Paraguay

Paraguay, an important river of South America, an affluent of the Paraná (q.v.), rises in the Brazilian state of Matto Grosso. The sources of the river are a number of deep lakes, and 8 miles from its source the stream already has considerable volume. Pursuing a south-west course, and after flowing through a level country covered with thick forests, the Paraguay is joined from the west by the Jauru in $16^\{\backslash circ\}\; 30\text{'}$ S. lat. It then continues to flow south through the Marsh of Xarayes, which, during the season when the stream rises, is an expansive waste of waters, stretching far on each side of the stream, and extending from north to south over about 200 miles. The river still pursues a generally southward course, forming from $20^\{\backslash circ\}$ to $22^\{\backslash circ\}$ S. the boundary line between Brazil and Bolivia, thence flowing south-south-west through the territories of Paraguay to its junction with the Paraná, a few miles above Corrientes. Its chief affluents are the Cuyabá, Tacuary, Mondego, and Apa on the left, and the Jauru, Pilcomayo, and Vermejo on the right. Except in the marshy districts, the country on both banks of the river is rich and fertile, and abounds in excellent timber. The entire length of the river is estimated at 1800 miles; it is navigable for steamers to the mouth of the Cuyabá. The waters of the Paraguay, which are quite free from obstructions, were declared open to all nations in 1852; and now Brazilian mail-steamers ply monthly between Rio de Janeiro and Cuyabá, on the river of the same name, and there are several lines of steamers between Buenos Ayres and Asuncion.