CHAPTER XX 



THE CACTUS FORESTS OF CENTRAL BOLIVIA 

 COCHABAMBA TO SAMAIPATA 



THE journey from Cochabamba to Sucre presents diffi- 

 culties, no matter which of the two available routes is 

 selected. It is possible to take a pack-train to the begin- 

 ning of the railroad at Gala Gala and proceed by train to 

 Potosi, thence by cart or pack-train (or by motor-car in 

 the dry season) to Sucre; but we preferred to go the whole 

 way by pack-train, following the roundabout Santa Cruz 

 trail, as this would enable us to see the country and also to 

 stop at any time we chose to investigate the fauna of a 

 promising region. 



It is an easy matter to rent mules and arrieros in Cocha- 

 bamba, either by the trip or month, and the latter way is 

 the more satisfactory if one does not expect to spend too 

 much time en route. We had been told, however, that it 

 was better to secure the animals at Tarata, a small town 

 southeast of Cochabamba, so we decided to make that the 

 expedition's starting-point. 



A narrow-gauge railroad connects Cochabamba with 

 Arani, almost due east; Tarata is about half-way between 

 the two. We took the train and sent our own mules over- 

 land, in charge of one of the men. It required but two 

 hours to make the trip. The entire region is naturally of 

 a barren, desolate nature; nevertheless it is densely popu- 

 lated with Quechua Indians. The low, earthen huts cover 

 the desert-like plain and are so like it in color that it is at 

 first impossible to distinguish them. During the short 

 rainy season crops of wheat and other grain are sown, and 

 their growth is later promoted by means of irrigation. 

 They also cultivate grape-vines, and their small clumps of 

 peach and apricot trees were in full bloom. 



321 



