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DEPARTMENT OF BENI. 



comprises the northeastern portion. This and the department of Santa 

 Cruz are the two largest and most easterly parts of the country. They 

 stretch from the Andes to the Brazilian territory. 



The great Beni river, which rises among the mountains of La Paz ; 

 the Mamore, from the department of Cochabamba; and the Itenez, 

 whose headwaters commence in the mountains of Matto Grosso, in 

 Brazil, all flow through the department of the Beni ; yet it is the wild 

 country of Bolivia, and probably the most wealthy of the States of this 

 confederacy. 



That part of the Beni which lies on the eastern border of Yungas is 

 called the province of Apolobamba. The chocolate, coca, and cinchona 

 bark from Apolobamba are superior. 



The southeast trade-winds from the South Atlantic ocean meet, and 

 are checked by the great Sorata mountains. The town of Apolo- 

 bamba, on the river Tuiche, is situated half-way between the gold mines 

 of Tipuani and Carabaya. There is no such cinchona as that known 

 as the "calisaya" of Apolobamba. At the feet of these trees are found 

 the richest gold mines of Bolivia ; and on the other side of the moun- 

 tain range are said to be the richest gold mines in South America. 



The southeast trade-winds are uninterrupted, after they rise from the 

 ocean and pass over the beautiful "Organ" mountains in sight of Rio 

 Janeiro, until they strike the slope on which the town of Apolobamba 

 is situated. 



The same wind that propels the sailor from the equator towards Cape 

 Horn, on the South Atlantic ocean, on his way for the Peruvian bark, 

 carries the moisture from the same ocean to give life to the trees from 

 which the sailor receives his cargo. No man is supposed by seamen to 

 have a right to the privileges of grumbling at the world or the winds 

 until he has doubled Cape Horn. 



Having rested our mules, we pushed on for eight leagues over a level 

 road to the port of Vinchuta, which is composed of six sheds, or Yura- 

 cares houses, one of them l^vo stories. As this was the governor's, we 

 dismounted and walked up stairs. On gaining the upper floor, a young 

 Creole stepped forward and politely invited us to a seat, from which 

 we could overlook the town. We were told that the governor and the 

 inhabitants had deserted the place — they took fright at the small pox; 

 and, the young man, pointing to a little Indian boy with a most ghastly 

 stare, who was wrapped up in a poncho laying near me, said, " my ser- 

 vant, sir, is suffering very much with that disease, and down the country 

 the Indians are being swept off at a terrible rate." This was not the 

 most agreeable news, particularly as we were obliged to remain here 



