil fertile. The French took possession of this beautiful country, keeping it till 1584, when they were driven out by the Portuguese. [This captainship was bestowed by John III. on the celebrated historian De Bauos; but he was compelled to restore it to the government after having nearly ruined himself by his unsuccessful attempts to colonize it.] PARAIBA, the capital, is of the same name, a city and head of the bishopric, called also City de Federico and Nuestra Señora de las Nieves. It is situate opposite the fort of Tamaraca, at the s. mouth and shore of the river of its name; is large, well peopled, mercantile, and rich. The buildings are handsome, particularly the cathedral-church, which is magnificent. It is defended by three forts; two situate on islands, with the names of San Antonio and La Restinga, and the third on the point of Santa Catalina. It a enjoys a fine healthy air and good climate. The Dutch, commanded by Captains Longk and Wardenburg, took it in 1635, but it was afterwards recovered by the Portuguese, being under the dominion of the kings of Spain. [The above capital was built at the expence of the king. It stands near the river Paraiba, at the mouth of which is the harbour. A handsome custom-house has been erected near it, and a pentagonal fort, named St. Catherine, which defends the entrance into this harbour. Seven or eight ships of about 250 tons burden used annually to enter this port from the mother-country, loaded with different articles for the use of the colony. the colony. Their homeward bound cargoes consisted chiefly of sugar, more of which is raised in the n. captainships than in those of the s.; especially since the discovery of the gold mines, which have rendered the inhabitants of these last districts more negligent respecting the improvement of their plantations. There are 21 sugar houses in this province, and the sugar manufactured in them is said to be superior to any other in Brazil. Besides sugar, they also export dying woods, several sorts of drugs, and other valuable commodities, and it is generally allowed that these n. captainships are the most populous, and the inhabitants in very easy circumstances, though no mines have yet been wrought in these parts. The capital is computed to contain nearly 4000 souls, and the province about 20,000.] În lat. 6° 57' 30's. Long. 35° 10' 30" w. PARAIBA, a large river of the above province and kingdom, which rises in the mountains of the w H and runs e. fertilizing the country of the Tiguares, Petiguares, and Viatanis Indians. Its shores are covered with villages and sugar engines, and in the woods are quantities of Brazil-wood. At its embouchure it forms the great bay of Paraiba, which has at its entrance the island of San Antonio.. PARAIBA, another small river, in the province and captainship of Espiritu Santo in the same kingdom. It flows down from the mountains, runs e. and enters the sea. PARAIBA, another large river, in the province and captainship of Rio Janeyro; it has its source in the captainship of Sao Paulo in the mountains, within 10 miles of the sea in the bay of Cairussu. [From its source it has a very peculiar course, for the first 95 miles it runs w. by s. then turns n. for 25 miles, afterwards e. approaching its source within 23 miles, then winding its course in a serpentine direction through the captainship of Rio Janeyro, and enters the Atlantic ocean very much augmented by numerous inferior rivers. In lat. 21° 34′ 30′′ s.] PARAIBA, another river, of the province and government of Guayana, which rises in the interior of the same, near the sources of the Caura, and running n. enters in a very abundant stream into the Orinoco; and, according to Don Juan de la Cruz, first into the Caroni. H PARAIGUA, SIERRA DE, some very lofty mountains of the province of Barcelona and government of Cumaná, which run nearly from e. to w. parallel with the river Orinoco. PARAI-GUAZU, a small river of the province and government of Paraguay, which runs - e. and enters this river near the city of Asun cion. PARAINABA, a large river of the province and country of Las Amazonas, entering with a large stream into the river of this name, after running many leagues and collecting the waters of 30 other rivers. PARAISANCOS, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Lucanas in Peru. PARAMARIBO, a city of the Dutch, in the part which they possess in Guayana; the capital of the colony of Surinam; situate on the w. side of the river, 10 miles from the sea, upon a sandy rock, which causes the streets to be very easy to the tread. It has this name from a settlement of Indians, which it formerly was. In the hot seasons the sand becomes so burning as to penetrate the soles of the shoes and blister the feet. The houses, which amount to the number of 800, are very regularly built, and nearly all of PAR them without windows, on account of the heat; and attached to them are pleasant gardens. To about three feet in height they are of brick, and upwards of wood, with the exception of the houses of the governor and commandant, which are of stone, although the former are sumptuous. orange-grove, which buds twice a year. The In all the streets there is before the houses an city-house is in a handsome spot, and surrounded also by orange-trees; and here is the slaveing-ground, but from fear of any infection from market. It was, indeed, at first used as a burythe bodies, they were carried afterwards to the extreme part of the town, and interred in a rising ground. Divine service is performed here every Sunday, in Dutch in the morning, and after mid-day in French, there being two ministers for the former and one for the latter of these duties. Although a poor person is rarely seen here, there is a house for the reception of orphans, and of such as from age are incapacitated for labour, and thus the streets are entirely free of beggars. Here is a superb Lutheran church, situate on the shore of the river, where a sermon also two synagogues of Portuguese and German is preached every Sunday, morning and evening; Jews, that of the former being the best. The plaza, or place of arms, is garrisoned by artillery-men form a body 1200 strong, whose two battalions of infantry, and these with the pay is furnished one half by the society of the Jesuits, and the other half by the inhabitants of tal, with physicians, surgeon, drugs, &c. Besides the colony: also for them is provided an hospicompanies of militia, who are obliged to take up this troop the inhabitants are formed into three banks of the river are as many more companies, arms at command; and in the plantations on the who at the first signal gun are to repair armed to the city. The governor of this colony formerly settled colony and government as the former city; si- and captainship of Todos Santos in Brazil. It · PARAMOS. Some very lofty mountains of the cordillera of the Andes; the heights of which are exceeding, but vary so much that the skirts of some rest upon the tops of others. They are the whole year round covered with snow, which is become hardened by time, so as to cause the temperature to be cold in the extreme, and to render them totally uninhabitable. A The most celebrated of these mountains are in the kingdom of Quito; and the lower parts of them are covered with a kind of straw like esparto (mat-weed), although less harsh, which grows in such abundance, and to such an height, as to be in some parts half a yard and in others three-quarters. Amongst this grows a tree, called quinual, of a strong wood and small dark green leaf, and rough to the touch; also a plant, peculiar to the climate, called by the Indians palo de luz (tree of light), the which is about three feet high, grows in one perpendicular stem till the upper part, where it shoots some small branches, these also producing others, on each of which sprout two leaves. This plant being cut near the root and lighted when green, serves the Indians as a candle, and burns like one till the whole of the stick is consumed. There also grows in these paramos the achupalla, composed of stalks, like those of the savila, the trunk of which, when tender, serves for the, Indians as salad, like that of the palmito, The canchalagua and the contrayerva, well known for their virtues, are also found here, as is the puchugchu, which is a sort of bread formed of an herb, the leaves of which are round and of the figure of the muskflower, and which unite and knit themselves together with such force as to form a body of two feet in diameter, so hard as to resist the weight, of a man. Notwithstanding the severity of the climate of the Páramos, there are not wanting animals to breed upon them, such as deer and foxes; and birds, as partridges and condors, which are birds of prey, and of a magnitude above any of the feathered race; and to them are these mountains peculiar, for they never leave them but in search of prey, when they fly into the valleys to pounce upon the lambs, which they carry up with their tallons in the air. The Indians have a method of catching them by anointing a concealed net with certain herbs which stupifies them; but they are generally aware of the mischief, and betake themselves to flight. Here is also a bird which they call the zumbador, which seldom allows itself to be seen though continually heard; and another, to which they give the name of cancion, the note of which is like the bandurria. PARANA, a large and navigable river of the province and government of Paraguay, traversing this province from n. e. to w. It rises in the province of Minas Geraes to the s. of the city of Va. da. S. Joas del Rey, in some lofty sierras, and takes its course for the space of 300 leagues, receiving innumerable other rivers which are on the n. part, the Iguayri, Pardo, Monici, Amamboy, Itaimbé, Guazuygua, Yacaguajú, Itabó, Acaray, Munday, Tembey, Pirayubi, Pirapopo, Aguapey, and others; and on the s. part those of Anemby, Aguapeyó, Paranapane, Huibay, Piquiri, Yari, Itápitay, Yacoy, Guiraitagua, Yequeimari, Piracabi, Cay, Iguazú, Paranay, Ibiray, Muruara, and others. At the distance of 125 leagues from its mouth it has two falls which impede its navigation, so that the boats are obliged to be carried for some little distance by land. The whole of that extent of its course s. from the river Paranape to 27° or 28°, is called Guayrá. The country is of a fine temperature and very fertile, and populous in former times; and in some valleys towards the e. from the Uruguay, the territory of which they called Tape, dwelt some Indians, of whom are descended those of the missions of the present day, and lately converted. Those of the river Guayrá call themselves Guaranis, and the others Tapes, being as it were a colony of the former. All of them spoke, and still speak, the same idiom, which is the Guarani, and with greater or less purity, the other nations of the Guaicurus, the Chiriguanos, &c. This country was discovered by Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca, in 1541, he being governor of Paraguay; and he took possession of it in the name of the king, calling it the province of Vera. The inhabitants were laborious, lived in settlements, sowed maize twice a year, cultivated yucas or mandioca, bred fowl, and eat human flesh, not only of their own prisoners, for they were very warlike, but even that of their own dead. Two monks of the order of San Francisco, called Fr. Bernardo de Armenta, and Fr. Alonso Lebron, who accompanied the governor in his voyage, were the first who gave these Indians the first insight into religion. Some years afterwards others of their order came, and obtained great fruit by their labours; but he that laboured most, and who stayed amongst them 50 years, was the venerable Fr. Luis de Bolaños, companion of San Francisco Solano, who, accompanied by many other religious, erected many chapels or churches in Guayrá, establishing six reduccions, and uniting the Indians in settlements and in large and convenient parts on the shores of the rivers Ibajiba, Paranape, and Pirapo, and, for their instruction in their catechism, he made himself master of the Guarani tongue, many of his orations in this language having been since printed by the Jesuits. This great missionary, bent down with years and infirmities, and finding it impossible for him longer to fulfil his wonted duties, went with gladness to welcome the arrival of some Jesuits, entrusting them with his flock; but such was the veneration of the Indians for their old masters, that they were with difficulty persuaded by the venerable Franciscan to accept of the offices of the new comers; he at last, however, persuaded them, by assuring them that the Jesuits were their brothers, and that the only difference between the one and the other was the dress. The Jesuits followed up the advantages of their predecessors, and founded some fresh settlements or doctrinal establishments in 1614. But the Mamelucos Paulistas of Brazil made various ir ruptions against those settlements, in order to entrap prisoners, which they might carry to sell to work in the mines of that kingdom and at the sugar engines; nor did they carry thither less, at different times, than 100,000 souls; and on this account the missionaries found themselves under the necessity of withdrawing the settlements to a spot where they now stand; where, being still infested, a permission was obtained from his majesty for these Indians to carry firearms for their defence, in 1639, although they were not brought into action till some time after, when, being well instructed by the Jesuits, they succeeded in completely routing their enemies. These settlements are nearer to Paraguay and Buenos Ayres than they were formerly, and of the 30, which was their number, 13 belong to the bishopric of the former, and the 17 others to the latter the former were also of the temporal government of that province till 1726, when the king ordered that they should all be dependent on the government of Buenos Ayres. They are of the following names: San Ignacio Guazu, San Cosme, Santa Rosa, San Ignacio Miri, the s. of Paraná, and These last were ceded of Portugal in 1755, in exchange for the colony of Sacramento; but this plan was disagreable to the Indians, who took up their arms against the Spaniards and Portuguese who were unitedly endeavouring to force them to the treaty, and such was their resolution that it was at last annulled. These settlements contain 41,000 souls, who cultivate the same fruits as those of Paraguay, but in greater abundance, namely wheat, maize, sugar, herb of Paraguay, tobacco, cotton, seeds, fruit and garden-herbs, besides the cutting of some trees to make planks. The territory abounds in such large and fine pastures that when the Jesuits quitted the country, there were found in the 30 settlements no less than 769,589 horses, 13,905 mules, and 271,537 heads of sheep. The government, arts, and manufactures established here by the same missionaries, has for many years been a problem which could not be solved: whether, in fact, all this should prove, as some will have it, the perfection of a republic, or, as others, that it should be looked upon as a tyrannical despotism eager only for its own interests. More on this subject may be seen in the "Christianismo felice" of Muratori, the Italian, and in the general collection of the documents for the extermination of the Jesuits, printed by order of the government. In this province there is a constant tradition that the evangelist and apostle St. Thomas preached here. Dr. Xarque, dean of Albarracin, lays it down in his own mind as a fact, nor did he dwell a short time in the country. Besides this, there is in a certain road leading from Brazil, in the midst of unfrequented woods, a kind of bower or avenue, indisputably the work of art, which the Indians have always called the path of St. Thomas; also in the province of Paraguay is to be seen a cave, not a work of nature but of art, the which is seven yards long and proportionably wide, with a floor level and plain, and a roof composed of one flat stone, perfectly free from any inequalities of surface; this cave is in a lofty mountain, and both the mountain and the cave bear the name of St. Thomas; and it is there thought that the saint used to make the same cave his abode, and that he there used to preach to the Indians of those valleys. Here also is found an hollow rock which is difficult of entrance, but in which is found the prints of feet and hands, the same phenomena existing in other parts of the coast of Paraguay; and all agree in asserting that they are of that apostle, and that he first taught them the use of the herb of Paraguay. This at least cannot be doubted but that they knew the use of it before the arrival of the Spaniards. |