Page:Letters from the Battle-fields of Paraguay (1870).djvu/295



FROM ROZARIO TO CORRIENTES. 2G5

by fine trees and broken by bays and projections. North of the " Streamlet" where the quinta of Santiago Derqui fronts the Rincon de Santa Catalina, rises a tall ruddy barranca, striped and patched with yellow and bistre- colonred clay, irregular in outline, and topped by a slope of dull-tinted grass and clumps of monte. All the ground described forms the Paraguayan position.

In April, 1865, the first Brazilian naval division steamed up towards Corrientes ; at that season the water was so low that an attack upon Paraguay was deemed impracticable. Admiral Tamandare was wasting his time at Buenos Aires and Montevideo, imitating the only part of Nelson's career which caused his friends to blush. The fleet was entrusted to the Commandante Gomensoro, and afterwards to Vice- Admiral Barroso, and it anchored almost in sight of Cor- rientes, and close to the Chaco or western bank of the river. It consisted of nine fine river steamers, fully manned ; these were the flagship Amazonas, the only paddle (6 guns) ; the Jequitinhonha, the Belmonte, the Mearim and Beberibe (each 8 guns) ; the Paranahyba (6), the Ipiranga (7), the Iguatemi (5), and the Araguay (3 guns) — the total of artillery being 59, which report exaggerated to upwards of 100.

Thereupon Marshal -President Lopez, nothing doubtful of success, resolved to tackle and carry off" the prey. He could muster an equal number of ships, but only 34 bouches a feu, and his vessels were mere river craft, roughly fitted to carry guns, and with boilers exposed above the water-line to every shot. Of the paddles were the Tacuari, flagship, and the only war ship (6 guns), the Ygurei (5 guns), the Paraguari, Ypora, Marquez de Olinda (4 each), and the Jejuy (2) ; the screws were the Salto Oriental (4 guns), the Pirabebe (1 gun), and the Yberd (4 guns) — the latter prevented from entering action by an accident. The weak squadron was, however, reinforced by