SCHOOLS JOURNALS. 



151 



the poor children in Cochabamba. These ladies come from the other 

 side of the world to teach, and by our particular request one of them 

 promised to lead the ideas of the children a'long the current of the 

 small stream flowing by the school-house through all its turnings, until 

 she got them to understand how easy it would be to go that way to 

 the land of her forefathers. 



A large congregation of the intelligent people of Cochabamba were 

 present at the opening of this institution. The prefect of the depart- 

 ment and bishop appeared in their official robes. The gentlemen pre- 

 sent were of many colors. 



The ladies of Cochabamba very seldom smoke or use tobacco, except 

 as snuff, and then it seems to be for the pleasure of sneezing ; a practice 

 frequently resorted to by the bishop, who wore a handsome diamond 

 ring. 



The prefect addressed the audience, and gave his authority for open- 

 ing the institution. One of the French ladies rose and read, in a clear 

 and intelligible voice, thanks to the government for her appointment, 

 promising to exert herself to the best of her ability, setting forth the 

 wide difference between the well-educated lady and the savage woman. 



There are three schools in the city for boys, and two other small ones 

 for girls. The great difficulty seems to be in the selection of teachers. 

 While the government was here the boys had holiday, the troops being 

 quartered in the school- houses. 



There was no public journal published in Cochabamba on our arrival ; 

 but a Ramage press was soon set in motion upon the subject of the 

 navigable rivers and commerce of Bolivia. A pamphlet was published, 

 called -'Revista"; we received the first number, and found that the 

 young merchants of the city had contributed poetry. 



The "Revista" is the fourth public journal in the country. Besides 

 two small papers in La Paz, there is one published in Sucre — " El Eco 

 de la Opinion," which with the rest are all careful to be of the same 

 opinion as the government upon public as well as private matters. In- 

 deed, we perceive no freedom of expression, as we would consider it in 

 the United States. 



The Indians' houses are small and generally have but one room. In 

 the centre is a high adobe stand, built up to obstruct a view from the 

 street. In one corner is an adobe bedstead, which is used for a seat. 

 Around the earthy wall is hung a strip of cotton cloth to protect visiters' 

 clothes from being soiled. In a small wooden box all the valuables are 

 kept, such as clothes, money, and ornaments. On the wall are hung a 

 few pictures of saints and angels, purchased from the clergy, with here 



