The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-31
a : WILD RIDE M1T'4 TG4E BOLIVIAN MAILS.
A Three Days GaIop Over Desaguadero
Plateau, Through OQe Of the Queer
est Parts of South Anerica.

OF the United States only 7E miles Of
stage lines. embracing roaae 20 the apitsL
TIE city q Slc-s 70 Por0ss the famous At
YER mining center and TO Cochs 5anaha
wsich II a big interior town In wha; |.
called the grsnaFy OF the country. The
, bes, road in Bolivia - ore over which I
have Just Travelled. ] doubt whether there
S finer long stretch ~ wagon road in
nc United States This drsed-ua sea basin
'orms a natural roadbed. We gailoped for
hours over q road better smoother and
harder than any IN Central park New
York. and cashed along a. 4 breakreek
pace over the plains on track that would
have been accepted as excellent by any
American jockey. TIE only work that
seemed 20 have beer done upon the road
VAS the picking OF Of the stones. In some
places IL wac fat a floor for miles,
ana In others there was gradual rlse or
fan. but not enough 70 impede the gaLop-
ing OF the mules
Ftfty-Hve Leagues on q Mail Wagon
The distance between La Paz and Oruro
is af,y-five leagues. or l6s miles. ~ least.
that Is what my coachman estimated the
distance. The geoxraphers, who have prob
ably not gone over IL. put I; at I5a miles.
hut after my ride i am willing TO swear
by the eoachmen. and TO say that they
have. anything made IL too short. The
La paz stage runs twice a week to Oruro.
II IS one Of the worst looking ratt,etraps
that was ever put upon wheels. and the
broken down carriages which carry pass
engers from our country towns to the fair
grounds would be ciassed as heavenly
char'ots beside II. II has six seats inside
and one with the driver. It was the driv-
ers seat that coveted. but found at the
stage office that the whole inside had been
taken for his family by a rich Bolivian,
and that the outside seat was already
engaged There was no better chance for
tins next stage. three days later, and for
a time II seemed that | should hst,. %
go on the back OF mule or hire private
conveyance for sls0-Bolivian dollars At
this moment my guide. adviser and friend
In ways Bolivian, Mr.. Sam Klotz. OF La
Paz. advised me TO get seat on the mail
cosch. This seemed to NE just the thing.
and when I learned that there was al
WAYS room for one passenger on Il. and
that the place had net been taken I
jumped at II. and handed out the $50 which
was the cost OF the ticket, This was sew
eral days before the time for leaving All
baggage must be on hand by noon OF the
day previous 10 starting. II took three
Indians TO carry my baggage TO the sta
ton, and La Paz opened its mouth, figur-
ativeiy speaking, as the men trotted
through the streets with their loads. At
the stage office second dilemma arose
only 20 pounds are allowed TO 90 with
each passenger. II he has more Il can
follow him on the next stage with tho
chance Of It's being forgotten FOR weeks
My trunks tipped the beam of the Amer
lean scales on which they were weighed
at just 80 pounds. and Il took much per-
suasion. and that OF several kinds, before
| could get the officials to consent that
II should go with me. AT last. however,
! was told nat 10 would he all right and
was handed a bill for SCI 20 extra bag
sage. only twenty-five pounds OF baggage
are allowed free with each ticket. 50 that
my baggage cost me more than my fare
4 bolivian Mail Coach.
am not more than ordinarily conceiteS
but i must confess that felt rather proud