128 



TRADE OF POTOS1 



outlet to the south before it trends to the Paraguay, as the Beni runs 

 to the Madeira. 



The department of Potosi imports from the Argentine Republic 

 annually about five thousand mules, eight hundred horses, and five 

 thousand jackasses, and three thousand head of cattle. A mule is 

 worth tw enty dollars, a horse fifteen, a donkey six, and beeves ten dollars 

 a head. 



Bridle-reins, stirrups, saddle-cloths, soap, and tobacco, also enter, for 

 which silver is paid in exchange. 



Chinchilla skins are worth seven dollars the dozen ; hides, two 

 dollars each; coffee, from Yungas, twenty-five dollars per quintal of 

 one hundred pounds ; sheep's wool, twelve dollars ; alpaca wool, thirty 

 dollars ; tin, twelve dollars ; bar or pure copper, sixteen dollars and fifty 

 cents ; Yungas chocolate, twenty-five dollars ; and vicuna skins, forty- 

 three and three-quarter cents. 



There are imported from the Pacific coast annually six hundred 

 thousand dollars worth of silks, woollen, and cotton goods. 



The foreign trade with Potosi is principally carried on through the 

 port of Cobija. The road passes through the great desert of Atacama, 

 which is called "Departmento Litoral." 



Among the lofty, barren Cordilleras, the donkey driver finds it diffi- 

 cult to climb the steep roads, or to descend into the deep ravines, where 

 on small flats are found a few vicunas or chinchillas, and halts to feed 

 his tired animals. Some of these pasture-grounds or "portreros" — as 

 they are called — are inhabited by Indians, who cultivate the ground, 

 and are attentive to persons with droves of mules from Chili on their 

 way to Peru. 



A few cattle and sheep are raised, and the Indians lead streams of 

 water over the veins of salt, which help to refresh and fatten their 

 cattle. 



In the ravines through which the tributaries of the Rio Loa flow 

 towards the Pacific, some barley, maize, potatoes, and fruit-trees are 

 produced by irrigation ; wherever in the barren countries these Indians 

 can get a little water, they are enabled to make a crop of something 

 for use. 



In former days, gold mines were worked in Atacama, on the Pacific 

 side of the Cordilleras ; silver, iron, and copper, of excellent quality, are 

 found there also. 



The guano along the coast was known and used for manuring land 

 by the Incas before the discovery of the country by Europeans. 



Bidding farewell to the Pacific side of the Andes, we enter the small 



