RIO MAMORE, 137 



the bed of the river was about one hundred and fifty yards, with bottom 

 of stones and gravel. The water is drawn off at this season of the 

 year for irrigating the beautiful gardens of Calacala, opposite the city, 

 and close under the mountains. As the sun rose we met Indians going 

 to market with the vegetables of Calacala. The ride on horseback 

 through roads shaded by willows is delightful at this hour of the morn- 

 ing. My companion's horses were the finest in gait and action I saw 

 in South America. The Indians were reaping lucerne to load their 

 donkeys. ' The jackasses are large ; attention is paid to the breeding of 

 them with an eye to size. They are more required by farmers than mules 

 or horses. Oxen are used for ploughing, and donkeys for marketing. 



Flowers are in full bloom ; strawberries are nearly ripe. Christmas is 

 not far off ; peach, orange, and fig-trees are loaded with fruit. This is 

 the time of the morning to count the weddings, as the parties pass us 

 on horseback. 



The Indians cultivate with a hoe ; they work the ground very care- 

 fully and neatly, manuring and keeping the plants of the strawberries 

 clear of weeds. The patches of onions, cabbages, and maize are very 

 fine. In a peach orchard we see a grape-vine overrunning a tree, and 

 loaded with fruit. There was a time when fifteen thousand bottles of 

 wine per annum were made at one hacienda, near the base of this ridge 

 to the southeast, but its manufactory has been abandoned in favor of 

 chicha. 



As we turn back we hear thunder to the east, and a heavy black cloud 

 covers up the bright morning sun. Before us in the road was a loaded 

 jackass, slowly walking before an Indian woman with a heavy weight 

 on her back, while ^he carried a sucking child in her arms ; behind her 

 a poor old blind horse bore two stout, well-built, lazy-looking mestizos, 

 with more Indian than Spanish in their composition. Their long legs 

 hung down so straight that they looked like natural appurtenances of 

 the animal they rode. Around their shoulders they each had wrapped 

 a comfortable poncho. 



After spending some time at a hacienda we reached the river again 

 on our return, and were surprised to find the stream swollen so much 

 that the Indians could not cross with their loads. Close by us \yere a 

 number of Creoles on horseback discussing the chances for horsemen to 

 cross. One man, mounted upon a tall horse, risked it ; entering the 

 stream, he waded, turning the horse's head diagonally up stream, and 

 passed safely. 



I was delighted when I saw our two lazy companions kicking their 

 heels into the sides of their little blind pony, and urging it where the 



