The Uruguay River does not offer much in the way of transportation facilities, as rapids at Salto stop the boats going up from Buenos Aires. The Paraguay, however, is open as far as the draft of vessels will permit them to go, and steamers of the Lloyd Brazileiro call regu larly at Corumba on the Bolivia-Brazil fron tier. These boats and also those of the Mihano vitch Line (Argentine Navigation Company, Ltd.) offer a river service to Asuncidn, Paraguay, the trip up the river from Buenos Aires taking about five days and that down river about four. This company, which has a fleet of some 300 vessels, does an extensive coasting business to Argentineports and main tains a daily express service between Monte video and Buenos Aires.
On the Orinoco, as noted, traffic is light be cause of the fact that the plains through which the river flows are as yet but sparsely inhab ited. There is considerable difference in the level of the river in the rainy and the dry sea sons and when the floods come it overflows its banks and its width increases to several miles. The principal city, Ciudad Bolivar, is reached by vessels engaged in ocean trade, and the river is navigable for large boats during high water as far as San Antonio. In western Venezuela the large expanse of lake Mara caibo affords a highway over which the im portant coffee production of the interior reaches the outside world, but a bar at the en trance keeps out all but light-draft boats.
The Magdalena River, in Colombia, may be said to be the life-line of the country's com merce. Practically all imports destined for the
interior are carried over it. Although it is silted up at the mouth so that ocean liners can not pass through, cargo is discharged at Carta gena and Puerto Colombia and is taken thence by rail to the river ports of Calamar and Bar ranquilla. It is then loaded on river boats (which also carry passengers) and carried up the Magdalena to the various river ports, from which it is taken inland by muleback or rail. If destined for the capital, Bogota, it must be transferred to railway trains at Honda or La Dorado and then reloaded on river boats at Bel tran, after having encompassed a series of rap ids in the river. It then goes by river to Girar dot, 93 miles, and finally arrives at Bogota after another journey by rail, during which it must be transshipped from a medium-gauge to a narrow-gauge railway. From the time it ar rives in port, therefore, until it reaches Bo gota the cargo is transshipped six times. The whole trip up-river to Bogota takes 8 to 10 days, but the down trip can be made in less time during periods of high water. The Cauca River, the principal tributary of the Magda lena, is navigable over part of its length, but rapids and falls prevent the river boats from running through to the Magdalena. Railway construction may in time provide a quicker and more convenient outlet for the country's prod ucts, but this is not likely to be accomplished for many years.