A NOTE ON BOLIVIA AND HOW TO TRAVEL IN THOSE PARTS
It may be of use to intending travellers in Bolivia to say a few words
in conclusion, first about the country in general, and then about the
equipment that is necessary for such journeys as I have described.
Bolivia may be divided into four zones.
First: Peaks and mountains above the line of perpetual snow.
Second: The great plateau between the heights of 8,000ft. and 14,000ft.
At this altitude the atmosphere is the purest in the world; people
consequently live to a great age. Besides the old men I have already
mentioned, another old man of the Andes is fresh in my memory. A few
years ago while I was looking for old abandoned mines in the most out of
the way parts of the Cordilleras, travelling very often over the same
paths as the Incas had used, I was told of an old Chilian patriarch,
who had at one time been wealthy, but had a lot of his property
confiscated by the Government, after the revolution of Balmaceda’s time,
as he had backed the wrong horse. He was still pretty well off, and
retired to the Cordilleras and built himself a fine stone house and
stables, in a beautiful fertile valley about 9,000ft. above the sea. I
stayed with him and his wife for three days. He told me he was 97, and
his wife 82. She looked older and more fragile than he did. He told me
that a few leagues off there lived a wealthy old Argentine, called Don
Antonio, who had lived in the Andes all his life, was 127 years old, and
had married his fifth wife. I went to visit him, and was received by a
pretty woman, whom I asked whether I could see Don Antonio. “He will be
sorry he missed you,” she said. “He has ridden to San Juan” (which was
eight days off by mule-back), “and will only be back next week.” She
very kindly put me up for the night, and told me she was the old man’s
fifth wife, and had been married ten years, and was now twenty-seven
years old.
This part of Bolivia is the home of the beautiful chinchilla fur. The
chinchilla is only found in certain parts of the Andes, and lives at
15,000ft. to 16,000ft. There are three classes, the Chinchilla real,
the Moskat and the Raton; the first is by far the best, but the second
is not bad, and looks beautiful when seen by itself, but when seen side
by side with the first looks quite common.
When wealthy merchants send some one to buy up these skins from the
Indians, they must take care to pick out a man who knows the difference
between the three classes of skins. I knew a big firm once that sent the
wrong man and lost heavily over the buying up of these rare skins; the
Indians had sold him a lot of the second class skins (the Moskat) as the
Chinchilla real. But their representative had never been further than
the railway train could take him, did not know Spanish, and had never
done any travelling with mules; in fact, he was an absolute greenhorn at
the work, and got badly swindled. On the other hand, I met a man who had
been in the mountains for six months, and had bought a good lot of skins
from the hunters for a New York firm, and sold them at a profit of
£8,300; he got 1,800 of the Chinchilla real and 1,700 of the second
class. Once when I was on a mine-hunting job far away from any town, I
bought several of the Chinchilla real skins for £1 10s. each and sold
them at £50 per dozen, and at the same time I bought some second class
for 2/6 each and sold them at £6 per dozen. I could have bought many
more, but had not the cash with me.
Third zone: Semi tropical valleys 4,000ft. to 8,000ft., in my opinion
the finest climate in the world. Not too warm in the daytime and cool at
nights. All kinds of fruit grow at these altitudes, and there is plenty
of shooting of different varieties to be had without much trouble.
Fourth zone: Low lying lands of the Beni, Madeiro, Mamore, Tipuani,
Challana and other tributaries of the Amazon, and lands sloping to the
River Paraguay. This is a great rubber country in the interior; very
beautiful and very unhealthy. To get to it you have to cross the highest
ranges of the Andes. There is plenty of game, but it is very hard to get
at. In this zone you find some of the rarest and most beautiful orchids
known, as well as gorgeous butterflies, lovely creepers and tropical
plants, and flowers in wild profusion.
The Mamore district is full of rubber trees of the best class. It is
calculated that six hundred trees give 30 to 40 arobas of rubber during
the first month; in the second month the trees give less, and in the
third less still, so that a good seringuero must know when and how to
tap. In wet weather the trees give more latex, but the quality is not
so good, as water mixes with it. Only the bark must be tapped, and there
is a fine of £50 for cutting down a tree. Several methods are employed
for coagulating the latex. Here is one of them. The latex is poured into
a wooden bowl two feet long, half a foot wide, and a foot and a half
deep, and a solution of alum and hot water is poured on it, causing
coagulation. In order to compress the latex, a heavy wooden bar is
inserted into the cavity of a tree, and heavy logs of wood, or big
stones are suspended at the end. One night is sufficient for the rubber
to become white. This method was discovered by Strauss. Another method,
supposed to be the best, is to place the latex near a fire, and stir it
round continuously with a stick; this makes it remain a dark brown,
nearly black. For every estrada the Bolivian Government charge a rent of
32/-yearly, payable in advance, half yearly. If any half yearly payment
is not paid, the concession may be confiscated and taken up by anybody
else. An estrada measures 150 by 150 metres, and contains anything from
twenty-five to one hundred trees. A good rubber property means a
thousand estradas or more. Trees are supposed to be at their best from
twenty to one hundred years old; after fifty years they do not give so
much latex, and after one hundred they give still less. Most of the
seringueras are in the hands of rich merchants, who have given them
goods up to the value of twenty pounds, and even over one hundred pounds
or more on credit; consequently, the picker is usually in the debt of
the merchant. The life is a hard and unhealthy one. Some rubber experts
say that plantation rubber will go back after twenty-five years, and
will not contain the same degree of elasticity as the wild rubber; if
that is so, it will be a heavy blow for the plantations. I am not in a
position to say either way. But it is pretty well known in Brazil that
in San Paolo the rich Dumont Coffee Estate, to satisfy its shareholders,
planted rubber at 2,100ft. Only the Ceara did at all well, and that gave
very little latex; at ten years old the rubber trees planted on this
estate proved a complete failure.
The chief tribes of Indians in Bolivia are the Quichua, Aymara and
Guarani. All the principal towns here have schools, doctors, and many
lawyers, but very few dentists and not many undertakers. Approximately
there are in the country:
Whites 250,000
Half-castes 500,000
Tame Indians 1,000,000
Savages or Untamed 250,000
The people are hospitable, and the Indians are quite easy to get along
with, if you go the right way to work, though of course there are good
and bad, as there are in most parts of the world. The dry season is from
April to October, and the other months are wet. When it rains in the
forest, it snows in the mountains. The limit of forest is 14,000ft. and
the snow line 16,000.
It will be seen by the short description given in this book that
Bolivia, or Upper Peru as it was until 1805, was one of the richest
parts of the Inca kingdom. Many of the remains of the work done by these
people can be seen still, and some of them are kept in good repair,
especially the old roads which they used. One of their famous stone
bridges is still in existence and kept in repair. In Bolivia you have
every sort of climate, from the most freezing cold of the Cordilleras to
the steamy atmosphere of the tropical forest. Hundreds of rich old mines
still remain to be re-discovered in the mountains, which are known to
many Indians but to very few whites. I suppose I know of about as many
as most people, all accessible, and most of them very rich. It would
pay any Companies interested in silver, gold, copper or tin to send some
one to locate some of these old workings; and take samples. Personally I
enjoy those long mule rides in that healthy atmosphere, and hope to go
again on another trip.
For successful travelling in Bolivia, two things are necessary--to be in
the best of condition physically, and to have the right outfit and
equipment.
The following outfit is the final result of my experience in what was
necessary for crossing the passes of the Cordilleras and traversing the
steamy tropical forests.
Shoes for all your animals and nails, rasp and pairing knife.
A good roomy native saddle, not a heavy one, for your mule, and a light
roomy semi-military saddle for your horse.
A good pair of blunt spurs.
As many strong raw hide nets as required for the cargo.
Plenty of blankets, thick and thin.
A big canvas saddle cloth for the back of each animal.
(The blankets go on top and serve the double purpose of preventing the
animals backs from getting sore, and keeping the men warm at night.)
A piece of canvas well oiled and dried to go over each cargo.
Two tents--one for yourself and the other for the boys.
Two buckets, two pots with iron legs like Kafir pots, one big one and
one little one.
A good big kettle and a small one.
A Collins’ axe, and a cutlass of the same make.
Plenty of rope of Llama wool and a halter of the same for each animal.
A thick long horsehair rope to put round your tents to keep away snakes.
Some cowhide boxes for your clothes.
Thick socks or stockings made by the Indians. (These can be bought at
the market in La Paz or Oruro--English socks are no good).
A good pair of shooting boots.
Several pairs of alpagatas.
Frying pan.
Pair of scales.
Tea pot.
Coffee pot.
Plates and cups of enamel ware.
A folding canvas catre for yourself.
A few loose boards for nailing on to thick branches of trees for a floor
to your tent is advisable.
A pick and spade.
A good rifle (personally I have mostly used a fine double barrel Holland
and Holland sixteen bore, given me by my father, with very good
results).
A good breach loader.
Metal cartridges.
A big six shooter.
A Kodak.
Compass.
Metrometer.
Hexemeter.
Aneroid to mark up to 20,000ft.
Thermometer.
Canvas folding bath.
Baking powder.
Flour.
Sterilized milk.
Small medicine box.
Rum and whisky.
Old port and old Madeira.
Plenty of coca leaves for barter and to give away.
Liebig’s extract.
Some tools; nails and screws.
Two or three horn lanterns.
Plenty of soap.
Each mule should carry half a challona, which you can buy off the
Indians living on the slopes of the Cordilleras.
Mackintosh.
Some sugar and rice, sufficient for the trip.
Tinned meats to be used when wanted; at once when opened taken out of
the tin and not kept after using.
A big mosquito net, and a small one, to be used as occasion may require.
Fifty pounds of ships biscuits.
Coffee, tea, cocoa.
A small basket with a naptha stove, small kettle, pot pan, etc., to be
used when required in your tent.
A vicuña wool mask and night cap of the same material.
A good pair of sheepskin or bearskin gauntlets.
Two pairs of wind and sun glasses.
Pith helmet.
Panama hat and cap.
Crowbar and drill.
Miner’s hammer and dynamite.
Gold pan and quicksilver.
Big carriage umbrella.
Thick poncho (rug with a hole cut in the middle).
Camp stool.
Seat stick, pulley and tackle.
Nail extractor.
Matches, etc.
No. 5 is the best all round shot to have your cartridges loaded with;
but it is as well to have an odd few charged with buck shot as well.
Three or four scout watches, and
Anything else you think you need.
THE END
* * * * *
A MERRY BANKER IN THE FAR EAST
(and South America)
By WALTER H. YOUNG (Tarapacá)
New Edition. Crown 8vo. =6s.= net.
Mr. Walter H. Young was formerly of the Chartered Bank of India,
Australia and China, and is the late General Manager in Chile of the
Bank of Tarapacá (now the Anglo South American Bank).
In “A Merry Banker in the Far East (and South America)” Mr. Young tells
his personal experiences in these distant lands--experiences relating
for the most part to the lighter side of Banking, and described in a
very entertaining manner. His narrative is enlivened by many diverting
stories, and is copiously illustrated from excellent photographs, the
whole forming a most delightful volume. Mr. Young first touches upon the
city life of a bank clerk, then life in Manila Iloilo, later giving his
reminiscences as an accountant in Hong Kong, and his recollections of
incidents when he travelled extensively all over Chile, Patagonia and
Bolivia as General Manager of his Bank.
“Mr. Young is at all times racy and frank, lively and piquant. He is a
_bon vivant_ of a type which we pray may never become extinct.”--_Daily
Telegraph._
“One of the liveliest books of recent days. Full of adventure and lively
anecdote.”--_Daily Graphic._
“Mr. Young writes in a breezy manner which veils considerable literary
ability. He was indeed a merry banker.”--_Truth._
“The author tells a story worthy of Balzac.”--_Globe._
“The great charm of the narrator is that he can tell good
stories.”--_World._
“A volume one would rejoice to find on a smoking-room table.”--_Land and
Water._
JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD LTD., VIGO ST., W.1
* * * * *
THE ADVENTURES OF A TROPICAL TRAMP
By HARRY L. FOSTER
Illustrated. Demy 8vo. =12s. 6d.= net.
South American Life from a new angle--one of those rare books of
travel--a record of experience that is fresh, vivid and
interesting.
POOR FOLK IN SPAIN
By JAN GORDON. _10s. 6d._ net.
A capital travel book well illustrated with sketches of places and
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THREE TRAVELLERS IN NORTH AFRICA
By THE HON. E. WARD. Illustrated from Photographs. Crown 8vo. =6s.= net.
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HISTORIC PARIS
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“The scheme of the book is admirable, and it is the best guide of old
Paris we have met.”--_Pall Mall._
AN AFRICAN ADVENTURE
By ISAAC F. MARCOSSON. Illustrated. Demy 8vo. =£1 0s. 0d.= net.
Describing a journey from Cape Town through Rhodesia northwards to
Bukana whence he travelled by the Lualaba River and the Congo to the
West Coast.
SPANISH GALICIA
By AUBREY F. G. BELL. Illustrated. Crown 8vo. =7s. 6d.= net.
MACEDONIA: A Plea for the Primitive
By A. GOFF and Dr. HUGH A. FAWCETT.
With Drawings in colour, pencil and line. Demy 8vo. =£1 1s.= net.
_The Times._--“A pleasant surprise--it will bring pleasure to the
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is nasty.”
JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD LTD., VIGO ST., W.1
“The most thrilling volume of the year.”--_Daily Mail._
SOME EXPERIENCES OF
A NEW GUINEA RESIDENT
MAGISTRATE
BY
CAPT. C. A. W. MONCKTON
F.R.G.S., F.Z.S., F.R.A.I.
With numerous Illustrations
_Fifth Edition_. Demy 8vo. 21s. net
“One of the most entertaining books of its kind that we have ever read.
Captain Monckton is a born storyteller, and weaves a singularly frank
and amusing narrative of his doings. We trust that he will fulfil his
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to say about New Guinea and its strange people.”--_Spectator._
“A book of entrancing interest for boys and their fathers. It is a plain
tale and a true one, and is stranger than fiction; it is a riot of real
adventures, an orgy of crocodiles and cannibals, of beautiful coral
islands, of strange men and stranger beasts, and hair-raising
happenings, all of which took place in those far-distant possessions of
the British Empire, north of the coast of Queensland.”--_Daily Mail._
LAST DAYS IN NEW GUINEA
Being further Experiences of a New Guinea Resident Magistrate
_Second Edition_. Illustrated. Demy 8vo. 18s. net
“When Captain Monckton, at the call of War, broke off his story in ‘Some
Experiences of a New Guinea Resident Magistrate’ like a twig that is
snapped, its most important chapters remained to be told. We had still
Mount Albert Edward to ascend, and New Guinea to cross, in this intrepid
and astonishingly entertaining company; a huge new mammal to glimpse,
prehistoric pottery to find, and traces of pre-Papuan inhabitants who
wore wooden armour. These further experiences should be ours later, he
promised, if his first volume found favour. It did--even to the fourth
edition; and so here is its narrative continued with the live adventure,
comic incident, and frank comment of the earlier pages. One cannot think
of or wish for a more readable book of exploration and travel.”--_Morning
Post._
JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD LTD., VIGO ST., W.1
UNCONDUCTED WANDERERS
By ROSITA FORBES
Demy 8vo. With over 70 Illustrations from Photographs by the Author and
others. =12s. 6d.= net.
“Unconducted Wanderers” is a very amusing travel book of the best sort.
After a spell of war work the author and a woman friend went to America,
and thence to the South Seas, to Java, the Malay States, Siam, Cambodia,
China and Korea. The book is extremely lively in tone and fresh in
feeling, and the observations and experiences of the travellers,
particularly in China during the Rebellion, are of quite unusual
interest.
“Those in search of the perfect companion for a lazy afternoon in a
hammock will find their wants admirably supplied by ‘Unconducted
Wanderers.’ Their adventures are retailed with an unfailing
humorous touch, and the scenery and occupants of these far foreign
strands are painted in descriptive language, which is always vivid
and at times beautiful.”--_Evening Standard._
“Happily and frankly instructive--just gossip, compounded of
observation, humour, and the joy of the experience. Such a book is
good to read.”--_Westminster Gazette._
“There is a freshness of its own in Mrs. Forbes’ writing, due to
her zest for life, and to the vivid manner in which she sets down
the impressions that come crowding upon her.”--_Times._
JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD LTD., VIGO ST., W.1
* * * * *
BOOKS ABOUT MALAYA
BY SIR FRANK SWETTENHAM, K.C.M.G.
BRITISH MALAYA
An Account of the Origin and Progress of British Influence in Malaya.
Numerous Illustrations reproduced from Photographs.
Fourth Edition. Crown 8vo. =12s. 6d.= net.
“The book is richly illustrated with photographs of great beauty.
It takes its place as the standard work of reference on the ruder
tribes of the peninsula.”--_Daily News._
THE REAL MALAY
_Pen Pictures._
Second Edition. Crown 8vo. =7s.= net.
“Sir Frank Swettenham understands perhaps better than any other
roving Englishman ‘The Real Malay.’”--_Standard._
MALAY SKETCHES
_With title page and cover designed by PATTEN WILSON._
Fourth Edition. Crown 8vo. =7s.= net.
“Nothing approaching Sir Frank Swettenham’s intimate knowledge and
illuminative analysis has yet seen light about that fascinating
country which he so well describes.”--_Daily Chronicle._
UNADDRESSED LETTERS
_With Portrait of the Author._
Seventh Edition. Crown 8vo. =7s.= net.
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sympathetic and distinguished, imaginative, sensitive,
emotional.”--_Daily Chronicle._
ALSO AND PERHAPS
Second Edition. Illustrated. Crown 8vo. =7s.= net.
“When one has reached the end of the book, one undoubtedly has a
strong sense of having been in the company of a man of
extraordinary wide experience and of a devouring curiosity allied
with sympathy.”--_Spectator._
JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD LTD., VIGO ST., W.1
* * * * *
THE CIVILIANS SOUTH INDIA
By “CIVILIAN”
Demy 8vo. =12s. 6d.= net.
_Graphic._--“A remarkably full and accurate impression of the
country and its people.”
_Truth._--“An extremely bright and amusing book. Deliciously
satirical, always humorous, never vicious, this is quite the most
diverting book of its kind that has appeared for a long while.”
_Court Journal._--“The author’s outlook on life in South India is
so unconventional, and with his sense of humour as well as obvious
sincerity, should make many desire an early acquaintance with his
fascinating work.”
THE FORESTS OF INDIA
By E. P. STEBBING
Professor of Forestry, Edinburgh University; Author of “Stalks in
the Himalayas”; “The Diary of a Sportsman Naturalist,” etc.
Part I. The Early History of the Forests of India.
Part II. The Position and Treatment of the Forests of India, 1796-1850.
Volume I. Illustrated. Demy 8vo. =£2 2s.= net.
TOPEE AND TURBAN, or here and there in India
By LIEUT.-COLONEL H. A. NEWELL, I.A.
With Illustrations from Photographs. Demy 8vo. =£1 1s.= net.
_Daily News._--“An excellent book.... Colonel Newell has a quick
eye for things seen, and a happy interest in history that makes the
book something more than a motorist guide-book.... Fully
illustrated with photographs of great interest and variety.”
_Daily Mail._--“Everyone ought to know more about India, and a
pleasant way of informing oneself is offered by Colonel Newell’s
‘Topee and Turban in India.’”
_Westminster Gazette._--“In this book Colonel Newell shows that he
has been a close student and observer of many things in India and
Indian life.”
JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD LTD., VIGO ST., W.1
* * * * *
RIFLE & ROMANCE IN THE INDIAN JUNGLE
Being the Record of Thirteen Years of Indian Jungle Life.
By MAJOR A. I. GLASFURD (_Indian Army_)
With numerous Illustrations by the Author, and Reproductions from
Photographs. Crown 8vo. =12s. 6d.= net.
_Literary World._--“To the list of books on big game shooting that
can be recommended equally to the sportsman and the general reader
must be added this truly fascinating work. We have read it through
from cover to cover and pronounce it excellent.”
DAYS & NIGHTS OF SHIKAR
By MRS. W. W. BAILLIE
Demy 8vo. =12s. 6d.= net.
Mrs. Baillie here relates the story of her wanderings in quest of big
game, and her thrilling encounters with all kinds of wild beasts in the
Indian Jungle.
_Evening Standard._--“Mrs. Baillie writes in an easy, unaffected
style, and for simple disregard of danger, her accounts of her
escapes from danger beats anything I have ever read from a feminine
pen.”
THE DIARY OF A SPORTSMAN NATURALIST IN INDIA
By E. P. STEBBING
Profusely Illustrated from Photographs and Sketches by the Author. Demy
8vo. =£1 1s.= net.
_Punch._--“Dip where you may you will find none of the anecdotes
trivial or tiresome. To sportsmen this volume will be extremely
welcome.”
_Daily Chronicle._--“A book with more thrills than many a novel.
One is entranced with these tales of jungle adventure and jungle
lore.”
_New Statesman._--“We do not remember a sporting book which gives a
better idea of what Indian jungles are to the sportsman than this.
Mr. Stebbing has a vast experience of different Indian jungles.”
JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD LTD., VIGO ST., W.1
* * * * *
BOOKS BY DOUGLAS DEWAR, F.Z.S., I.C.S.
BYGONE DAYS IN INDIA
Illustrated. Demy 8vo. =18s. net.=
INDIAN BIRDS
Being a key to the “Common Birds of the Plains of India.” Crown
8vo. New Edition. =8s. 6d. net.=
JUNGLE FOLK
Indian Natural History Sketches. Demy 8vo. =10s. 6d. net.=
GLIMPSES OF INDIAN BIRDS
Demy 8vo. =7s. 6d. net.=
BIRDS OF THE INDIAN HILLS
Crown 8vo. =6s. net.=
_Globe._--“Mr. Dewar is not only a keen and patient observer, but
he is gifted with the descriptive art in high degree, and his
vivacious style communicates the characters and habits of birds
with unerring fidelity, and infinite spirit.”
_Daily Chronicle._--“Worthy of all commendation to those who love
birds.”
_Pall Mall Gazette._--“One of the best examples of sound
information conveyed in attractive literary form.”
JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD LTD., VIGO ST., W.1
FOOTNOTES:
[A] This coffee, grown in the Yungas Valley, near La Paz, is famous all
over the world for its excellence and flavour. It should be toasted
with sugar and ground up the same day; when mixed half and half with
Costa Rica, it is hard to beat.
[B] N.B.--This is one of the old Inca Laws, and still in force with all
Indians who are colonials, that is, who belong to an Estanciero, and
work for him on shares.
End of Project Gutenberg's Adventures in Bolivia, by Cecil Herbert Prodgers