116 



MARKETS OF LA PAZ. 



herself friendly to it ; but concluded by saying — " I believe the North 

 Americans will some day govern the whole of South America 1" 



Our conversation was disturbed by the entrance of an Indian servant 

 girl, with her mistress's youngest child, which was seated between us. 

 The Indians teach the children their own language. The habit of using 

 the most easily pronounced words in Aymara and Spanish had produced 

 a very curious mixture. The Aymara for baby is " wawa." A gentle- 

 man seated opposite inquired if I was fond of them. Never having 

 heard the word " wawa " before, and believing he said " guavas " — a 

 fruit upon the table — he was answered in the affirmative, with the ad- 

 dition that they " were much better when preserved than when eaten 

 raw." This brought forth a shout of laughter. 



The daughter of the lady, with tears in her eyes from merriment, 

 inquired whether I had ever eaten one ? Being told that I had de- 

 voured hundreds, and would take one now if she would be so kind as 

 to give it to me, the Indian girl seized the wawa, amidst continued roars 

 of laughter, when Havana cigars and Yungas coffee were introduced. 



The markets of La Paz are well supplied with fruits and vegetables 

 from Yungas. Near five hundred thousand baskets of coca are pro- 

 duced there annually — a basket contains twenty pounds. Some twelve 

 hundred baskets are exported to the Argentine republic ; the remainder, 

 after the sale to Peru, being consumed at home. The organized na- 

 tional guard, or militia of this department, amountstto about fifteen 

 hundred Creoles, regulated by special laws, independent of the standing 

 army of the country. 



The prefect of La Paz was friendly to the expedition, and assured us 

 his government would be so. His duties correspond with those of the 

 prefects in Peru. His department is divided into provinces, which are 

 ruled by governors ; there are no sub-prefects in Bolivia. The most 

 intelligent men in the country are found among the prefects. The im- 

 pression is, that preference is given to this office over that of a minister- 

 ship in the supreme government. 



With a fresh supply of passports and letters, we mounted our fattened 

 mules, and bidding farewell to our kind friends, we ascended the steep 

 side of the Quebada to the table lands, which slope down from the Illi- 

 mani to the westward, towards a low range of mountains. The wind 

 was fresh from the southeast ; thunder in the north, and a cold drizzling 

 rain failing. The plain is covered with round stones, such as are found 

 on the shores or in the beds of rivers. 



December 2, 1851. — At 4 p. m., we halted at Ventilla post-house. 

 Thermometer, 52° ; wet bulb, 42°. The fat postwoman was picking 



