The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

FAUNA OF PARAGUAY. 305
the capyvara, boa, crocodile, termites, ants, and their enemy, the tamanoir.
The uandu ostrich frequents the campos, though in far fewer numbers than in
Argentina. For certain species the Paraguay river forms a divide, and the faunas
on either side present a great contrast, especially since the left bank has been
settled by the white colonists, who seldom venture to enter the Chaco region on
the opposite side. According to Garcilaso de la Tega, Chaco means " hunting-
ground," and these plains are still roamed by multitudes of animals pursued by
the wild Indians.
Of the carnivora by far the most formidable is the jaguar, which is said to be
strong enough to carry off an ox or a horse. It avoids the haunts of men, and,
despite the statements of some travellers to the contrary, will scarcely ever attack
human beings. " Many a time," writes Bourgade, " I and my companions met
one in the underwood, and it never failed to give a savage growl and to boimd
rapidly away ; and often, as a group of them have collected round my encamp-
ment, I do not think they have ever approached within twenty yards of it—in
fact, we became so accustomed to them that, when we were tired, we would let our
fires go out, and ourselves fall o£E to sleep without the precaution of providing a
sentinel. Ever and again we might be aroused by the cracking noise of a branch
giving way under the weight of the brute, and on looking out we could see its
eyes flashing in the darkness ; but there was no fear of an attack." *
Another less known beast of prey is the aguara-guazu (Cants Asarce), a species
of wild dog sometimes over 30 inches long, with tawny hair and a black stripe
down the back, very long legs, pointed nose, long bushy tail like that of the fox.
It haunts swampy districts and hunts at night, making a peculiar hoarse bark
which can be heard a great distance off. The natives assert that it will not
hesitate to attack the jaguar, often with success.
Game still abounds almost everywhere, and according to Bourgade it would
be scarcely possible to find another region where the sportsman could find more
scope for his pursuits, so great is the variety of large and small animals, such as
tapirs, crocodiles, peccaries, deer, antelopes, and many species of birds. " Could
Europeans only know what is offered them in Paraguay, they would not be long
in resorting to it as eagerly as they now make their way to Scotland or the
Caucasus." t
Inhabitaxts—The GuARA^^.
In Paraguay the great bulk of the aborigines were of Guarani stock, and the
inhabitants of the towns and settled districts are still mainly Guarani half-breeds.
Even before the arrival of the Jesuits their civilisation must have given them a
certain ascendancy, for the Guarani language was sufficiently diffused to be
adopted as the lengua geral, or common speech amongst the heterogeneous popu-
lations between the Oyapok and Paraguay rivers. The " general language " had
• Paraguay, the Land and People, ^c, p. 64.
t lb. p. 68.
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