The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

814 AMAZONIA AND LA TLATA.
Villa Azara, so named from llie naturalist who resided here in 1788 to studj' the
surrounding flora and fauna.
Encarxacion.
Farther down camping-grounds become more numerous, and here the impor-
tant village of Itapita, better known by the name of Encarnacion, given to it by
the Jesuits, marks the point where the Parana begins to flow due east and west.
For 200 years Encarnacion has commanded the passage of the river between Para-
guay and the Argentine province of Corrientes. The Jesuits had made it the
headquarters of their southern missions, and later, under the dictatorship of
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Fig. 132.
—
Encaknacton.
Scale 1 : 700,000.
56-.0- West or (jreenv\
12 Uiles.
Francla, it was made an outlet for the foreign trade of Paraguay. Hither the
Guarani brought their convoys of mules, their tobacco and mate, in exchange for
the coffee, sugar, and European goods imported by the Brazilian traders from Rio-
Grande. All transactions were carried on by the barter system, the dictator
having forbidden the exportation of gold and silver specie.
At present much of the traiBc of Encarnacion has been diverted elsewhere by
the steamers plying on the Paraguay and Parana rivers. But this place is intended
to be the terminus of the proposed railways that are to traverse part of the mate-
growing country. On the opposite or Corrientes side stands the Argentine town
of Posadas, which is also to be a railway terminus for a line running through
Monte Caseros to the Lower Uruguay.