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442 ASUNCION,

Lopez^ in which the Paraguayan type has been somewhat skilfully blended with Palladian architecture. Having become the headquarters of the Argentines, it is fronted by a fine lakelet of liquid mud. Cathedral Street here abuts upon the now deserted Plaza del Mercado, a large space of deep sand, surrounded by ground- floor tenements. At one corner is the " casa terrea '^ of Marshal-President Lopez ; the exterior is mediocre, but the inside is comfortable enough. Here General Osorio took up his quarters before occupying the house of Dr. Francia ; and here, in March last, the Brazilian Consul received the Councillor Jose Maria da Silva Paranhos. Ten years before (1858) the latter had been welcomed to the same house as Brazilian Ambassador by President Lopez, senior.

West of the building, and fronting the " Caile 25 de De- cembre," is the unfinished chapel of S. Francisco. The brick dome, of scantiest diameter, still bristles with its chetif scafiblding of bamboo and palm-trunk. I cannot understand how Senor Homem de Mello (Viagem ao Paraguay, February, March, 1869) calls this thing a " magnifica basilica." Further west again is a long ground-floor barn, the " Club Nacional,-" as we read upon the lamps that front its entrance. It was once civilized — as far, at least, as lodging its members at the rate of sixteen riyals (six shillings) per day ; and during fetes it was always well filled. The newspaper literature, however, was confined to the SemanariOy or weekly organ of the Government ; and to the Correo de Ultramar. The library contained a few volumes of silly stories, and Colonel du Graty^s " Paraguay -" whilst upon the table lay pictures of Parisian fashions ; in fact, the Petit Courrier. Billiards and cards were of course encouraged. Sentinels are now at the door, and the soldier seems lord of all he surveys at Asuncion. He is accused of excessive " looting,^^ and not a few of the officers are supposed to