It is served by the Argentine North-Eastern Railway system, which links
up and is in every way closely connected with the Entre Rios Railway: and
by a small narrow-gauge industrial railway which runs through a large
area of Quebracho forest and also serves some sugar mills.
Other communication is by old-world diligences. Another railway is,
however, projected to run almost along the north boundary of the Province
from the City of Corrientes to Posadas in Misiones.
The inhabitants of Corrientes, like their Paraguayan neighbours, from
whom, especially in the more Northern parts of this Province, they differ
but slightly in racial characteristics, are the true lineal descendants
of Spanish soldiery and their native Guaraní Indian wives. They are as a
rule a pleasant enough people, good-humoured and somewhat indolent. As to
the latter quality one must, however, remember that in Corrientes one is
already among subtropical vegetation (Palms begin to rear their tufted
heads in the North of Entre Rios). One of the most beautiful examples of
this vegetation is the _Lapacho_ with its great branches of pink flowers.
One must not delay long, however, if one wish to still catch the
old-world flavour of Corrientes. Its capital, founded in 1588 with one of
the long names in which the Spanish conquerors appear to have delighted,
namely, San Juan de la Vera de las siete Corrientes (St. John of Vera
of the Seven Streams), is already provided with modern waterworks and
electric trams. Still, one yet finds many mysterious looking low houses
with vertically barred windows, and covered verandahs lining long narrow
streets. Modern buildings, however, are rapidly spoiling the attraction
of the place for those who appreciate the charm of more leisurely,
spacious times. That charm yet lingers in the city of Corrientes, but, as
has been said, is already being startled into flight by modernity.
The latter and Corrientes are, nevertheless, still fairly far apart. It
would be curious to know how many inhabitants of the Federal Capital have
even the faintest notion of what City of the Seven Streams is like (?).
Very few indeed; except those who have or have had direct interests in
the latter place. The notions of the rest would be similar to those of
the average European regarding the Pampa.
Corrientes is for the most part well watered, and has immense tracts of
excellent pasturage.
Besides its Capital, Corrientes possesses as its, even more commercially
important, centres the towns of Goya, famous for its cheeses, Ituzaingó,
Bella Vista, and Empedrado, all ports or rather possible ports on the
Paraná, Mercedes, the centre of prosperous sheep-farming districts, and
Curuzú Cuatia and Monte Caseros, with good railroad facilities.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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