PRODUCTIONS OF POTOS1. 



127 



merchant for clothing, rum, coca, and so forth, for the use of the Indian 

 laborers, from whom he reaps a profit in the retail business. 



It is difficult to get a near estimate of the real annual amount of sil- 

 ver and gold taken from the mines of this country. The following table, 

 taken from the government account, may prove interesting. It is the 

 yield of these two metals given every five years : 



From 1800 to 1806 





$21,186,460 



1811 





16,288,590 



1816 - - - 





10,789,816 



1821 





9,749,350 



1826 





9,089,787 



1831 





9,784,620 



1836 





9,848,342 



1841 





9,678,420 



1846 - - . 





9,789,640 



However much short of the annual product, this table may show at a 

 glance the decrease under the present system of mining. 



The climate of the city of Potosi is cold and unpleasant, being eleva- 

 ted over fourteen thousand feet above the ocean. The vegetable pro- 

 ductions in its neighborhood are less than are found on the plains of 

 Oruro. The llamas, alpacas, vicunas, and guanacos, are large and valu- 

 able. 



Rock salt is found among the mountains in large veins. Small springs 

 of water shoot up and flow down the La Plata basin, uniting in streams 

 which wash away the earth from silver, gold, copper, tin, and precious 

 stones. These streams run rapidly to the base of the Cordilleras ; there 

 meeting expanded plains, they form lakes, which are evaporated and 

 leave a crust of salt. Numerous streams, passing on to join each other, 

 finally cut their way boldly through the Andes, where they become large 

 enough to accommodate schools of fish. Then the Indian is found 

 planting maize and potatoes ; sowing wheat, barley, and lucerne ; rais- 

 ing horned-cattle, sheep, and horses. He buys salt from the up-coun- 

 tryman, and gives him salted fish in payment, or receiving hard silver 

 dollars for beef, mutton, and flour. 



Near these tributaries of the Pilcomayo, at its head, the Indian plants 

 sugar-cane and coffee. His wooden hut is shaded by the trees of the 

 valley, and his doorway decorated with the chirimoya and granadilla 

 plants. 



The Pilcomayo. is a muddy stream. It creeps along at the base of a 

 ridge of mountains, which stretch towards Brazil, as though seeking an 



