Passengers, baggage, and freight were immediately transferred from
the train to the boats; and we soon found ourselves steaming along in
the 'Uruguay,' between the willow-hung banks of the broad Parana. The
country, though otherwise flat and uninteresting, looks very pretty
just now, in its new spring coat of bright green.
We passed several small towns, amongst others, San Pedro and San
Nicolas, which are quite important-looking places, with a good deal of
shipping, and occasionally stopped to pick up passengers, who had come
in boats and steam-launches from far-distant villages, situated on
lagunes, which our steamer could not enter.
Just before arriving at each stopping-place, we had a race with the
'Proveedor,' and whenever she became visible at a bend in the river,
half a ton more coal was immediately heaped on to our fires by the
captain's order--a piece of reckless extravagance, for, do what they
would, they could not make us gain five minutes. The competition is,
however, very fierce, and I suppose the two companies will not be
satisfied until they have ruined one another; whereas, if each would
run a steamer on alternate days, they and the public would be equally
benefited. The fares are exceedingly reasonable, being less than 3_l_.
for the whole journey from Buenos Ayres to Rosario, including all
charges.
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