Bolivia is another Thibet; one of the highest inhabited plateaus in the world. It is one of the richest mineral sections, as it now produces about one-third of the world’s supply of tin, and contains vast wealth in its rich copper, gold, and silver mines. Nearly ninety per cent. of its population is of Indian origin, and to this fact may be attributed its slow progress; as outside of its capital city, almost everything is still in a primitive state.

Since its last war with Chile, it has been shut off from the sea-coast; and to get to Bolivia one must now cross either Chile or Peru, which necessitates a long journey by rail; and if the entrance be by way of the Peruvian gateway, Mollendo, Lake Titicaca must also be crossed.

Lying in a valley, at an altitude of more than 12,000 feet above the level of the sea, is the Bolivian capital, La Paz, the City of Peace. It is picturesquely situated in a huge bowl, cut into the plateau; and to reach it one must descend in an electric car, 1,300 feet down the steep slope, where, at the bottom of the cup, lies a city of more than 150,000 people. In its situation, it is probably the most remarkable of all capitals. Although called the City of Peace, it has been the scene of turmoil and strife ever since the Spaniards invaded these solitudes. Rising high above the city is beautiful Illimani, one of the highest peaks of the Andes. Perpetually clad in snow, this magnificent mountain dominates the view, and is one of the most striking scenic features of Bolivia.

In the central square of La Paz rises the cathedral, which has been in process of building for forty years, and at the rate it is progressing it will probably not be completed for another century. On this same central square is the Bolivian House of Congress, nearly all of its members of Indian origin. This plaza is the center of political life, and radiating from it are the principal business thoroughfares.

Plaza San Francisco is another of the important squares of the city, and takes its name from the magnificent church, one of the most artistic structures in South America. Upon this square, at all hours of the day, there is a fascinating panorama of life; for, passing constantly, are picturesque Indians, clad in grotesque costumes, many of them driving burros or the Andean beast of burden, the llama.

Native Costumes

In no other city of the world are the costumes worn by Indians as elaborate as those seen in the streets of La Paz. The Cholo or half-breed is resplendent in garments of the brightest colors. The women in particular are gorgeously arrayed in silk skirts, kid boots and straw hats.

There is a curious custom which is rigidly observed. Full blooded Indians must wear felt hats, and are looked upon as inferior in social standing. The Cholos may always be distinguished by their straw hats, which are never worn by the others. Having married a Bolivian, or perhaps a white man, a Cholo woman considers herself quite a superior being. She delights in patronizing the best shops, where she seeks only the costliest silks, the gayest of shawls, and kid boots with high heels, which are imported from France or from the United States.

When fully attired, she is a sight to behold. Arrayed in all her finery, she promenades like a queen through the streets of the city; and yet, back of it all, the influence of blood is evident. She may dress ever so elaborately, but the old customs still cling; she still insists upon carrying her baby on her back in good old Indian fashion, and she is not averse to carrying her market basket when she goes to the market to make her purchases. Most numerous among the Indians are the Aymaras, who, unlike the Quichua Indians of Peru, are surly and inclined to hold aloof from the white man. They are seemingly indifferent to the white man’s influence. For clothing, the AymarÁ men wear shirts and trousers of a coarse cotton material; and over their shoulders is thrown a poncho of heavy woolen cloth. Aside from their poncho, the most attractive part of their costume is a curious woolen head-covering, beautifully embroidered with beads in gay colors. In a climate where it is always cold except at midday, these caps with their long ear-muffs are very serviceable. Women who are wives of full-blooded Indians make no pretension in the way of attire, and they accept without question their social status, which relegates them to an inferior position.

Customs and Laws

Much of the trading carried on with the Indians is done by barter; they bring their farm and garden produce to the city, and exchange it with dealers for groceries or wearing apparel. Very few of them accumulate money, and wealth is very rare.

Many of their laws are unique, and are no doubt born of tribal customs which have been handed down for generations, and yet are usually rigidly observed. If, for instance, a doctor loses seven patients, Indian law decrees that the career of the doctor must terminate, and that his life must be a forfeit for his failure to save the lives of his patients. After the Indian doctor has lost his sixth patient, he usually departs for some unknown place.

Although the Bolivian capital is overwhelmingly Indian in point of population, in appearance it is decidedly modern. Its streets are paved with cobblestones, but as a rule are clean and kept in good condition. The pavements may be rough, but it must be borne in mind that there are very few level thoroughfares; most of the streets are very hilly, and would be almost impossible to navigate were it not for the cobblestones, which permit men and beasts to maintain a foothold. Municipal laws will not permit Indians to make use of the thoroughfares for their llamas during business hours; they are brought into the city early in the morning, remaining in some patio or courtyard awaiting the evening hours, when their owners drive them home. At sunset one may see long trains of these quaint animals driven through the streets on their way back to the farms. The llama lends picturesqueness to one of the most unusual cities on the face of the globe.

Little or no coal is burned, as it costs $60 per ton, and only the very wealthy could afford to use it. There is no wood, so few of the houses are heated. Most of the English and American residents use oil burners or electric heaters in their homes; but even the principal hotel is so cold that men usually go to dinner in their overcoats and the women enveloped in furs. Most visitors usually retire immediately after dining, as the night air is so cold that it can be endured only by those acclimated. It is no uncommon thing for a guest at the hotel to pile upon his bed all the available covering that he can obtain, including the carpet on the floor of his room.

One might imagine that Cholo women are unusually corpulent; but this is apparent only because of the fact that they don from twelve to twenty skirts. At times, contests are held between Indian belles as to which has the more gorgeous petticoats, and also the greater number. A winner is said to have displayed as many as twenty-four, disclosing a collection of brilliantly colored petticoats unequaled elsewhere for variety.

Religion in Bolivia

Both Bolivians and Indians are, as a rule, Catholics. On Corpus Christi day, which is religiously celebrated, there is a curious procession in which thousands of people take part, and a strange combination of Cholos, Aymaras and native Bolivians wend their way through the various thoroughfares. In this parade, the Cholo women discard their straw hats and wear their shawls instead. Most of them belong to church societies, and these organizations are indicated by ribbons worn around the neck, the color denoting the society to which the wearer belongs.

All the dignitaries of the church take part in the Corpus Christi day procession. Business is practically suspended, and the President of the Republic, accompanied by the members of the Houses of Congress and all the officials of the Government, march to the cathedral, where services are held. On various thoroughfares, altars are erected, and these are usually decorated by the members of the different ladies’ societies.

Religion has a strong hold on the people of Bolivia. One not affiliated with the church is looked upon with suspicion and becomes a social outcast. In no other country are the churches better attended.

Streets of La Paz

The most attractive of the thoroughfares in the Bolivian capital is the Alameda, a wide avenue lined with trees, and having in its center a promenade. It is on this thoroughfare that the various legation buildings are situated. As usual, one may walk along this street and seek for the most unattractive building and be quite sure that it is the American legation building. Almost every government is here represented, so that the Alameda might be said to be the center of diplomatic life.

La Paz is surprisingly modern in the architecture of its business structures. Most of the buildings are of brick, plastered over and painted. Many of its shops would be a credit to an American city. They are by no means mere country stores, but carry an astonishingly good class of merchandise, and many of the products of France and the United States are displayed for sale in the various shop windows. To leave the capital city, one must ascend by electric railway to the plateau, where is situated the railway depot. One may go directly south by rail all the way to Antofagasta, Chile, where steamer connections are made for Valparaiso. On this journey, one obtains a wonderful view of the back-bone of the Andes, traveling along a plateau averaging in height about 14,000 feet above sea level. The snow-clad summits of this mighty range of mountains are constantly in sight. There are few cities along the railway. Perhaps the most important of the Bolivian towns is Oruro, which is in the center of a very rich salt country, and as the railroad approaches the Chilean boundary there are rich deposits of borax and nitrate.

Many travelers experience all the terrors of soroche or mountain sickness when traveling on the high Bolivian plateau. The altitude is dangerous for some people, and in a few cases results fatally. One whose heart is weak should not attempt the journey, as it is trying even upon the strongest constitution, and such evidences of altitude as nose-bleed and dizzy spells afflict even those who are accustomed to high altitudes.

Sucre

During the cold winter months, many Bolivians descend the eastern slope of the Andes to Sucre, which has become a favorite winter resort for diplomatic representatives. Sucre is several thousand feet lower than La Paz, and its climate is somewhat milder. Lower down, toward the Brazilian boundary, there are tropical forests and a wild, uninhabited country where disease lurks; and here are great jungles and swamps, making human habitation almost impossible except for the aboriginal tribes, which seem to be immune to the fevers that infest this low-lying country. Among other important cities in Bolivia are PotosÍ, and Cochabamba, where there is an American school, a branch of the American Institute of La Paz. A number of young American men and women have voluntarily left home and friends and have gone to Bolivia to teach the youth of that country. The best families send their children to the American schools, and the Bolivian boys and girls are not only taught the English language, but they are made familiar with the history of the United States. It is the ambition of many of the sons of Bolivian parents to acquire the language, so that they may make their future home in America. The American teachers are unusually capable young men and women, and the standard of efficiency that one finds in the American Institute is a credit to the young people who have made the sacrifice of leaving home and living in Bolivia.

The military system is patterned after that of Germany, as the soldiers of the country have been drilled by German officers, and their influence is plainly evident in the familiar goose-step and the various manoeuvers that one may observe in military camps. The Bolivian soldiers have not the fighting qualities of the Chileans, and in past wars have proved anything but a match for their neighbors to the south.

Lake Titicaca and Guaqui

In going from La Paz to Lake Titicaca, one travels over a level plateau, nearly three miles above the sea. Little or nothing grows at this altitude, and the few Indians living on this plain must have their food supply brought up from the valleys below on the backs of llamas. Other than mines, there is no inducement for even an Indian to make his home on this lofty plateau. There is no source of income other than working in some of the gold, silver and copper mines which abound in these altitudes.

Guaqui, a little town on the shores of Lake Titicaca, is the terminus of the railway. A regiment of cavalry is stationed at this port, as it in reality forms the boundary line of the country. In this little place, one obtains his final glimpse of the picturesquely attired Cholo women, as they are rarely seen outside of Bolivia. In their native country, their appearance excites no unusual interest; but even in Peru they are subjected to a certain amount of ridicule, which is displeasing to these haughty belles.

Because of the intense cold, school children are often seen seated in the open air, where they may enjoy the benefit of the warm sun. This applies largely to the smaller towns and villages, as in the larger cities the school houses are now quite comfortable.

Lake Titicaca is a great inland sea, lying between the two ranges of the Cordillera, and is very high above the ocean. Its area is about one-third that of Lake Erie, and its present length is about 120 miles, while its greatest width is about 41 miles. It is, without doubt, one of the highest navigable bodies of water in the world.

Among the water plants that one sees growing in the lake is a sort of rush, which abounds in shallow water from two to six feet in depth, and rises several feet above the surface.

It is this material which the Indians, having no wood, use to construct their boats. In these apparently frail craft, propelled by sails of the same material, they traverse the lake, carrying with them two or three men, and in addition, a heavy load of merchandise.

Balsa Boats

There is considerable skill exercised in the making of the balsa, as these reed-boats are called. Centuries of experience have taught the Indians the process, which has been developed to a remarkable stage of perfection, enabling them to defy the storms which are so frequent. The short, heavy waves make navigation dangerous even for much larger boats than the native balsa.

Like the waters of Lake Superior, these are too cold for the swimmer; but the lack of bathing facilities gives the Indian but little concern. The greatest depth of the lake is said to be about 600 feet. Fish are plentiful, and the few Indians who live around the shores of the lake devote themselves principally to fishing. As far as habitation is concerned, other than Puno on the Peruvian side and Guaqui on the Bolivian, there are but a few scattered villages.

Four steamers ply to and fro between these ports, connecting with the train service. These boats were brought from England, taken in sections by railway and put together on the shores of the lake. They are today used to transfer freight, which arrives by sea at a Peruvian or Chilean port, and is carried by rail to Puno, then across the lake to Bolivia.

Numerous islands dot the surface of the lake. One is of real interest. It is known as Titicaca Island. It has a population of about 300, but of that number there is but one man who can read and write. In all Bolivia, only 30,000 children attend school, out of a total population of 2,000,000. The aborigines do not seem to care for education, and the Bolivians of European race are few in number.

Inca Ruins

On a small island in Lake Titicaca is the ruined Temple of the Sun, another reminder of the days of the Incas. When that empire flourished, this portion of Bolivia was also under the domination of the Inca ruler; and even today, in some parts of Bolivia, one still comes upon numerous evidences of Inca rule, such as the ruins of buildings, temples and stone images, which plainly indicate that they were the work of that remarkable, ancient people. Inaccessible as is the country, for one who can stand the journey it affords much of interest. If there were nothing more in Bolivia than the view afforded in looking down from the rim of the cup upon La Paz, this alone would tempt one to visit the country. The buildings of this city have the appearance of so many tea leaves left in the bottom of a cup, so tiny do they seem from above. Another glorious scene is that of the encircling mountains that surround Lake Titicaca, crowning it with a diadem of snow-covered peaks—a view that is unsurpassed among the world’s natural wonders.

The Interior Waterways

Although Bolivia has no seaport, the country has a great network of rivers. The entire length of Bolivia’s navigable streams is about 12,000 miles. These naturally provide excellent means of transportation and communication. The Paraguay River is navigable for about 1,100 miles for steamers of from eight to ten feet draft. The Itenes has about 1,000 miles of navigable water. Another river, the Beni, is navigable for 1,000 miles for steamers of six feet draft only. Other streams, such as the Pilcomayo, MamorÉ, Sara, and Paragua Rivers can accommodate light draft vessels for distances varying from 200 to 1,000 miles.

From the ocean Bolivia can be approached through the ports of Mollendo, in Peru, or Arica and Antofagasta in Chile. These are all regular ports of call of the steamers between Panama and Valparaiso. From these ports there is railroad communication to Bolivia.

SUPPLEMENTARY READING

BOLIVIA, THE CENTRAL HIGHWAY OF SOUTH AMERICA	By M. R. Wright
BOLIVIA	By P. Walle
PLATEAU PEOPLES OF SOUTH AMERICA	By A. A. Adams
ACROSS THE ANDES	By C. J. Post
THE SOUTH AMERICANS	By W. H. Koebel
A SEARCH FOR THE APEX OF AMERICA	By Annie S. Peck
THE SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR	By Annie S. Peck
SOUTH AMERICA	By James Bryce
THE BOLIVIAN ANDES	By Sir Martin Conway

? Information concerning the above books may be had on application to the Editor of The Mentor.

---