894 REPORT—1890. 
the Crevaux Mission, he explored the unknown regions through which flows the 
river Pilcomayo. The second in 1885, under the auspices of the Argentine 
Government, was devoted to an overland exploration of the delta of the Pilecomayo 
lying in the Argentine territory. The third, in 1886, was made in a northerly 
direction from Rosaria to Salta, reascending the Humanuaca and the Cordilleras, 
The fourth, under the auspices of the Bolivian Government, was made for the 
purpose of discovering a navigable route eastwards for the commerce and 
productions of Bolivia. 
At the head of an escort of twenty men, afterwards increased to seventy, 
M. Thouar left Chuquisaca in November 1886 for Izozg, vid Tomina, Tacupaya, 
Padilla, and Lagunillas, following the course of the river Parapiti, to the heights 
of Iguiasiriri; from thence they travelled northwards to Carumbei. The march 
was here impeded for some months by an impenetrable forest of hardwood trees 
intertwined with thorns, brambles, and cactus; water and pasture were extremely 
scarce. In the meantime he explored the course of the Parapiti above Carumbei 
as far as the beautiful lake Ancararenda, and the whole of the Chaco Central 
and the Chaco Boreal in the province of Chiquitos. 
Crossing the mountains of Machareti the party travelled E.N.E. to Puerto 
Pacheco, but owing to the scarcity of water they were obliged to go southward. 
In this inhospitable region, situated under the twentieth parallel thirty leagues 
from the river Paraguay, they pushed on despairingly against the wild opposing 
forces of nature, exhausted by fatigues and privations of all kinds. Harassed by 
the Tapihetes Indians they were on the point of succumbing, when M. Thouar 
and his three companions were rescued by Colonel Martinez, commander of the 
Bolivian frontier, on the evening of October 1, 1887. They returned to the 
colony of Crevaux without having been able to reach Puerto Pacheco. This 
journey lasted from November 1886 to May 1888. 
M. Thouar, by a series of daily observations carefully taken, has obtained the 
following data:—1. The map of his journey on a large scale from Tarija to 
Asuncion vd the Pileomayo. 2. A general hydrographical map of the river 
Pileomayo with its numerous windings, drawn to a scale of ;,1... 3. A relief 
: : : sae : 400900" 
map, measuring 1] métre 23 centimétres by 1 métre 17 centimétres on a scale 
of s55b005) Containing his four journeys. 
The Geographical Society of Paris is now completing the publication of these 
maps. 
The eastern Bolivian Andes towards the west present a sombre appearance, 
and are devoid of vegetation, The central part of the summit towards the east, 
near the Cordillera de los Frailes, is occupied by an immense elliptical tableland, 
surrounded by glaciers extending from the north to the gigantic yoleanoes of 
Sorata and Ilimani, overlooking the majestic Lake Titicaca. The sky here is 
incomparably brilliant. The tinkling of bells in a slight cloud of dust, indicating the 
passage of a flock of llamas loaded with small sacks of copper ore from Oruro, is 
the only sign of human industry. The huts and villages, which are frequently 
met with, have a dusty, miserable, dull appearance, and a covering of volcanic 
ashes conceals the richness of the mines. Vegetation is very scanty, and it is 
doubtful if the Aymaras and the Quichuas succeed in obtaining even a scanty 
crop. 
Passing the Livichucho volcano, the scene changes, and we enter the second 
chain. Leaving by degrees the high plateau, and descending the eastern Bolivian 
slope, we enter the steppes, rich in all sorts of produce, leading to the vast plains 
of the Chaco. On the right is Potosi, with its famous mines, Huanchaca, Lipez, 
and Guadalupe; to the left Cochabamba, with its superb valleys; to the north 
Chuquisaca, the capital, with its great silver mines at Colquechacha; and on the 
south San Lucas, Cinti, and Taruja, with their beautiful valleys and forests. 
Beyond these are the last undulations of the Andes, terminating in the vast Chaco 
plains, extending like a limitless ocean. The Chaco, lying between the 18th 
and 30th parallels 8. latitude and 63° and 57° W. of Greenwich, is divided into 
three sections. The first, towards the north, is called the Chaco Boreal, and is 
situated between Chuquitos and the Pilcomayo. The second, constituting the — 
