AYRES or RIO DE LA PLATA, PARAGUAY, TUCUMAN, Los CHAR cAs or POTOSI, and CUTO : and its minor sub• divisions, beginning from the south, are, Pampas, Plata, Tuyu, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Buenos Ayres, Chayanta, Cordova, Oruro and Paria, Cuyo and Mendoza, Caranges, Charcas, Pacajes, Guarania, La Paz, Paraguay, Cochabamba, Chaco, Sicasica, Salta, Laricaja and Omascuyo, Jujuy, Chucuito, Chicas and Tarija, Puno, or Paucarcola, Lipes, Lampa, Atacama, Asangaro, Potosi, or Porco, Carabaya.
This country forms an extensive amphitheatre, shu• an laterally by the Cordilleras of Brasil and Peru ; to warns we north, ay a tract of mountainous country, branching from both these ranges; and on the south by a branch ol the Cordilleras of Chili, stretching across the continent nearly to the Atlantic, " leaving towards the south-east," says Mr \Vilcocke, " the immense opening of the Rio de la Plata, as a wide and magnifi cent portal, proportioned to the grandeur, to the impor tance, and to the extent of the regions to which it gives access." These mountains are among the most remark able m the world for height and riches. Those of the Brazilian ridge arc the least elevated. They are gene rally covered with thick woods, interspersed with arid tracts, completely devoid of vegetation; but are rich both in mines of gold and diamonds. On the western boundary of the viceroyalty, the mountains assume an aspect of unrivalled sublimity. Their aspiring summits, which reach far above the clouds, arc covered with eter nal snows ; and their rugged and naked sides afford no sustenance to the vegetable creation. But amidst these frozen and sterile regions, volcanoes of various dimen sions diversify the scene, and mingle their fires with the snow. On the Peruvian chain, seven craters equal to Vesuvius and ./Etna, are constantly in a state of igni tion ; and sixteen nave been enumerated along the Chi Lao Cordilleras. The mountains of secondary elevation are clothed with stately forests; intersected with deep glens, through which rush innumerable torrents, and, uniting their waters, form the immense rivers which flow towards the east, and swell the Paraguay and Pa rana. The intervening vallies with which these moun tains are interspersed, though placed at a greater ele vation above the level of the sea than even the tops of the Pyrenees, yet, from their sheltered situation, enjoy a temperate and favourable climate, and are covered with a luxuriant herbage. On the tops of some of these mountains, lies the only road of communication between the different provinces; and it is said, that, from the rarefaction of the air in these regions, the traveller can scarcely breath, and is generally affected with nausea. Within these boundaries, the country is extremely le vel, and, with the exception of a few hills, not exceed ing 500 feet above the level of their base, it is one im mense extended plain, covered with lakes and innume rable rivers, many of which, though equal to some of the largest in Europe, flow unregarded and nameless, and are considered as merely tributary streams. Few of these, however, ever reach the ocean. They are either lost in the lakes, or descend into the level plains, where they stop, without taking any decided direction, and ale soon absorbed, or insensibly evaporated.
The principal rivers of this viceroyalty are, the Para guay, the Parana, the Uraguay, and the Rio de la Plata. Toe first of these rises about 131° south latitude, in the Sierra del Paraguay, and, bending its course towards the south, passes through the lake Xarayes, and after reel iv.ng the waters of the Cuyaba, Pilcomayo, and Ver
mejo, terminates at its junction with the Parana. It is navigable for golettas as high as the 16th degree ; and though its channel is in general narrow, M. Azara found, that opposite Assumption, where its breadth is only 1332 Paris feet, 196,618 cubic toises of mater pass ed every hour. Its periodical flood, which is occasioned by the overflowing of the lake Xarayes, commences about the end of February, and continues gradually to increase until the end of June, when it again diminishes with the same regularity. The Parana has its source in the mountains of Brasil, and descending by a rapid. but long and diversified course, is swelled by numerous tributary streams, among which is the Yguazu, or Curi tiba ; receiving the Paraguay at Corrientes, it passes on to the south ; and after being joined by the Salado and other rivers from the west, loses itself in the Rio de la Plata. The Uraguay rises in the mountains which stretch along the eastern coast of America, opposite the island of St Catherine's, about the 28° of south latitude. Flowing to the west tbrough a naked and desert region, it then takes a southerly direction, and traversing by a winding and irregular course the immense forests of Guarana, where its stream is swelled by innumerable rivulets, it passes through a rich and romantic country, receiving the waters of the Tebiquari, Mirinay, and Rio Negro, and near the 34th degree of latitude unites with the Parana to form the Rio dc la Plata. Though this river is not equal either to the Paraguay or the Parana in the length of its course, yet by the immense aecu nu lation of waters which it receives from tributary streams, it surpasses both in the breadth of its channel ; and about 690 miles above its confluence with the Paran ., a ten-oared boat requires half an hour to cross it. F•orit the rockiness of i's channel, and the turbulence (..1 its stream, the Uraguay is of difficult navigation, exct pt for balsas, a species of craft peculiar to South America. The name of this river is extended, by ancient minors, both to the Paraguay and the Parana ; and the indiscri minate appellation is still retained by some motiern geographers. The Rio de la Plata, or Rruer of Silver, originally calico Rio de Solis, from the name ol its first discoverer, received its present appellation from S.•nas tian Cabot, who, having defeated a body of Ind iails on the banks of the Parliguay, obtained an immense booty of gold and silver. This name was applied by C diot to the whole channel of the Paraguay, from its source to its confluence with the ocean, and the Parana anal Ura guay were merely considered as tributary streams, hut it is now confined to the Gulf extending from th. jule tion of the two last mentioned rivers, to the capes St Maria on the north, a id St Antonia on the south, where the water still retains its freshness, and the tide is very imperceptibly felt. Betwei n these points it is nearly 150 miles broad. Bu• this noble expanse of fresh water, which is without a parallel in the world, is deformed with rocks and sand banks, which render its navigation both difficult and dangerous ; .ind is exposed to impetu ous torrents of wind, called Painperos, which sweep with dreadful fury over the vast plains of the Pampas. These storms, however, are generally preceded by thun der, which gives sufficient warning to mariners to pre pare for the approaching tempest ; and during these gales, Monte Video is the only part where vessels of any considerable burden can lie in safety.