A MULE-BACK JOURNEY 341 



morning we were astonished to find a dead bird of the same 

 species lying on a rock beside the trail, about two miles 

 distant, and more than one thousand feet above the place 

 we had left. I am convinced that it was the identical bird 

 I had aimed at, and that it had continued flying until it 

 died and fell in the spot where we chanced to find it. The 

 natives do not shoot birds on the wing, because ammuni- 

 tion is too costly to take any chances with; under no cir- 

 cumstances would a charge be wasted on a small swift-winged 

 bird; and also, when I prepared the bird I found a number- 

 ten shot in its head, which is what we used; such small 

 shot is not to be had by natives, as none is used in the 

 country. The coincidence of finding the bird is one that is 

 not likely ever to be repeated. 



From Samaipata we turned southward toward Valle- 

 grande. It required two days' travel to reach that town, 

 over the same monotonous, broken, barren country ranging 

 in elevation from five thousand three hundred feet to eight 

 thousand two hundred and fifty feet. There are a few trees 

 near some of the small watercourses, but as a whole the 

 country is unproductive. At Vallegrande, however, the 

 ground is not so sterile. The town also is more attractive, 

 and the more cheerful environment is reflected in the dis- 

 positions of the people. I was particularly glad to find that 

 some of the inhabitants showed traits of character unmis- 

 takably alien to the average Bolivian, and it did not require 

 a great effort to trace them directly to the wholesome in- 

 fluence exerted by the American College at Cochabamba. 

 It was forcibly demonstrated that at least some of the stu- 

 dents of the Cochabamba Institute introduce into their 

 houses and home towns the admirable precepts of tem- 

 perance, morality, and sincerity with which they have be- 

 come imbued. 



Travel in the highlands of Bolivia presents a succession 

 of difficulties, chief of which is the scarcity of mules and 

 also the lack of forage. 



There is no natural pasturage, so the animals must sub- 



