Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-04-02
RnI.IYIA.
VIA. 4 a. Rhas itis-oad Hos to gsi
Fkere.

As BOLIVIA. lno. gONetNtueAt 70 Wuicu oel i
respected townsman, D. X. Cartier, Esq, has
been accredited as Minister resident OF the
United States, is a isrra ,aeegriid to very many
of readers, we have taken the pains to pre-
pare very brief description OF its leading
characteristics. Bolivia, previous to 1924,
formed a po, ton of Peru, but on the ocea-
sion of a visit Of General Bolivar to Chuqui-
SAGA, in that year the name was changed in
his honor, and million of dollars given him,
which be devoted 70 the liberation of 1000
slaves. Its geographical limits are embraced
between % so and 25o 80 south latitude, and
$50 and 7Oo west longitude It is bounded
by Brazil on the north and east by Peru on
the west and the Argentine Confederation on
the south. Its area is about 100000 square
miles and its population estimated Variously
at from 1000, 600 to SOC, ,OOS, large ma
jOrity Of which are aborigines. The next
most numerous class are Mestizoes, or half
breeds, mixture OF Spanish and Indian. It
has but one seaport, on the Pacific, CobUo
(CoBsko, latitude 29o south, which is Of little
practical value, owing to the waterless desert
which extends inlaud to the slopes o. the
Andes, where rain seldom or never falls
The trade with the coast is generally carried
on through the Peruvian port of africa The
capital, Sucre, lies on the eastern slope Of
the Andes, three hundred miles from the
coast, about equi-distant from the Mamore
rivera tributary Of the Madeira which
emptes into the Amazon, and the Pilcemayo
IA tributary OF the Paraguay-and within q
short distance of the celebrated silver mines
Of Potosi. With regard to temperature, Bo-
livia, almost entirely tropical, may lay claim
to embrace all the zones in the world. Diff
ference Of longitude is here more powerful in
the matter than even difference of latitude,
iuasmueh as, on every parallel elevation, to
say nothing Of changes of moisture, steadily
varies up from the level of one SEA 70 per-
petual SHOWS, aud down again to nearly the
level of another Hence, each locality, ex-
eephDg OF course, the sandy wastes on the
Pacific, has its own peculiar vegetation
Even the arid SUBMITS of the Andes yield a
coarse grass which forms the favorite food Of
guanaca, llama, alpaca and vicuuhs, animals
almost as Independent of water as the camel
The table land of Piticaca produces abundant
ly maize, rye, barley and wheat. The east
ern slopes beginning with the valleys of
Chuquisaca and Cochabamba, descend through
forests Of stately timber into the exhuberant
richness and variety Of thel plains below
Bolivia has been remarkable hitherto for It's
mineral productions It is estimated that
1000, OOO, 900 of dollars in silver have been
taken from the mines Of Potosi, and they
are still considered ine1hsustible Gold is
also obtained in considerable quantities, and
other minerals are known to exist. The
quality of the Peruvian bark found in Bolivia
is better than that found elsewhere.
Which is the best route to take to reach
the capital of Bolivia we do not know
Owing to the lack of steamboats, on the Ana
zon, that by way of Para up the Amazon
and Madeira rivers would be entirely i'm
practicable. The same want would probably
prevent going up the Parana Paraguay and
Pilcomayo rivers, although the expeditions
Of Lieut., Page, in the Water Witch, afford
evidence of the practicability OF this route,
The probability, therefore, is, that the most
feasible way would be to go to Lima, or some
other Peruvian port further down the Pacific
coast and from thence over the Andes on
mule. That from Lima, by way Of Cuzco,
the ancient capital of the Peruvian Incas,
around the north shore Of Lake Titicaca, to
La Paz is probably most Travelled, but the dis
tanee is some eight hundred miles diagOnally
across one of tho most tremendous chains of
mountains in the world. Lieut.. Harnden,
who crossed the Andes due east from Lima,
in 1851, states it as twenty-one days travel to
reach the head waters of the Huallaga river,
a distance of 335 miles. His greatest alti-
tude was Is, l96 feet, and the lowest temper
ature $50 with occasional snow squalls
From the first of March to the first of Au-
gust he says is the best season to make the
trip. 1t will be seen that the journey the
minister will have to take is one from which
the timid might well shrink, but to the lover
of the sublime in nature, a trip across the
Andes
whose vast walls
Have pinnacled in clouds their snowy scalps,
And thrOned eternity in icy halls
OF cold sublimlty"
would well repay all the toll and danger It
is true the situation Of our respected towns
man viii be rather isolated, but his duties
will not be very arduous, and we think the
years of bis absence can be well and prohta-
bly, spent, both to himself AMI his country.
Whether he will uninterrHptedly enjoy his
lengthy intercourse with the not highly cul-
tivated HispanO-American population of the
Bolivian capital is altogether a case of Quisn,
sqbee We certainly wish him pleasant
journey, and an agreeable residence while
abroad, and in good time safe return to his
home and friends
Troubled.
The Plain Dealer is troubled because the
LEADER copied from the Cincinnati CONNER