200 



CON! CREEK. 



cutlery of Europe and North America are disembarked at Cobija, they 

 traverse the Cordilleras over rocky roads, through the desert of Atacama ? 

 the barren plains of Oruro, over the Andes, and down those terrible roads 

 we have just travelled. After worrying and tugging for more than eight 

 hundred miles, all of that part of the cargo not ruined by such a journey 

 on the backs of mules, arrives at the most important commercial port 

 this country possesses. 



There is very little trading going on here, because the outlet on the 

 one hand is such as we describe, and the people seem to be ignorant of 

 the advantages offered to them from the Atlantic direct, instead of 

 the round-about way of the Pacific. 



But the business under these sheds in the wilderness attracts atten- 

 tion. We find the Aymara, Quichua, and Spanish languages mingling 

 with the Yuraeares and Canichanas ; we are pleased to add the Anglo- 

 Norman. The arriero and the canoe men meet in friendship with each 

 and with us. 



On Tuesday, 25th May, we descended the steep bank of Coni creek, 

 stepping into a canoe made of a log forty feet long and four feet wide, 

 The model of this canoe appeared to us a beautiful one as she sat upon 

 the water. She was one of the largest used by the Bolivian Indians,, 

 and the contour of the vessel resembled a model frigate more than any 

 other. Her cargo was piled up on the bank under a rustic house built 

 by the crew of the leaves and branches of trees. The boat-keeper was 

 washing out the canoe ; she was open fore and aft. 



The creek was fifty yards wide, with a swift current. As we stood 

 in the canoe and looked up the stream, we could see the great Andes 

 far back among the clouds. This was to be our last view ; they were 

 nearly out of sight, and we were to enter upon a new life. Jose and 

 the mules had left us. Our party was composed of Mamore, Richards, 

 and myself. As the crew came one by one from Vinchuta, with 

 parts of the cargo carried on their backs, Mamore barked; his loud 

 voice made the wild forest ring. The crew became attached to him at 

 once, and laughed at the fear expressed by those who came up last* 

 We found him to be valuable, and rated him as sentinel both by night 

 and by day. 



The boat's crew was deficient. There were ten men here, four had 

 been left along the banks of the river on their way up with the small- 

 pox, and one of the ten was taken sick here ; therefore our crew was 

 reduced to nine working men. The sick boy lay on the bank with this 

 horrible disease, shaded by a few green leaves from the hot sun in the 

 day, and partly protected from the rain during the night, without medi- 



