Another specialty of Paraguay is the yerba mate, sometimes called Paraguay tea, which is raised also in neighboring parts of Argentina and Brazil. This herb, Ilex paraguayensis, or South American holly, grows as a bush or tree resembling the orange. The leaves, which are bright green, are used to make a tea, in these three countries very popular with natives, and with many immigrants; it is being gradually introduced into Europe. The leaf is smoked and powdered. The beverage is made by putting some of this powder into a small gourd called a mate, and pouring on boiling water. After it has steeped a while, flavored with lemon or sugar, it is drunk through a bombilla, a tube enlarged at the end to a sort of oval ball, with small holes which admit the liquid, but are supposed to keep out the powdered tea. The natives and others drink this on all occasions. Taken in moderation it is very wholesome, of more or less the same class as tea and coffee, but containing less tannin than either; of caffein or thein it has less than tea but about the same as coffee. It does not irritate but soothes the nervous system, and is beneficial to the digestion unless used to excess. When used instead of food it becomes injurious. Thus a gentleman, Scotch, who had been in the habit of taking 12 or 14 cups in the morning and eating nothing until noon, at length found himself in a bad way. Placed by his doctor on a sensible diet, a good breakfast with only 2 or 3 cups of mate, he found his health soon restored. It is estimated that in South America, despite the great coffee production, 10,000,000 persons drink mate. It is sold in England, France, Germany, and other countries of Europe, the United States being slowest in learning to appreciate its excellence. In 1909 more than 2 million pounds were produced. Plantations are now being set out and its production and consumption are certain to increase amazingly.
CHAPTER XXVI
URUGUAY
The country of Uruguay has the distinction of being the youngest, and the smallest in area, of all of the South American Republics. It must not, however, be inferred that it is therefore the most backward. On the contrary, its financial reputation is of the best, its bonds selling in Europe at par and above, while the population to the square mile is greater than that of any other country in South America. Although small, indeed, by the side of its neighbors, Brazil and Argentina, it is twice the size of Portugal and about the same size as New England combined with Maryland; a trifle smaller than the Brazilian State of São Paulo, or than our State of Nebraska.
History
While the very first landing in the Plata River section was naturally made in this country, Juan Diaz de Solis with fifty of his followers here going ashore in 1515, unfortunately to meet death at the hands of hostile Indians, the permanent settlement of Montevideo was delayed until December 24, 1726. The Charrua Indians inhabiting the country seem to have been a particularly fierce tribe, and several attempts at settlement in various places resulted disastrously. In the seventeenth century, a number of colonies had been established by the Franciscans and Jesuits, including one at Colonia, which site with the country in general, at that time called the Banda Oriental, was long a bone of contention between the Spanish and the Portuguese.
After the Junta of Buenos Aires had in 1810 established its rule within its own borders, Montevideo was for a short time the seat of the Spanish Viceroy; but the people of Uruguay soon became eager for independence and under the leadership of Artigas a war was waged for years, sometimes against the Spanish, then against the Portuguese, and even the Porteños of Buenos Aires. After the destruction of the Spanish fleet by Admiral Brown, Montevideo, June 20, 1814, surrendered to the besieging army, and the Spanish power on the River Plata was ended. General Alvear of Buenos Aires, for a short time in command, presently withdrew leaving the city in the hands of one of Artigas’ lieutenants, the General remaining in camp on the Uruguay River. In 1816 the Portuguese from Brazil invaded the country, and Artigas was finally obliged to take refuge in Paraguay.
When in 1824 the power of Spain was finally destroyed on the whole continent, Uruguay alone was destitute of independence. In the midst of rejoicing at Buenos Aires over the victory of Ayacucho, Lavalleja, who had earlier distinguished himself against the Spaniards, and other exiles from Uruguay were moved to free their own country from foreign dominion. It was a small band of thirty-three men, Treinta y Tres, now a popular name in Uruguay, that set out from Buenos Aires for the invasion of that country. Having crossed the Uruguay River, they soon obtained forty recruits and after a brief skirmish with the Portuguese forces took the town of Dolores. General Rivera, sent against Lavalleja, forsook the Brazilian service and with his men joined the patriots. Soon the whole of Uruguay was in arms, an independent government was established at Florida. The Portuguese fleet was later defeated by the Argentine Admiral Brown, and a series of victories culminating in the battle of Ituzaingó, which made the expulsion of the Portuguese seem inevitable, incited Lavalleja in October, 1827, to proclaim himself Dictator, though in July, 1828, he voluntarily resigned the office. In August both Argentina and Brazil acknowledged the independence of Uruguay and on May 1, 1829, the national authorities made a formal entry into Montevideo.
After a constitution had been adopted, July 18, 1830, the National Assembly in October elected Rivera, President, to the great disgust of Lavalleja who at once plotted against the government. Rivera, however, twice drove him from the country into Brazil and served his term of four years. The second President was General Oribe, one of the Thirty-three, who combined with Lavalleja against Rivera and, with the assistance of the Argentine Dictator Rosas, defeated him in a battle which was of especial historical importance from the fact that the red and white colors were used to distinguish the forces, ever since emblems of bitter strife as the badges of the two parties called Colorados, Reds, and Blancos, Whites, the former that of Rivera, the latter of Oribe.
Fighting was almost continuous until the fall of Rosas in 1851. Giro became the fourth President in 1852 but in 1853 revolts began again. The deaths of Rivera and Lavalleja about this time had no effect in promoting peace. Strife continued until in February, 1865, Flores, having obtained the active support of Brazil and entered Montevideo, was made Dictator of the Republic. Then little Paraguay, previously asked to interfere, jealous of Brazil’s power, continued the fight. And Paraguay, with her army of 80,000 men, might have been equal to any one of the countries alone. During this war Flores, who was of the Colorado party, was assassinated in Montevideo, a terrible visitation of cholera occurred in 1868, and a financial crisis that ruined thousands in 1869. Troubles were incessant and up to the present time hardly a single President has had an entirely peaceful term. That after this prolonged condition of turbulence, the Republic shows so remarkable a degree of development and prosperity is wonderful indeed.