154 



CHUQUISACA TARIJA. 



The department of Chuquisaca, of which Sucre is the capital, has a 

 population of 117,503 Creoles, and 34,287 Quichua Indians. Half of that 

 department is situated in the Madeira Plate, and the other in La Plata 

 basin. Sucre stands on the edge of each ; the water flowing from the 

 south side .of the city runs into the South Atlantic ocean ; that towards 

 us pays tribute to the North Atlantic. The Mamore waters this side of 

 the department, and the Pilcomayo the other side. We left the latter 

 stream, when first noticed, where it broke through the Andes in the de- 

 partment of Potosi. 



The climates of Potosi and Oruro are cold; those of Cochabamba and 

 Chuquisaca temperate. The sky in the night on this steppe is generally 

 clear. The productions of Chuquisaca are the same as in Cochabamba, 

 with the addition of pasture for cattle, and timber in the ravines. In 

 La Plata basin the traveller finds the Indian cultivating the sugar cane 

 on the banks of the Pilcomayo, and distilling brandy and rum. From 

 grapes he makes wine of good quality. The sugar mills are constructed 

 of timber at hand. The tropical fruits, as the orange, lemon, chirimoyas, 

 granadillas, and limes, grow in the valleys, while the productions of the 

 table lands of the cold regions are found among the hills. Near the 

 Andes, in the Pilcomayo, gold has been washed, and among the moun- 

 tains there are abandoned silver mines. Five silver mines are reported 

 to be worked at present. Stone coal, tin, copper, lead, and iron are 

 natives. Rice is raised there, and the chick pea or brown bean, so much 

 esteemed by the Spaniards. Particles of gold, rolled down from the 

 foot of the Andes, have been washed from the alluvial soil near the 

 river. It appears strange that gold should be found on the west side 

 of the Cordilleras, and at the eastern base of the Andes, while on top 

 silver predominates. We trace a connected outpouring of gold on the 

 tributaries of the Pilcomayo, Mamore, Beni, and Madre-de-Dios. Our 

 map will show the links of this golden chain as wonderful as the golden 

 legends told of the wealth of the Incas. 



There are some very curious and ancient remains of magnificent 

 edifices in the department of Chuquisaca which excite admiration, but 

 to whom they originally belonged still remains a mystery. 



Looking far south we see on our map the department of Tarija, with 

 a population of 53,666 Creoles, and 9,108 friendly Indians; but the 

 eastern portion of this department is inhabited by tribes of very savage 

 Indians, of whom there is little known. They roam among the forests 

 and grassy plains, or among those great mountains which separate 

 Bolivia from the Argentines. 



The town of Tarija, capital of the department, contains a population 



