104 



WHIRLWINDS. 



refreshing breezes, they seem full of life and ready for a long journey, 

 even after their day's work is over. These easterly winds on the table 

 lands of Bolivia meet currents of air from the hills and mountain valleys. 

 The different streams form whirlwinds, which draw the dust under our 

 mules' noses, and run it up to the cumulus clouds above, where the dust 

 seems to float about in the air. Some of these dust columns are of 

 immense height, standing for many minutes, like waterspouts of the 

 ocean. Infusoria, found in the blood, rains, and sea dust of the Cape 

 de Verde islands, resemble that found on the Andes, in Venezuela. A 

 scientific examination of this dusty road may possibly compare with a 

 similar one in the southern parts of Africa. There is a battle-ground 

 not far south of us, where there were left a number of dead, whose dust 

 is carried heavenward by these winds. 



Persons have seen hundreds of waterspouts standing on the water of 

 the lake at one time, as though the columns were supporting the weight 

 of the clouds. The Indians' balsas are built with so much beam, and 

 being a bundle of rushes, shaped like a canoe before it is dug out, that 

 the falling of one of the waterspouts only washes the dust off the Indians 

 as they pass through this wonderful phenomenon. We are nearly suf- 

 focated at times with the whirling up of the dust all around us. 



As we entered the small town of Huaqui, a man in uniform came out 

 into the street, and requested to see my passport. He said he was not 

 the governor, but the military commander. He was informed that we 

 had none ; we had not met with his government. As he assured us 

 Peruvian papers were sufficient, they were handed over. Upon being 

 returned, we received a pressing invitation to remain in his house and 

 take coffee ; but as Jose had prepared tea for us in advance, the comman- 

 der joined us. He was a young man in a soldier's coat, which seemed 

 to have seen service before he was born. It is amusing to see how much 

 uncomfortable time a man can spend in a tight-fitting uniform, on the 

 arrival of strangers. Outward show seems to be the sole object with 

 the Creole portion of the population. This man's employment is to read 

 all passports of persons passing through this town, and he seems to be 

 the only active business man in the place. He may be seen, long before 

 the traveller arrives, standing in the street ready to demand, with a bold 

 front, the license to walk or ride about over ground not crowded with 

 population or vegetation. We change mules at Tiahuanaco. 



To the northwest of us, and a little south of the centre of Lake Titi- 

 caca, is situated the Island of Titicaca, from which Manco Capac and 

 his wife travelled to Cuzco. He was a navigator. The Island of 

 Titicaca is surrounded by the Aymara tribe of Indians, whose language 



