The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

210
AMAZONIA AND LA PLATA.
Above this point the Parana expands to a broad lake with two branches
enclosing a large island, beyond which it tumbles over several falls from 50
to 60 feet high, all differing in the character of their rocks and vegetation, as
well as in the volume of water precipitated. The Sefe Qucdas, or "Seven
Falls," as this group is popularly called, must not be taken in the literal sense,
for the stream ramifies in the dry season at times into as many as twenty partial
currents, while during the floods all merge in a single liquid mass. In 1631, when
the Jesuits had to abandon their missions of la Guayra they lost in these waters
over 300 boats, and since then the Sete Quedas have been known by the alterna-
tive name of the Guayra Falls.
Below this point the Parana, after gliding over a few more rapids, gradually
enters on its tranquil course, and is here joined by its last great affluent formerly
called the Eio Grande de Curitiba, now better known by its Guarani name Iguazu
(Y-guassu). Like the parallel rios, Paranapanema and Tiete, the Iguazu is
interrupted by a succession of cascades, terminating at the Victoria Falls with an
extreme drop of 140 feet. At this point the Brazilian Government has estab-
lished its military colony and arsenal, commanding the navigation of the whole
course of the Lower Parana as far as the Argentine waters. The famous Con-
quistador Alvar Nunez had followed this route on his daring journey from Brazil
to Paraguay in 1542.
Beyond the Iguazu confluence, the Parana, henceforth free from cataracts or
dangerous rapids, passes through several narrow gorges, such as that of Itangu-
aymi, where the stream, 4,000 or 5,000 yards broad in some places, contracts to
scarcely 460 feet. Lower down the river maintains everj'where a great width,
rolling down a vast body of yellowish water studded with low islands and lined
by marshy banks. At the Paraguay confluence its volume is often ten times
greater than that of the rival stream.
Climate.
In a general way the climate of the region resembles that of Miuas Geraes,
with the essential diflerence that, lying partly beyond the tropical zone, it enjoys
a greater diversity of seasons. Here the winters are real winters, characterised by
a marked fall of the temperature, by cold polar winds, and at times even by snow.
But the chief contrast is less between north and south than between east and
west, as determined by the varying altitudes. The littoral zone at the foot of
the coast range still belongs partlj' to the torrid region, and merges southwards
in subtropical lands resembKng Italy both in their climate and their verdant
seaward slopes.
Another parallel zone is that of the " Serra," or " Mountain," marked by a
lower temperature, but still imder the influence of the moist sea breezes. This is
followed by the inner and much broader zone of the Campos, presenting the
normal conditions of a continental climate with its great range of temperatuj'es, in
some years exceeding 60° or 70° Fahr.