The more considerable rivers which join the Parana, on the eastern side, beginning at the north, are the Añembỹ, the Parana-panè, the Guitaỹ, the Iguazu, flowing from Brazil, by which the Mamalukes formerly came to plunder the Guaranies. This river is of no inconsiderable size, and will bear tolerably large vessels. Four leagues from the bank of the Parana you meet with a cataract thirty ells high, from which the river falls headlong, with a frightful noise, and such a foam proceeds from it that the thick vapour, covering the place like a cloud, may be seen at four leagues distance. As this cataract is utterly impassable, navigators travel by land, for some time, and drag their boats along with their hands. Three leagues from the cataract the river is only one league in width. The Ybiraytỹ, the Yabebirỹ, which flows past the Guarany towns of St. Ignatius-miri, and Nuestra Senhora de Loretto, is narrow but very deep, the St. Ambrose, the Rio de los Astores and the Rio de Sta. Lucia. Through these last-mentioned rivers we have often known those cruel pirates the Payaguas come to plunder the estates of the Spaniards, and slay the inhabitants. The Corrientes, a moderate-sized river, which rises from the neighbouring lake Yberà, formerly called Lago de los Caracaras, said to be about four miles in length, but of inconsiderable and varying breadth. Many islands which it contains, are chosen at this time by Indian runaways, as places of concealment; and we learn that, in the last century, they were inhabited by the Caracara Indians who proved very formidable, and almost invincible, to the Spaniards. However, at the command of the Governour of Buenos-Ayres, a party of our Guaranies, under Juan de Garay, happily attacked and conquered them, most of the enemies being either slain or taken captive after an obstinate defence of all the islands. These are the names of the other rivers which join the Parana. The Guanguilarò, the Espinosa, the Alcaràz, the Hernand Arias, the Pardia, the Rio de los Charruas and the Pacu. But all those streams are of lesser importance. Jam paulò major a canamus.
We have now arrived at the place where the Uruguay, a river of the first magnitude, submits to the Parana. It rises in the mountains of Brazil, between the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth degrees of latitude, in the Captaincy of St. Vicente, (according to Bourgainville,) and flows for the space of full two hundred leagues; the rocks and cataracts with which it is here and there impeded render navigation extremely difficult, even to middle-sized skiffs. The largest of all the cataracts blocks up the whole river at the Guarany town Yapeyù, and denies a passage to skiffs coming from the port of Buenos-Ayres, so that the sailors are obliged to carry them on their shoulders by land, in order that they may proceed on their journey. It is proper in this place to describe that kind of vessel in use amongst the Uruguayan Indians, and which in the Spanish language is called balsa. Two very large boats, sometimes seventy feet long, are firmly joined together with cross-planks, and over them they strew reeds carefully matted by way of a pavement. In the midst a little reed hut is erected, covered with bulls' hides to defend it from the inclemencies of the weather. Oars, not sails, are made use of, both in going up and down the stream, with more security than despatch. There is, moreover, need of many rowers; in all directions you meet with islands rich in palms, citrons, peaches and various other trees, but which abound likewise in tigers, serpents and other wild animals either dangerous, or fit for food. The immense rocks, of which these cataracts are composed, being blasted, were indeed hurled aloft into the air, but falling back again into the river, obstructed the passage of even the smallest vessels. Thus remedies are often worse than the disease itself.
The most considerable rivers which flow into the Uruguay on the western shore are the Yapucà, the Piguirỹ, or Pepirỹ, the Guanumbacà, the Acaranà, the Mborore, much celebrated for the victory I related to you gained by the Guaranies over the Mamalukes, the Aguapeỹ, the Miriñaỹ, flowing from the lake Ỹbera, the Vaccaretâ, the Timboỹ, the Gualeguaỹ, the Rio de los Topes, the Yaguarỹ-guazù. All these rivers are joined in their course by lesser streams. The Uruguay receives, on the east, the waters of the Uruguaỹ-mir̂i, the Uruguaỹ-pîtà, or the little, and red Uruguay, the Ỹribobà, the Rio St. Juan, the Ñucorà, the Yaguarapè, the Yyuỹ, the Piritinỹ, the Ỹcabagua, the Mbutuy, the Toropỹ, after its junction with the Ybicuỹ, the Guaraỹ, the Tebiguarỹ, the Lechiguana, the Rio San Salvador. In this neighbourhood, the Rio Negro, famed for the excellence and abundance of its waters, enters the Uruguay a little before that river unites with the Parana, at La Punta Gorda. From such a number of uniting streams you may arrive at an idea of the magnitude of the Uruguay.
I must now discourse upon the Paraguay, from which the Parana receives its chief augmentation. The origin of this river has occasioned as great a dispute as that of the Parana. It is, however, now established beyond all doubt, that those persons who have written that this river comes out of the lake Xarayes are quite mistaken. This ancient and universal error, with good leave of Bourgainville be it spoken, did not originate in the Jesuit geographers, but was brought into Europe by the Spaniards who first subdued Paraguay, and has in the present age been detected: for it is certain that the Spaniards their successors have sailed on the river Paraguay sixty leagues beyond that lake, which proves that we must seek for the source of it in the more distant mountains situated towards the north-east. Some have thought that it proceeds from the fabulous lake Del Dorado. Bourgainville asserts that the Paraguay takes its rise between the fifteenth and sixteenth degrees of north latitude, at almost an equal distance from the North and South Seas. This opinion of the Frenchman I willingly leave to be examined by the later Portugueze who have dwelt there. However this may be, it has been clearly ascertained that the Paraguay does not take its rise from the lake Xarayes, as such a lake exists no where but in geographical charts; for that collection of waters which is sometimes seen is not the parent of the river Paraguay, but the offspring of it. This I boldly affirm on the authority of Father Joseph Sanchez Labrador, a curious naturalist, who repeatedly traversed both banks of the Paraguay, and by them arrived at the towns of the Chiquitos. The Chiquito town dedicated to St. Xavier is situated more towards the north than the rest, lying, as the same Sanchez observed, in the 16th degree of latitude, and the 313th degree of longitude. The town of Corazon de Jesus, situated in the 16th degree of latitude, and the 319th degree of longitude, lies nearest the shores of the river Paraguay, one hundred and ninety leagues distant from the city of Asumpcion. Now let geographers hear what the oft commended Sanchez declares to be his opinion respecting that imaginary lake Xarayes, and the fabulous island De los Orejones.
"The Paraguay," says he, "collected into one channel, for some time flows to the north, but presently separates into three branches, one of which the Indians call Paraguay-mir̂i, that is little Paraguay, and the other two Paraguay-guazù, or great Paraguay. These three branches of the river are swelled by the usual floods, and, overflowing their banks, inundate the plain country for the space of two hundred leagues. European strangers have mistaken this frequent inundation, this collection of waters, which generally lasts for some time, for a permanent lake. In the midst of this imaginary lake they placed an island called De los Orejones, to which they give thirty leagues of length and ten of breadth, such being the degree of space occupied by the Parana when it overflows. This was called the Island of Paradise by the Spaniards who first conquered Paraguay, for there they rested for a short time after their mighty labours. Neither the Portugueze, who inhabit Cuyaba and Matto Grosso, neighbouring places, nor the more recent Spaniards, nor the native Indians, were acquainted with any such lake." These are the arguments made use of by Sanchez, who was better acquainted with the controverted territories than any other person, and consequently, in my opinion, most worthy of credit, to prove the non-existence of the lake Xarayes and its island. Europeans travelling in unknown America are frequently deceived; they mistake an assemblage of waters caused by many months' rain for a river, or a constant lake, whereas it only proceeds from an immense flood created by continual showers, or by the melting of the snow on the Peruvian mountains.
The principal rivers, with the waters of which the Paraguay is enriched, join it on the western shore: the Jaurù, which flows into the Paraguay in 16° 29´ of south latitude, and 320° 10´ of longitude from the island of Ferro; the Mandiỹ beneath the site of the feigned lake Xarayes; the Rio Verde; the Yabebirỹ; the Pilcomayo, which falls into the Paraguay in two branches some leagues apart; the Timbò, a very large river, formed of two other lesser streams in the place called La Herradura, and diametrically opposite to the river Tebiguarỹ, which is at the other bank of the Paraguay. Here I founded the Abiponian colony of San Carlos. The Rio Grande, or Vermejo, enters the Paraguay before its junction with the Parana. On the eastern shore, beginning at the north, the Paraguay is joined by the river De los Porrudos, which had before received the waters of the Cuyaba, the name of a Portugueze town, and to which also the rivers Cuchipò-guazù, Cuchipò-miri, and Manso had previously united themselves. Lower down the river Taguarỹ, augmented by the waters of the Camapuâ, enters the Paraguay by three mouths, which are formed by intervening lands. Through these and other rivers the Portugueze sail in boats to their colonies Cuyabà, and Matto Grosso, where they gather little bits of gold out of the sand, with no inconsiderable profit. In Camapuâ, an intermediate place, Andreas Alvarez, a Portugueze, took up his residence with a number of negro slaves, and supplied the Portugueze, who travelled backwards and forwards, with provisions, waggons, and other necessaries from the produce of his land. The following are the names of the rest of the rivers: the Mboteteỹ, in the land of the Guarany Ytatinguas, for whom the Jesuits formerly founded two colonies in this place; the Ygarỹpe, the Mboymboỹ, the Tareytỹ, the Guaycuruỹ, on the banks of which the Guaycarus settled, and where they remain to this day; the Corrientes, the Mbaerỹ, the Ỹpane-guazù, formerly the Guarambarè, the Yeyuỹ, navigable to large boats, impeded by many rocks, and augmented by many rivers, the most important of which is the Caapivarỹ, which mingles its waters with the Yeyuỹ, about twenty leagues before that river enters the Paraguay. The shores of the Yeyuỹ, and of the Caapivarỹ, are surrounded by immense woods, nurseries of the herb of Paraguay, a vast quantity of which is carried from the town Curuguati to the city of Asumpcion, by the other Spanish inhabitants. But let us proceed. The Paraguay receives into itself the following streams: the Tobatỹ, the Caañiabê, and the Tebiguarỹ, navigable to middle-sized vessels. By the accession of so many, and such considerable tributary streams, the Paraguay is increased to such a size, that the old Spaniards used to sail through it to the city of Asumpcion, and even more distant places, in the same ships which had borne them on the Ocean, from the port of Cadiz. At this time no one dares attempt that, for fear of being wrecked, for this river swells to such a breadth, that you often cannot see either bank, as on the sea. It is intersected by many islands, and abounds in rocks, shallows, and quicksands. It is dangerous to sail on it without a pilot, called Pratico, well acquainted with the river, who must be hired to go before the ship in a boat, and sound the depth every now and then. At night you must rest in a safe situation, and anxiously seek port on an approaching storm. But alas! spite of every art that can be exerted, vessels often stick in shoals, and quicksands, out of which they must be taken on the shoulders of the sailors, or, with the assistance of a skiff, in great part unloaded. For many persons, through greediness of gain, load their vessels with so much merchandise, that you can scarce see two palms of wood above the water, in consequence of which, if the wind blows violently, they are swallowed up in the waves. This river is likewise rendered dangerous by two whirlpools—places where, even when there is no wind, the water twists into circles, and forms, in the centre, a whirlpool, which sucks up whatever comes near it; but it may be passed without danger, unless the sailors are extremely stupid. There is more danger in various other places, where the river hurries along like lightning, and dashes vessels upon rocks or shallows. In sailing against the stream, oars alone will not suffice; sails must be made use of likewise. From these things you may judge that the navigation of this river can never be effected without danger, and reasonable alarm.
I must now speak of the cataract of this river, which is called by the Spaniards El Salto Grande, and occurs about the 24th deg. of lat. and 325th of long., near the ruined city of Guayra. I myself never saw it: I shall, therefore, describe this prodigy of nature in the words of Father Diego Ranconier, a Fleming, who gave a most accurate description of it in the name of the Jesuit Father Nicolas Duran, then Provincial of Paraguay, in his annals of Paraguay, dated Rome, in the year 1626. "Amongst all the things," says he, "capable of exciting admiration in these provinces, this cataract easily obtains the first place; and indeed I know not whether the whole terraqueous globe contains any thing more wonderful. The river precipitates itself, with the utmost violence, down an immensely high rock, twelve leagues in descent, and dashes, in its downward course, against huge rocks of horrible form, from which the waters, being reverberated, leap up to a great height, and as the channel is in many places intersected, on account of the exceeding roughness of the rocks, the waters are separated into various paths, and then meet together again, causing stupendous whirlpools. In other places also, the waters, leaping down, rush into the rocks themselves, and are concealed from the view: then, after having remained hidden for some time, again break forth, as if they had sprung from various fountains, and swallow up vast masses of rocks. Lastly, so great is the violence of the waters in the descent of the stream, that, during the whole course of twelve leagues, they are covered by a perpetual foam, which, reflecting the rays of the sun, dazzles the eyes of beholders with its brightness. Also the sound of the water, falling down and dashing against the rocks, may easily be heard at four leagues distance. This rough descent being ended, the water seems inclined to rest on the bottom, in smoother ground. For it often stagnates there by day, but almost every hour a loud noise arises, from some hidden cause, and the water leaps up to the height of many cubits. Fish of immense size are seen there: and Father Antonio Ruiz de Montoya, then missionary of the Guarany nation, in Guayra, declares that he saw a fish, as big as an ox, swimming on the river, with only half his body above water. Nor is this incredible; for when I visited the Guarany Reductions," (he means the new colonies of Indians,) "they wrote me word that an Indian had been swallowed by a river-fish of this kind, and afterwards ejected whole on to the bank."
Between the Guarany town De la Candelaria, and the city Corrientes, the Parana throws in the way of navigators another smaller rapid, full of projecting rocks. I have no doubt that in the long course of the Parana, there lurks many a hidden whirlpool; the credibility of which opinion I will endeavour to prove to you, by relating a recent event. In the year 1756, whilst I was residing in the town of Loretto, a number of Guaranies began to sail in boats up the river Parana, to gather the herb of Paraguay in distant woods. When they had got a very few leagues beyond the town of Cuerpo de Cristo, all perished, except one man, the announcer of this unfortunate catastrophe. "About noon," said he, "they briskly rowed the boat to the sound of pipes and drums. The sky was serene, the air tranquil, the river placid, when suddenly the prow of the ship was lifted straight upright, like a pillar, and the poop proportionably lowered; but it fell back into its former situation, and put an end to the sudden terror excited, but not to the danger. For soon after the prow was again elevated by some hidden impulse, and the ship and all the sailors were swallowed up in a moment." One alone escaped, as I told you, by swimming, and announced the sad fate of his companions. We know the fact, but are ignorant of the cause. Almost every body agreed with me in attributing it to a hidden whirlpool, which had remained till then undiscovered in this frequented river. Often in vast rivers, and still oftener in the wide ocean, places destructive to ships are discovered, which had, for many ages, escaped the observation of skilful navigators.
The Parana abounds in innumerable islands of various sizes. It often demolishes the old, and creates new ones. For the annual floods heap up the sands, which are liberally supplied with seeds of willows wafted thither by the wind; these soon take root and quickly grow up with the aid of abundant moisture. Wait a little, and you will see the island covered with willows, other trees, and turf, and haunted by birds, wild beasts, and amphibious animals. Other islands are gradually destroyed by the violence of the waves; we have seen some of them sunk under water, others rocked like a ship by the wind and the waves, and borne up and down till they are dissolved and swallowed up. The most considerable islands are Martin Garzia, Las dos Hermanas, the Island of St. Gabriel, La Isla de Flores, and La Isla de Lobos. The Parana overflows twice every year. The greater flood generally commences in the summer month December, continues during the whole of January, and sometimes does not subside till the end of February. The lesser begins about the middle of June, and lasts thirty days. In both floods all the islands, some of which are three leagues in extent, are so entirely covered that the tops of the very highest trees are alone visible.
Tigers and stags like those of our country, which are very numerous, come out upon the shores. When the river is not contained within its very high banks, it spreads to the space of many leagues. I remember sailing near the town of St. Ferdinand, in a ship, amid palm trees, on the plain which, at other times, I used to gallop over on horseback. The waters of the Parana are muddy; but if suffered to settle in a pitcher, not unwholesome for the natives of the town; though in strangers, they occasion diarrhœa, which proved fatal to fourteen of my companions, whilst we were awaiting an opportunity of sailing to Europe, in the city of Buenos-Ayres, whither we had assembled from different parts of the province. I, also, was confined to my bed, and placed in extreme danger by it. The tide of the sea spreads full a hundred leagues up the Parana, especially when the south wind blows violently; but its waters are fresh about six leagues from the mouth of the sea.