TITICACA BASIN. 



125 



into its southern side, the large stream passing to its bottom flows 

 northward ; but generally most water enters on its northern side, so 

 that the water nearly always flows south. Its climate may be a healthy 

 one, but not a hospitable one for man. 



In some parts of it sheep and vicuna flourish, and the llama was 

 thought, in this basin, to prove in better condition than elsewhere. Our 

 observations go to show they and the sheep in the neighborhood of the 

 Juaja valley, in Peru, are superior. 



The mineral wealth of the Titicaca basin is very great, but its vege- 

 table productions too small for the support of its present population, who 

 are employed extracting metals, and who draw from the Madeira Plata 

 many of the necessaries of life, and rely upon foreign countries for their 

 manufactures. 



A clear, deep-blue sky opens the day ; but as the tropical sun shines 

 upon the white edges of the basin, he evaporates so many feet of the 

 snow per annum, that the clouds formed daily seem to curtain in the 

 inhabitants from the rest of the w^orld. 



The Aymara language and people excite the imagination to a belief 

 that their history is of an anterior date to that of the Quichuas, and more 

 interesting to those who seek, in the depths of time long passed, 

 for a knowledge of the origin of the aboriginal races of men on this 

 part of the earth. 



There is a peculiarity found in the Titicaca basin which we noticed, 

 but are unable to solve — the wind blows all the year from the east over 

 the lake, while on the plains it is variable and whirling. Water ap- 

 pears to attract wind, and to keep it in active motion. 



Slowly winding our way up the Andes, meeting droves of llamas 

 loaded with flour, we find the strata of rocks pointing to the east at 

 an angle of 45°. Arriving at the top of the great ridge, the strata is 

 perpendicular ; and on the east side it inclines to the west, also at an 

 angle of 45°. 



We now look over the Madeira Plate, but before entering it we turn 

 to regard, from these lofty peaks, the south of the Titicaca basin. 



From the line of the twentieth degree of south latitude, water flowing 

 north belongs to Titicaca,. and that running south tends for the great 

 La Plata basin. These are the waters of the river Pilcomayo, which 

 empty into the Paraguay between latitude 25° and 26° south, after 

 passing through more than six hundred miles of longitude. 



The Pilcomayo is a rapid stream, with falls and a rocky bed, like the 

 Beni. It appears not navigable for steamboats in the territory of Bolivia. 

 This stream takes its rise in the department of Potosi, which lies between 



