452 



SOUTH AMEEICA— THE ANDES EEGIONS. 



been announced by the founders of the industry. Meanwhile, however, these arid 

 regions, which seemed condemned to solitude, have developed a movement of 

 exchanges far more extensive than any other mining or agricultural district in 

 Chili. 



Thus is supported a large export trade not only through Iquique and Pisagua, 

 but also through several intermediary ports. Caleta, one of these ports, com- 

 municates with the works by an automatic railway, on which the trucks move 

 along an inclined plane 2,620 feet high. A labouring population of nearly 30,000, 



Fig. 171. — NiTEATE AND SaLT WoEKS OF TaEAPACA. 



Scale 1 : 400,000. 



SaffrisstSr^sna/es^^:^^^- ^^Sj 



V^/est oP Greenw.cK 



, 02 Miles. 



including women and children, has been attracted to this industrial centre. Boli- 

 vian traders and carriers come to share in the general movement, while water, 

 vegetables and other jDrovisions are supplied by the village of Tica, in an 

 upland Andean valley south of Tarapaca 



PaTILLOS MeJILLOXES — AXTOFAGASTA. 



Patillos, or the "Ducklings," so named from three islets which seem to float 

 about in the middle of the bay, takes part in the nitrate business, though to a far 

 less extent than Iquique, its railway communications not being yet completed. 



