fi REPORT 1853. 



attention either from natives or foreigners, because they were unacquainted with 

 the geography of both these Republics. This consideration has induced him to 

 publish a map, which, although on a small scale, he considers sufficient for the 

 object he had in view, although it only contains the names of the chief towns 

 and such places as the navigation of the rivers lead to. The author states 

 that the navigation of the river " Plata" would eternally unite the territories of 

 Buenos Ayres and Bolivia, as it is navigable from its mouth in 35° S. latitude, to 

 the junction of the Jauru with the Paraguay in 16° S. latitude, being an inland 

 navigation of 19° in extent ; the principal provinces in Bolivia, which would be directly 

 benefited by the free navigation of the Paraguay (a branch of the River Plata), are 

 Moxos, Chiquitos, and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 



These extensive territories, the most fertile in Bolivia, about 43,000 square leagues 

 in extent, produce little or nothing at present, compared with what they might 

 produce if they had an outlet for their products, which consist of sugar, rice, coffee, 

 indigo, cocoa, cotton (that of Moxos being one of the best in the world), grain, 

 many kinds of valuable drugs, and amongst them bark, dyewoods, tobacco, canes, 

 numerous kinds of wood of the most beautiful description, hides, tallow, &c,, 

 articles which cannot on account of their bulk be sent over the Cordilleras to a 

 port on the Pacific, as the expense of the carriage would exceed their value on their 

 arrival there. The author considers these territories as the most choice in the Republic, 

 and in proof states that they met the especial favour of the Jesuits, and have now 

 the advantage of being peopled by industrious and intelligent Indians ; and all that 

 is wanted is the introduction of steam-navigation to bring forth the natural capabi- 

 lities of the country, and to produce a most extensive commercial intercourse betwixt 

 the States of Buenos Ayres and Bolivia, in lieu of the present slow mode of com- 

 munication by vessels. These are sometimes made fast to a tree for a fortnight 

 waiting for a fair wind, during which time the whole extent of the navigation might 

 be accomplished by a steam-vessel ; so that a large territory, now producing but 

 little, might, by having proper stations on the Paraguay and the aid of steam 

 navigation, become productive in the most extraordinary degree, and greatly in- 

 crease its population. At present, the only port which Bolivia turns her attention 

 to is Lamar, alias Cobija, on the Pacific, but by the plan now under consideration, 

 the intercourse with Buenos Ayres and Europe would be made easy and constant, 

 and the navigation round Cape Horn avoided. The passage from Buenos Ayres to 

 latitude 16° 20', that is, to the mouth of the river Jauru, might be made in about 

 a fortnight as soon as the navigation of the river should be properly understood, 

 allowing the same rate of time as is required for an equal distance on the river 

 Mississippi, and the return would be effected in less than half the time. The mouth 

 of the Jauru is on the same parallel of latitude as the town of Santa Anna, the capital 

 of the province of Chiquitos, and distant from it about 70 leagues, and is a much 

 less distance from various other towns of the same province. From the capital of 

 Matagroso it is about 73 leagues, and about 100 leagues from the nearest towns in 

 the province of Moxos. 



This steam navigation being once established, the inhabitants of Bolivia might 

 with ease bring all their own products down to Buenos Ayres and Montevideo, and 

 take back in return such articles as they might require, all of which would be 

 found at either place at reasonable prices. All these remarks apply with equal force 

 to the noble river Pilcomayo, which is navigable nearly as far as Chuquisaca and 

 Santa Cruz de la Sierra ; thus by means of this celebrated river, which runs through 

 a most fertile country, supplies of sugar, coffee, cotton, tobacco, &c., and in fine 

 all the products of the East and West Indies and Brazil, everything which 

 nature is capable of producing within the tropics, might be received. The navigation 

 of the Pilcomayo is said to be obstructed by three falls, which might perhaps be 

 remedied ; but if not, such steam-boats would have to be constructed as would 

 navigate betwixt them, and proper arrangements made to facilitate the transhipment 

 of the goods from one steam-boat to another. All this would attract the attention of 

 the Indians and bring about a trade with them, for they would soon begin to cul- 

 tivate all kinds of tropical productions ; in addition to this, on the banks of this river, 

 honey, wax, skins, and many other articles are to be found, besides the finest wood 

 in the world ; and in fine, the navigation of the " Pilcomayo" would more rapidly 

 promote the civilization of the Indians of the Chaco, and of that part through which 



