The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-26

IN such Il way that they will keep uuitc
as long as the dried mutton This is
done 10y soaking the raw potatoes in
water and then allowing them 10 freeze
| They are soaked and frozen again. The
SKINS become so loose that they can he
rubbed or troddor off with the bare
feet. After this they are dried They
now look like white stones. but arc very
light and like pith. They viii keen for
an indefinite time
Drunkenness is common among tho
.NNm3ras. ! have already described the
terrible condition brought about by
drink among tho Quichias. or Indians
OF Peru and Ecuador. The same condi-
tion prevails in Bolivia. Almost all OF
the Indians. both men and women, drink
to excess. and they come together in
great crowds on feast days aud have
drunken sprccs, which are accompanied
10y dances and other cNccsscs where
the marriage laws do not prevail. At
such times there is seldom any brawl-
ing or fighting. The drink seems to
stupefy rather than excite: the people
use so much that the alcohol gradually
burns up their brains. ! am told that
the Indian boys are briEh: until they
reach the age OF fifteen. al which time
they begin 10 earn enough so that they
can afford To buy liquor. They then
drtcriorate, and are on the down grad.
intellectually for the rest of their lives
II il also said that these Indians are
more Intelligent than those Of Peru
and that the standard OF intellec;uality
rises as one goes on southwark.
| learn from our missionaries who
have Indians in their schools that it is
not uncommon to find boys and girls
who are equal in quickness and reu-
sonine power to the whites. and il is
known that some Of the best men of
la faZ have strain Of Aymara blood.
There are few Indians who are rich
some of them have mines, and others
estates of their own. There is a rich
Indian family in Lima that has three
girls who will graduate this year at
the mission school These girls have
Indian features, but they are by no
means bad looking. Their father pays
$4,000 Eold'a year for the rent of his
house at the Peruvian capital. and he
owns several automobiles. His money
comes from copper mines.
There is no doubt about the natural
ability Of the Indian along mechanical
lines He is the carpenter. iron work
er and mason in this city of about
$4,000 people. La rax has fine houses
and public buildings. and also large
cathedral that has been for years in
course of construction. All OF the work
upon these has been done by the
Aymara Indians. and they have made
ifacucailN all the furniture In use
They are expert cabinet workers. max
Ing tables and chairs and interior
woodwork of mahogany. rosewood and
black walnut. They make artistic Gre
atoms in Stucco the fine houses Of La
i'az being decorated with a plaster
made Of mica mixed with lime and
sand aud then burnt in such way that
1t gives II finish like the best plaster
Of paris.
The Indians understand colors. and
thcN have a steady job AT painting the
houses OF the bolivian cities where
according 10 the law. every house has
10 have fresh coat Of paint every
year am living just opposite the
cathedral, where there are TOO or more
Indians now working.
They begin at o'clock in the morn
ing and continue until o'clock al
r'Ght. with an hour of AT noon am
told that their wages are about 81 q
day. They seem very industrious. and
job quite as we'll as the half breeds or
whites Many of the best laborers and
the best mechanics OF Bolivia are In
dams who have served in the army.
and thereby acquired such a taste for
civilization that they have corie To
the cities. Such men have elevated
their wives, and the beginnings of a
change arc already apparent.
What Bolivia needs to do Is To pass
Liquor laws to curtail the use of raw
alcohol to establish more schools and
industrial farms, and to inaugurate
movements that viii create new wants
among the Indians. This done they