After spending the night at Rosario, and collecting as much wood together as could be cut by 1 P.M. next day, we got under weigh on our return, with the cordial good wishes of the inhabitants, who had shown us every possible attention, and taking several passengers, who availed themselves of the opportunity to make an easy visit to Buenos Ayres. As a proof of the utility of steam navigation in bringing people together, softening prejudices, and creating a more kindly feeling, I may mention that our passengers were of all shades of party, some ready, under other circumstance, to draw a sword or a trigger on each other; but here they were hale fellows well met, and played together at cards, or conversed, with not the slightest appearance of ill feeling. A steamer is a great leveller of prejudices and party distinctions.
We soon reached San Nicolas, and brought up for some hours, augmenting our number of passengers and supply of wood, as we found our coals getting short; got under weigh again at 3 A.M., steaming fast down with the current, which runs two and three knots at this season of the year. Saw the convent of San Pedro, another remarkable establishment of the Jesuits, situated on rising ground, and where a branch of the main river runs; towards afternoon approached the Boca, or entrance of the river, and brought up to get more wood, which we fortunately did from a vessel at anchor there, every gentleman on board taking off his coat, and working like a common peon. Again we got under weigh and approached our over-officious official friends at Martin Garcia, where we determined to bring up for the night, and ask for an explanation of what had occurred at that most disputatious and pugnacious point before. On rowing towards the schooner, those on board hailed us to go on shore to the commandant, an injunction which we managed, after some difficulty in groping our way through the rocky beach, to fulfil. The commandant said he had no wish to obstruct our passage, nor had he given orders to fire at us; so we returned on board, satisfied that the salute would not be repeated. So splendid a night I have rarely seen; not a breath of air, and yet cool and pleasant; the stars reflected in the waters like a double firmament, the slight motion causing one portion to oscillate a little, the other firmament remaining motionless. Morning broke equally glorious, though a heavy dew had fallen, and the air was positively cold. Finally, steamed across to the bank, and disembarked passengers at 9:30 A.M., under five days; had we not been detained by want of fuel it would have occupied only four days; 21½ hours time up steaming, and 20 hours down.
To show the comparative ignorance as to this boundless country, it may be mentioned that several of our passengers, who had resided 20 and 30 years at Buenos Ayres, had never before been up the rivers: others, compelled to do so, had occupied weeks in doing what we did in a few days; and, altogether, great satisfaction was felt at this practical result of steaming, the Argentina, it is true, being the fastest steamer that had ever appeared on the waters of La Plata; and hence one reason why her loss has since been mourned over as a national bereavement, which it undoubtedly was, though perhaps the temporary presence in these waters of the Menai paddle-wheel will prove some compensation till a more imposing craft shall permanently take the place of that very excellent vessel.
My practical acquaintance with this river navigation being thus only limited in extent, I was unable to gratify my curiosity by exploring it further up, where the scenery, according to all testimony, is singularly fine; and, approaching Paraguay, the country becomes rich and fertile, and picturesque in a high degree. Beyond Rosario, the distance to the city of Assumption is about 700 miles, 1,000 miles being the entire reported distance from Buenos Ayres, and the navigation becomes more difficult. Still, the fact of the ‘Alecto’ steamer having reached Corrientes,[103] and the ‘Locust’ Assumption, proves that it is practicable enough for vessels of small draught of water. H.M.S. ‘Vixen’ has also been much up this river, and the ‘Fanny’ steamer, taking up the American expedition already alluded to, would not draw less than from nine to ten feet, whilst our little steamer did not draw seven feet, with her coals on board, nor was her great length any difficulty in turning angles of the river. There is no doubt that a class of steamers could be built that would make the passage to Assumption in a few days; and it is said that General Lopez, the Paraguayan Plenipotentiary to England and France, has already ordered two for the service, which augurs well for his desire to cultivate external relations.
Of the ‘Uruguay’ I know nothing but from hearsay and information: that it is a noble stream, much wider and more easily navigated than the Parana, with the same boundless extent of uncultivated country. We saw the entrance to it on the right from the Boca of the Parana, which makes a sharp angle. The main difficulty in connection with this river navigation are the channels about Martin Garcia, which are tortuous and very narrow in some places. It appears, indeed, to be a deep gulley, formed by the mass of waters pressing their way through the miles of sand and mud lying across the main entrance, much of it almost dry at the surface; and until these channels are properly buoyed and lighted, even steamers will be subject to delay and damage, as the most experienced pilot can scarcely rely on his eye or bearing in such an expanse of water.