NAVIGATION OF THE SALADO.

95

for the introduction of 5,000 immigrant families to be settled along the Rio Salado; the Government giving him a square league of land for every four families.

Mr. Rams had some iron lighters built by Marshal of Barracas, and was almost ready to start for the Salado, when he was cut off by cholera, in April 1867. The enterprise, however, was not suffered to fall through, but in the following month Mr. Señorans started from Buenos Ayres.

After a voyage of three months and a-half he returned to Santa Fé with his expedition, having nothing to lament except the death of a young man named Piran. The expedition reached a point some hundred and eighty miles above Monte Aguará, at which latter place the River Salado takes a great bend to the west, just before entering into the province of Santiago del Estero. Mr. Señorans thus examined and went over that part of the river which Captain Page was unable to explore, owing to his steamer drawing too much water. The river, during the whole time occupied by the expedition, was pretty high-sixteen feet of water often being found, so that the theory of the navigation of the Salado by small steamers towing <«<chatas>> was thus fully established, and even if this navigation be only practicable during six or seven months of the year, it is still of the very greatest importance, as it will facilitate the settlement of the lands on either side of the river. Mr. Señorans was successful in gaining the good will of the various tribes of Indians on his route. All the caciques of the river came to visit him, and he made treaties with many of them. The principal cacique, Mariano, was not seen, as he lives a considerable way in the interior, but about a dozen other chiefs presented themselves, accompanied by a vast number of their people. It appears that about Monte Aguara the Indian tribes are much more numerous than it has generally been supposed. Mr. Señorans took with him a large quantity of presents, and distributed them very liberally-clothes being given to almost all. They were very much afflicted to hear that their old friend and 'padrino,' Mr., Rams, was dead. They all asked for his portrait, and brought up children by the score, whom they stated Mr. Rams was god-father to. A good trade can be made with these various tribes of Indians, and it is probable many of them could be made useful in cutting timber.

The expedition reached Fortin Taboada without any difficulty, and might have proceeded further on, but much time had already been expended, and provisions were running short, as they had not calculated on the necessity of furnishing food to the large numbers of Indians who continually accompanied the expedition. The reason of this equivocal guard of honor was probably two-fold-first, curiosity and greed, and secondly,

suspicion of the whites and of their objects. They could not understand why all the people of the steamers invariably attended divine service fully armed. They said that the Padres never did it. There was evidently anything but good will at first, but it appears that Mr. Señorans at last insinuated himself into their confidence, and gained their friendship.

Although plenty of water was always found, the sharp turns of the river impeded the navigation to a large extent. Then the delays of cutting wood, and the conferences with the Indians, caused a vast time to be lost. Once thoroughly established, the navigation, with wood ready cut at stated points, the steamers can run up to Fortin Taboada in six or seven days.

It is stated that the timber on the river is very abundant, and of a valuable quality. The «chatas» returned loaded with various kinds, amongst which are specimens of excellent ebony. Two young Englishmen who accompanied the expedition returned well and hearty.

Mr. Señorans encountered in one place a number of dead men. He buried them decently. It was supposed that they belonged to 'the Salta contingent that mutinied in the Paraná and fled into the Chaco. As nothing was ever heard of them it is probable they all perished either by hunger or by the Indians.

Since the return of this expedition (September 1867) no other has gone up the Salado, and it may be presumed that no efforts for its further navigation will be made till the termination of the Paraguayan war.

The Rio Vermejo rises in Bolivia, and, after a tortuous course of 1,200 miles through the forests of the Chaco, falls into the River Paraguay near the fortress of Humaytá. The first expedition to navigate its waters was in 1826, when some Englishmen and Buenos Ayreans successfully descended the river: they were, however, taken prisoners by Francia, tyrant of Paraguay, and kept in captivity for many years. In 1856, José Maria Arce, a Bolivian, accompanied by an Irish sailor named William Martin, safely descended from Oran to Corrientes. Señor Arce made four voyages afterwards, the last in November 1863, on this occasion losing two men, killed by Indians. He brought 150 tons cargo and 10 passengers, including his brother, Dr. Arce (with two secretaries), who had credentials from the Bolivian Government as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Argentine and Paraguayan cabinets: his principal business being to make treaties for the navigation of the Pilcomayo. President Lopez would not make any treaty on the subject, as he declared the Vermejo and Pilcomayo belonged exclusively to Paraguay. Arce, in his last voyage, found the Vermejo nowhere less than five feet deep, his vessels drawing only twenty-seven inches; but in many places the boughs of trees obstructed the navigation.

NAVIGATION OF THE VERMEJO.

97

In February 1863, Lavarello's expedition started from Buenos Ayres, on board the steamer Gran Chaco. After some delays to repair she at last entered the River Vermejo on April 18th. One of the party writes as follows:

«Our progress was very slow, for several reasons. We were obliged to stop rather more than half the time for the purpose of cutting and loading wood for fuel. The course of the river changes five or six times every league, so that Captain Lavarello reckons one thousand bends from Esquina Grande to the mouth of the Vermejo. Owing to this tortuous course, and the danger of missing the channel at night, added to the strong currents of the river, and the small power of the engine, we could only navigate by daylight, and came to anchor early every evening. We were soon delayed several days by heavy rains, preventing the crew from cutting wood, and causing nearly all on board, officers and men, to fall sick of a tercian fever or chucho,' induced by moisture and exposure. The steamer was converted into a hospital, and from lack of medical knowledge many suffered severely and for several weeks. Of thirty persons on board, more than twenty were sick at once, and we were detained more than twenty days from lack of hands to man the vessel. At last our provisions became exhausted, one article after another, so that we should actually have suffered from hunger, had we not succeeded occasionally in obtaining a sheep, a kid, or a pair of chickens, from the Indians. The Indians also rendered us most essential services by assisting us to cut and load wood, and by hauling us loose, with ropes, when we occasionally became stuck upon sand banks. We saw great numbers of Indians, thirty or forty different bands, in number ranging from ten or twenty up to one hundred.»

At last they reached Rivadavia colony in July, and the expedition returned to Buenos Ayres early in 1864. Just then President Lopez sent to Europe for two small steamers, to navigate the Vermejo and Pilcomayo, but the war soon after ensuing the enterprise was prevented.

At present (November 1868), there is a petition before Congress from Messrs. Lezica and Lanuz, in connection with the Vermejo, which they propose to open to navigation as soon as the war terminates.

H

CHAP. VIII

ITINERARIES OF THE REPUBLIC.

THE highways of the Argentine Republic are pretty much as Nature made them, consisting merely of a beaten track across the Pampas. They were formerly much better as regards post-houses and relays of horses than at present. General Urquiza devoted much attention to this matter; but since the Paraguayan war the Indians have made such frequent incursions that the overland route from Rosario to Chile, or the upper provinces, is attended with much inconvenience, for want of horses at the post-houses along the roads.

In the Province of Buenos Ayres the Northern, Western, and Southern railways offer speedy and commodious transit, in connection with «diligences>> ramifying the campaña in all directions. In Entre Rios there is also easy communication by the river steamboats, and a regular line of «<diligences.>> In Corrientes there is no other way of travelling in the interior but on horseback.

The Central Argentine Railway, from Rosario to Villa Nueva, is the great highway to the upper provinces. At Villa Nueva two main routes strike out north and west; the first goes to Cordoba, Santiago, Tucuman, and Salta; the second to San Luis, Mendoza, and San Juan. The railway from Rosario to Cordoba will be 247 miles long when finished: at present the section open to traffic, to Villa Nueva, is about 170 miles. The first thirtythree miles from Rosario are slightly undulating and destitute of timber, till we approach the English settlement of Frayle Muerto, when the country assumes a wooded aspect, with picturesque park vistas and an abundance of algarroba and other fine trees. The line crosses two rivers; the Carcarañá, about ten leagues from Rosario, and the Tercero, about twentythree leagues further. (This route will be described at length in the chapter on the Central Argentine Railway).

TO TUCUMAN AND SALTA.

NORTHERN ROUTE.

99

The <«<diligences» from Villa Nueva to Salta traverse a route of 215 leagues, the number of days employed varying, according to the weather, the state of the roads, post-houses, horses, &c. The itinerary is as follows, in Spanish leagues:

From Villa Nueva to Cordoba is about seventy-eight miles, through dense forests of «<algarroba.» At Chañares there are excellent springs of water,