Before crossing the river into Paraguay, a glance at its strange history is in order. Wonderful indeed it appears, that almost in the center of this great continent, eight hundred miles from the sea, a city was founded August 15, 1536, by three hundred Spaniards, a full century before Roger Williams made a settlement on the shores of Narragansett Bay and seventy-one years prior to the first English colony established in North America. The names of Juan de Ayolas and his faithful aid, Captain Martinez de Irala, should stand out more prominently in the list of American pioneers. A land route to the newly discovered rich gold country of Peru was what they were seeking. With this end in view Ayolas established a fortified settlement on the site of Asunción; then having made peace with the Indians he pursued his way north and west in the hope of winning through to Peru. For this purpose he had been sent by Pedro de Mendoza, after that leader had established a small colony at Buenos Aires. Sailing up the river to a natural port which he called La Candelaria, he left here the ships with Irala and forty men, with orders to wait for him four months. Then he plunged into the vast and gloomy forest.
Somewhat later the Governor of Buenos Aires, Francisco Ruiz Galen, hearing of Ayolas’ disappearance, with six ships and two hundred men, sailed up to Asunción, arriving about when Irala for the second time returned from La Candelaria for necessary supplies. Galen, asserting authority, refused Irala a vessel to go back. Months elapsed before the faithful Irala with angry urging at length obtained the vessel. It was now the autumn of 1538, long after the time set for Ayolas’ return. Still Irala waited, ignorant that Ayolas and all his followers were lying dead in the forest not far distant. For while Irala had been urging his demand for the vessel and supplies, Ayolas, who had journeyed among hostile Indians, swamps, and forests to the mountains of Charcas, had returned unscathed with gold and silver to find the banks of the river deserted and no vessel in waiting. The tragedy was complete when the Indians fell upon the little band and slaughtered every one. Again Irala descended to Asunción and again returned to wait, till at last he learned from the Indians of the unhappy fate of his chief and sadly went back to Asunción. There he was enthusiastically acclaimed Governor and Captain-General of the colony.
Although his subsequent career was far from smooth he was more fortunate, as well as more faithful and able, than most of the conquistadores, at last, while still in office, dying peacefully, in 1557, at the age of seventy. Years of jealousy and strife followed. Meanwhile the settlement at Buenos Aires had been abandoned. Though re-established in 1580, Asunción remained the chief Spanish city on the eastern slope of South America until near the close of the eighteenth century. When, however, in 1776 a Viceroy was appointed for the region of La Plata, he had his seat in Buenos Aires. Some time after the revolution there of May 25, 1810, a small army was sent from Buenos Aires to Paraguay with the expectation that they too would revolt. Instead, the Argentines were defeated; but a little later the people of Paraguay demanded the resignation of Governor Velazco. It was given and a new government was peacefully organized, to be followed by many changes, until in 1844 Carlos Antonio Lopez was elected President. This office he held until his death in 1862 when he was succeeded by his son, Francisco, both men being really dictators. Unfortunately the son, who had visited Europe, conceived the idea of becoming a second Napoleon, and at once began to strengthen and discipline the army and to fortify the country. Uruguay, as usual involved in difficulties, appealed to Lopez for assistance against Brazil. Lopez, on his way to invade that country crossed Argentine territory although permission had been refused. Uruguay meanwhile becoming reconciled with Brazil, Paraguay became involved in a war against these three countries. Presumably, a war between one small country and the two greatest of South America would be of short duration. Not so! Six years the war continued, inflicting upon the little country, through slaughter and disease, loss and suffering unparalleled, costing the allies also severe distress. No more heroic struggle is recorded in history. Though with a splendid army of fighters, the resources of Paraguay gradually diminished, a victory winning no lasting good. A chain barrier fixed across the river, with fortifications, long kept the enemy out. Wooden cannon were constructed from the hardwood of the forest; but at last the forts were passed. In December, 1868, after a severe defeat, Lopez abandoned Asunción to continue his struggle in the interior. Defeated in August, 1869, in a last battle, he fled farther into the forest, till finally, March, 1870, his horse becoming mired in a swamp, he was killed by a spear thrust after refusing to surrender.
Freed at last from his ruthless domination the country had peace; but alas! of the population of nearly a million and a half six years earlier, but 280,000 it is said remained. An army decimated is supposed to suffer terrible loss. Here five-sixths of the entire population perished, the cattle and agricultural resources were destroyed. Few able-bodied men had survived; boys even to the age of ten had been impressed into the army; delicate women had been compelled to work in the fields for the production of grain to sustain life, and had suffered many unspeakable hardships. The struggle of the Greeks against the Persians was not so desperate, or prolonged to so bitter an end. This, moreover, was wholly unnecessary, the Dictator Lopez being the culpable aggressor; none the less, this story of the unparalleled heroism of a people should be more familiar to the world outside.
A season of recuperation and freedom followed, but many years were needed for the nation to retrieve in population and resources the position it held before the war. Not yet indeed are the inhabitants so numerous, nor have they learned the advantages of peace. No longer ago than November, 1911, an insurrection broke out, which for six months or more caused devastation and bloodshed. It is to be hoped that peace will now be preserved.
Curiously enough, the people of Paraguay pride themselves upon being the most homogeneous and united of all the South American Republics, as they are among the best fighters. Not that they are of pure Spanish descent! They are an amalgamation of the early Spanish settlers with the Guaranís, the most numerous and intelligent of the Indian tribes in the neighborhood. An illustration of the fallacy of certain theories, the result is a strong and handsome white race, preserving with Spanish culture and virtues the warlike nature of the Guaranís and unusual virility for a people on the edge of the tropics.
From Posadas across the river to Villa Encarnación the through trains are now carried on large ferry boats as planned. The journey to Asunción may therefore be made by through cars from Buenos Aires, the road having recently been widened, and iron bridges erected over the various streams. It is a pretty, rolling country, still sparsely settled, with forests, open grass lands, and occasional small villages and farms.
By River to Asunción. Should one prefer to sail up the river to Asunción and return by land, which on some accounts might be the more pleasurable, one would drive in the early morning to the docks of the Darsena Sud, whence the great steamers of the Mihanovich Lines ply to Montevideo and to the north. Also there are boats of the Lloyd Braziliero twice a month. Excellent steamers provide every essential comfort, and the person for whom the sea is too boisterous may find pleasure in this experience. Unless with a considerable party one should be something of a linguist to enjoy fully the excursion, as the crowd will be cosmopolitan, representing perhaps a dozen different countries.
A multitude of vessels will be passed ere the ship sails freely on the great brown stream, so like the sea except in color. It first seems like a river, only on the entrance to the Paraná, where the steamer winds in and out among low islands, fringed with rushes and willows. Several ports are passed on the left bank, but most of the way now, as far as Corrientes, the stream is so wide that only one bank is visible. The water swirls along 2½ knots an hour. There are vistas of green and silver, occasional sails, and gradually higher banks.
Rosario. The first call is made next morning at this, the second city in Argentina, with nearly 200,000 population, founded by Francisco Godoy in 1725, but having small prosperity until, in 1859, General Urquiza made it a port of entry. Ocean steamers drawing 24 feet come to its docks, for as a grain port it leads Buenos Aires. The city is situated on bluffs, one says 60, another, 300 feet high. An expensive system of docks has been arranged to suit the varying height of the river. Sacks of grain are sent down through chutes into the holds of the vessels. The river here is said to be 20 miles wide, though with numerous islands it does not so appear.