Page:Letters from the Battle-fields of Paraguay (1870).djvu/321



A WEEK AT CORRIENTES. 291

old who had been wounded, and who was taken prisoner by the Allies when they entered Curupaity in force; he had drawn his knife and defended himself with it till it was struck from his hand.

We may visit the site of the action, which is about one mile beyond the town. Under the old bridge the Para- guayan dead were buried ; and beyond it, to the left, are the Correntino barracks, still pitted with shot and fronted by an orange grove. Here was an old battery, afterwards turned into a caserne and drill-ground ; and guns had been planted on the fiumarabank before 1863. Strongly made of brick, the building was easily to be defended by one battalion 300 strong. The ground then forms a charming slope, swelling high above the rocky bank, and dotted with bom- bax and with oranges planted in straight lines. The soft green turf is bright with flowering plants, which seem to prefer the tent-ruts ; and this season — early September — is the collector's opportunity. Our walk is limited to the Brazilian ^larine Hospital, which was rapidly being dis- mantled, and which had entirely disappeared before April, 1869. The frontage was adapted to the wind, not to the sun as Europe requires ; the wards were independent pavi- lions for better isolation, and the material was whitewashed American pine-lumber, raised on piles, and roofed with wood and painted tarpaulin. It could admit 3000 men ; and each patient had usually 1200 cubic feet of space. Here, as in other hospitals, the French system was carried out, and ours found no favour. There were curious tales of malversation and embezzlement of stores, especially in the matter of " fios " or '^ charpy,'-* at which the ladies of the Brazil worked so patriotically.

For the moment, adieu ! More of interest in the next.