114 



AYMARA STONE- WORK. 



aie completely outdone by ladies in the management of their animals, 

 and in graceful riding. Some of the countrywomen ride on men's 

 saddles. 



The girls ride oft' at full speed through the alameda, like a frigate's 

 complement of midshipmen on a day's leave of absence. More of the 

 men's stockings are exposed to view than those of the ladies. 



The men of Bolivia are better developed and more spirited than they 

 are found near the equator. Their horses are generally small ; some of 

 them are full of life and spirit, and prance about more like little goats 

 than a well-trained blooded animal. 



Milk is drank at the end of the exercise, and the meeting of the 

 families is very agreeable. The degree of politeness and pleasantness of 

 manner is remarkable, while the milk of cow kindness is passed around 

 in large glasses. The fresh complexioned Spanish beauty rides up, tosses 

 off a bumper, calls to her indolent escort in her sweet language, and off 

 she goes again, followed by the eye of a fat John Bull, luxuriating over 

 his glass, with a broad brimmed hat on one side of his head, and a 

 walking stick under his arm. 



The foreigners of La Paz purchase the dried mutton of Peru, and 

 supply the Indians, who work near, the town of Corocoro, where copper 

 is found in great quantities in its native state, and is worked with great 

 difficulty for want of proper tools. The export duty, paid by the mer- 

 chants to the government, is six cents per quintal on ground ore, and 

 twelve cents on bars of pure copper. 



The Indian men are not muscularly strong, though they accomplish 

 a gread deal in their own way of working. They are slow and sure 

 men, when well treated. The stone-work of the fountain in the plaza, 

 carved by the Aymara Indians, compares well with the best we have 

 met. It is admired by the Italians, Germans, French, and English resi- 

 dents of the city, and however much we respect the Quichua tribe, we 

 must give the Aymaras the preference in this mechanical art. They 

 are more musical, and seem to possess a more independent character 

 than the Quichuas ; yet they cannot compare with the North American 

 negro slaves in health, strength, happiness, comforts of life, or liberty. 

 African slavery existed in Bolivia before the meeting of the National 

 Convention in September, 1851, when the fifth Bolivian constitution 

 was sanctioned ; the first article of which declared that U All men are 

 bora free in Bolivia." " All men receive their liberty upon placing their 

 feet upon her soil ; slavery does not and cannot exist in it." 



In this convention, a member of intelligence and experience — a man 

 as popular as any, and respected by most of his countrymen ; well ac~ 



