Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-10-03

or cocayard to be dried The cachi is
inclosed by wall, and paved with fiat
stones that are kept perfectly clean.
The morning sun shining on these
stones heats them so that when the
leaves are spread smoothly over the
surface they become thoroughly dry in
few hours.
Then they are recollected, more care
fully than ever having now become
somewhat brittle and carried to the
press, the latter being a primitive ma
chine With wooden cross beam. When
completely dried the leaves still retain
their bright green color, even after hav-
ing been packed for months. The press
has box which holds precisely rs
pounds. A lining of dry banana leaves
soft as silk yet strong as leather, Is
put into the box before the cocoa is
poured In, When turned out OF the
press the package is called certa;
and two certas fifty pounds, when
dashed together, form tambo or
drum" The drum Is wrapped in
more banana leaves and coarse sack
ing and makes bundle which meas
ures about three cubic feet In this
shape 1t Is toted on mule or llama back
over the mountains to La Paz to be
deposited In the Adriano de coca. or
coca custom house. After a picking
season the roads leading out OF the VAL
leys are literally filled with beasts OF
burden, laden with coca, and troops Of
Indians on their way to town to sell the
fruit of their labors; or on the way
home, generally empty-handed and
empty of pocket, but In a state Of jolly
intoXication, the women outdoing the
mon in their enjoyment of the spree
singing, dancing, bowling like so many
lunatics, but always doce and respect
full TO the superior race, though they
occasionally indulge in a little hair
pulling among themselves.
The average price of coca to the pro-
ducer, is " cents (gold) per pound; but
out of this he has to pay a tax of "a
centavos Cabout IL cents gold on every
pound. Think OF cultivating, picking,
drying and packing the tiny leaves for
that small profit, To say nothing of the
several days perilous journey over the
mounfainsl The Bolivian government
derives no small share OF its revenue
from this coca business. The right to
collect the tax Is EARNED out" or sold
to the highest bidder, sealed proposals
being received for the privilege The
contracts are given for one year only,
running from the nth OF June TO the
10th of the following June a greater
part OF the tax goes into the public
treasury, and the balance Ia used for
improving the rough roads over the
heights and down into the valleys
where the coca grows. At least 70 per
cent OF all the coca that Is raised in
Bolivia is brought to La Paz under
these contracts; the remainder being
sold by mlddle-men to the residents OF
adjacent villages on the great Andean
plateau. The manner OF tax-collect-
ing In Yungas as fair sample OF the
mode throughout the country. YAM
aoachi n village near the western ter
minus OF the valley, lies In a narrow
canyon, between impossible mountains
through which there Is but enc road.
All the streets OF the town except that
one leading into the canyon road, are
securely walled UP just outside the
town; so that all cargo must pass by
way OF the custom house, which stands
at the head Of the canyon. Whenever
an Indian passes with pack on his
back or a load on his mule. II he does
not stop and show what he carries, or
pay the tax II II be coca, he quickly
finds himself IN trouble. Out rushes a
customs Official, armed with a long iron
poker which has a serew-like apparatus
at one end, and heavy raw-hlAa whip
attached to the other. The screw point
he thrusts deep into the middle OF
the cargo, 10 determine II any coca may
be hidden within it; and should any In
dian resist, he does not hesitate TO uee
tho whip on his back.
The principal consumers ef coca IN
Peru and Bolivia arc the Quloha and
AyInara indiana. in tho tomhs OF tho
ancient Peruylnns a small quantity OF
coca looYes Ia always found buried with
every mummy, together with an earth.
en- jnr that once held lime or potash.
To this day potash IL eaten with tho
coca, II IL made by ineineratlng tho
root OF q weed that Ia Indigenous 10
the soil whore coca grown, or from
the bark OF a apoeIeH OF wild bean OF
which tho Indiana are very fond Tho
increase OF ones poworR OF endurance
Dy mo use OF coca leaves. especially IN
tho higher attitudes, Ia Something mar
voloua. II 10 nald 10 completely abolish
all eenHo OF hunger or fatlHpe II Is an
undoubted fact that en- indian, whtn
well supplied with coca, viii travel