The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-08-20

Across the plaza, facing the palace, above, strawberry-red below, with i heavy black trimmings and the name
 of the proprietor sprawled clear across
 the front in bright blue letters. Next to
 it is a restaurant, dressed in green and lavender; while its adjoining neighbor | is all gray and white-a salon de bill- ares dedicated to the historic twins, ''Rolnlo and Remo." Our side of the square is occupied by another hotel
 kept by bustling French widow; a
 row of shops at one end, and at the Oth-
 CT a magnificent stone casa, through
 whose open door one may sometimes
 catch glimpses of alahaster stair case fountins and statues. It was erected
 many years ago by viceroy of Spain,
 for the beautiful woman who possessed
 his heart, butdid not wear a wedding
 ring. We may remark, en passant, that
 just back of us on a parallel street is another hotel, misnamed Americana,
 wherein the traveller finds equally bad
 accommodation.
 l This Plaza Mayor of La Paz, like that
 of other Spanish-American cities, is its principal feature, from which all things
 radiate. Its entire surface is paved with small stones set in regular pat tern of diagonal bars, as are the streets | immediately surrounding it, the figures rendered more pronounced by altrrna- ting black and white stones, the former brought from an island in Lake Titica-
 ca. Rows of little trees, most Of them dead or dying, languish between the stones, and the whole plaza is sur rounded by a high adobe wall. The central fountain is really worth looking at-a lofty affair of alabaster and mar ble. A circular basin, very large and elaborately carved, is filled with water
 to the brim and reached by flight of marble steps extending all around. In | the middle of this basin four big dol phins, standing on their heads. support
 a hugh alabaster shell; this shell is also filled with water and contains smaller 1 dolphins in similar attitude. upholding another shell. This also contains still smaller fdolphins upholding a third shell; and in the latter stands a tall and | slender female, nude, trident in hand. The whole is enclosed by an iron fence, with large square pillars at'regular in | tervals, each pillar topped by a marble sea-lion which is clowly vomiting water | in a most sea-sick manner for the ac= commodation of people who are contin- ually counting to drink or, to fill their l jars. Here comes three cavalrymen, l dashing pell mell up ahe street, all in scarlet, even to their caps and capes, each carrying over his shoulder the un- | furled flag of Bolivia. Behind them at a more leisurely pace, rides the pa- ker orl his sleek little donkey with huge hamper hung on either side. OK hide hampers are too common in this country to attract attention, but these are unique, their square, box-like ' framework covered with the skin of a perfectly white COW, put on hair out ward. Each hamper is filed with
 small, erusuty loaves and every one Of them would serve well as a cannon ball I in case of emergency. On top of the | uncovered bread the baker carries his That in bne of the boxes, and his red call | leo handkerchief and well-worn purse l in the other, while his boots and brooches dangIe over both.
 A group of Indians from over the si- erras have just come to town with thefr troup of. llamas and seated themselves to rest on the stones of the street with their weary backs against the plaza | wall. Poor things! More than half na- ked, dirty, frowsy. utterly hopeless of anything better in this world, nobody | knows. how many miles those bare feet l have trotted. Most of the llamas are laden with snow-ice from the upper Andes, which is in great demand at the I saloons and restaurants. The ice IS tied up in blankets, and although there lis nothing between the chilly bundle and the back of the animal but folded sheepskin, we notice that they seem more uncomfortable without the aeeus- l toned burden than with 1t. Indians abound this morning, if possible in greater number and variety of costume than usual; and every one Is driving a lheavily laden mule or llama, or carries a load on his or her own back. There goes one staggering under four long | blanks; another has pile of weil-hlied sacks on his back; another trots oil with a big trunk that weighs him near ly to the ground and there goes a wo- man in total eclipse, so to speak, noth- I ing but her bare feet and ankles being visible beneath the bundle of alfalfa theaped upon her head.
 | In strong contrast to the patient and hard-working Indians who are im-
 posed upon by everybody and in every
 way, are the Cholos, or half-breeds-a
 class nearly as numerous, but very diff | ferent in manner and appearance, being
 noisy, saucy and independent; by no jmeans a desirable class of citizens. Of
 course there are notable exceptions; but as a rule they lie; cheat, steal like mag pies, and can never be depended upon
 to carry out a bargain. Some of the women are very handsome while young, I in coarse way, but most of them are l thoroughly bad. They are generally short in stature, inclined to stoutness, l with bold black eyes, perfect teeth and heavy hair. All are excessively fond of
 bright .colors, and possess the secret of dyeing them. Their dress is peculiar.
 Here comes g. female Chola who is g
 fair sample out from a pasco, or prome-
 made. She wears such number of l skirts as to give them a bell-shaped
 outline, as though worn over a hoop.
 The outer one is canton flannel. made
 woolly side out, a gorgeous yellow of l lipHoeoyibo bla tint bcfuoan Solr,,oY opd