Omaha daily bee., 1898-07-31

the city of Sucre, to Potosi, the famous sill
yer mining center, and to Cochabamba,
which is a big interior town in what is
called the granary of the country. The
best road in Bolivia is one over which 1
have Just Travelled. I doubt whether there
is a finer long stretch of wagon road in
the United States. The dried-up sea basin
forms a natural roadbed. We galloped for
hours over a road better, smoother and
harder than any in Central park, New
York, and dashe along at a breakneck
pace over the plains on a track that would
have been accepted as excellent by any
American jockey. The only work that
seemed to have been done upon the road
was the picking off of the stones. In some
places it was as fiat as a floor for miles,
and in others there was a gradual rise or
fall, but not enough to impede the gallop-
ing OF the mules.
Fifty-hve Leagues on n Mail Wagon.
The distance between La Paz and Oruro
is tfty-hye leagues. or 1875 miles. At least
that Is what my coachmen estimated the
distance. The geographers, who have prob
ably not gone over 1t, put 1t at $50 miles.
but after my ride I am willing to swear
by the coachmen, and to say that they
have, If anything, made 1t too short. The
La Paz stage runs twice a week to Oruro.
1t Is one OF the worst looking rattle-traps
That was ever put upon wheels, and the
broken-down carriages which carry pas
sengers from our country towns to the fair
grounds would be classed as heavenly
chariots beside 1t. It has six seats inside
and one with the driver. 1t was the driv-
er's seat that ! coveted, but I 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 the next
stage, three days later, and for a time it
seemed that l should have to go on the
back of a mule or hire a private conveyance
FOR 5O-Boltyian dollars. At this moment
my guide, adviser and friend in ways
Bolivian, Mr.. Sam Klotz OF La Paz, advised
me to try to get a seat on the mall coach.
This seemed to me just the thing, and
when / learned that there was always room
for one passenger on it. and that the place
had not been taken, I jumped at it, ana
handed out the 500 which was the cost of
the ticket. This was several days before the
time for leaving. All baggage must be on
hand by noon Of the day previous to start
ing. 1t took three Indians to carry my
baggage TO the station, and La Paz opened
its mouth, fguratively speaking, as the men
trotted through the streets with their loads.
At the stage office a second dilemma arose.
Only 200 pounds are allowed TO go with each
passenger. IL he has more 1t can follow him
on the next stage. with the chance of its be-
Ing forgotten for weeks, My trunks tipped
the beam of the American scales on which
they were weighed at just $40 pounds, and It
took much persuasion, and that OF several
kinds, before l could get the officials to
consent that II should go with me. A last,
however, | was told that 1t would be all
right, and was handed a bill for s2L70 extra
baggage. Only twenty-five pounds OF bag
gage are allowed free with each ticket, so
that my baggage cost me more than my
fare,
A Bolivian Mail Coach.
/ am not more than ordinarily conceited,
but ! must confess that l felt rather proud
that not only myself, but my baggage as
well, were to be carried over the country
with the Bolivian mails. 1t seemed to me
when i thought Of it rather strange that
the postal officials should consent to take
my heavy trunks, but through my news
paper connections l have sometimes been
favored officially, ana accepted 1t as a fact.
] fear visions OF a glorious red Concord
vehicle, with postmen in Bolivian livery,
may have come before my innocent souls