The Brazilians seem to make little progress in the war
with Paraguay. The Comte d'Eu, with 14,500 men, is lying in a valley at the foot of the hills occupied by Lopez, some thirty miles from Assuncion ; but he cannot advance a step, and has thrown up a "redoubt," mounted with eighteen cannon, which looks as if he were not very secure of his position. Raids are constantly made into the interior, resulting in the capture of a few men and a great many women. The attempt to form a government of Paraguayans has failed ; the capital, once remarkable for cleanliness and order, is filthy and wretched, the houses being in rains and no attempt made to restore hygiene. The Brazilian soldiery appear, according to the Buenos Ayres Standard, to make slaves of the women, either capturing them or bribing them with food, and a system of killing them when left behind is said to be adopted by the Paraguayans. Consequently, Brazil bonds rise.
Previous page
