358
THE HUMAITA "quadrilateral"
a country which had been fought over for two years ; and the first glance proved that the Quadrilateral was a long oval whose conjugate extended from Humaita north to the south-western point of the Upper Estero bellaco^ whilst its transverse section ran from Paso Espinillo to the Para- guay river. The former had a direct length of six and a half miles, and the latter of nearly four and a half. The grand total of the lines defended by the Paraguayans be- tween the beginning of the war and March 22, 1868_, was 56 kilometres. It is evident that the extension was a grand mistake.^
Behind us_, to the north,, is the enceinte of Humaita, form- ing the third or innermost line. This is connected with the second or middle line by a zigzag running north and south ; and it skirts the difi*erent " passes ^^ or swamp- fords, known
- The following are the figures of the broken oval, supplied to me by
Lt.-Col. Chodasiewicz : —
Eastern Line.
Distance,
Length of
advanced
Trenches.
Espla-
nades.
Maga-
zines.
1. PasoBenitez to P. Espinillo
2. To the Augulo redoubt,
third line
3. To Sauce (south-west end
of third line) ....
4. Sauce towards Curupaily .
Western Line.
1. Line along Lagunas Chichi,
Lopez, &c
2. Line facing Curuzu . . .
3. Curupaity Hiver-frunt . .
Second Line.
1. From P. Espinillo to La-
guna Chichi
2. Base of so-called Quadri-
lateral
Totals . . .
6 kilom. 475 metres
2 „ 417 „
6 „ 427 „ 2 ,, 614 „
4 „ 460 „ 1 „ 929 ,,
1 „ 988 „
6 „ 376 „
2 „ 485 „ 35 kilom. 115 metres
8 m. 895
4 „ 955
2 „ 883 2 „ 168
1 ,,"240 20 m. 901
91
71
111
38
42
52 + 14
28
126 3
576
48
32
63 + 64 32
28
36 + 6
27
23
310
The Trihuna estimated the trenches of Humaita fronting the river at 3600; to the south, 3600; east, 3000; and west, 2100: a total of 12,300 metres.
THE humaitA "quad
