66o SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 102 



in stews, potatoes, ocas, manioc, peanuts ; these are all cultivated as in 

 Spain, with plows and yokes of oxen. But some Indians follow their 

 ancient method and turn the earth with sticks about a stade long 

 with a point like a spoon at the bottom and with a crosspiece about 

 a foot long fastened with straps, as on a stilt ; with the right foot 

 they bear on this crosspiece to turn the earth with the long stick, 

 using both hands and casting the earth one side, and that is the 

 way they plow and cultivate ; they call this plow taclla ; then with 

 other short sticks like dibbles, called caucanas, they weed their plots. 

 There is plenty of everything for the supply of the city and its 

 region, and much is carted oflf to the imperial town of Potosi. 



1728. Just outside the city runs a watercourse called Quirpinchaca 

 and another passes through the center, which runs full of water when 

 it rains ; it is called Churuquella, and there is a bridge for going 

 across it from one side of the city to the other in the rainy season, 

 which is from October to April, the same as in Spain ; that is the 

 most temperate period of the whole year, although in the city the 

 temperature is almost always equable. 



1729. The rivers nearest the city are the Cachimayo, which is 

 2^ leagues away, and rises 15 leagues ofif, in some springs gushing 

 out of the Caracara Sierra. There are excellent shad (sabalos), 

 armados, bagres, cachuelos, and other fish in it, which are caught 

 for disposal in this city and the town of Potosi. 



1730. The Rio de Pilcomayo takes its rise 40 leagues from this 

 city, in some snow-clad ranges bordering on the trading posts and 

 tambos of Las Vizcachas and La Lagunilla. It runs within 5 leagues 

 of the city and has the same plentiful supply of fish as the last. 



1731. The Rio de Mojotoro is also 5 leagues away from the city, 

 and it sweeps around it at this remove until it reaches the Mojotoro 

 Valley, which gives it its name, although it runs through other 

 valleys. The Cachimayo and Pilconiayo Rivers unite 6 leagues from 

 this city and enter the Provinces of the Chiriguanaes ; and when 

 they have been joined by other rivers and streams coming out of 

 canyons, they form the famous Rio de la Plata. 



1732. The Rio de Mojotoro unites with other rivers 10 leagues 

 from the city and empties into one they call the Rio Grande, which 

 enters the Provinces of the Chiriguanaes and many other savage 

 tribes, and after flowing more than 1,300 leagues to the NE., empties 

 into the famous Rio Maranon. These rivers rise in the period from 

 November to March, their freshets coming in January and February, 

 and low water in August and September. 



