The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-05-25

- gives tile lTdNticl liblf N'i'
trasts in trail, scenery and eli
mate than do the Andes in the
last range of the Cordillera. From the
barren snow line at the ridge down &c
the headwaters of the great Amazon
system Is but few hundred miles, yet
IN this distance four distinct changes
in the fauna and flora are apparent
Starting over hard open road where
we made eighteen or twenty miles
day. the trail winds down through a
rolling country until the last pass Is
crossed and the first signs Of tropical
vegetation appear, writes Lee Garnet'
Day, of the COllinsD Day South Ameri
can expedition, in the American
Museum journal. Then through the
mountains Of the Yungas the route lies
over forested hill and dale or along
acknowledge trails, and eventually
reaches lower planes where the fresh
cts turn into narrow streams and the
streams at last into rivers. Here
amidst the most abundant trOpica
growth the paths underfoot more often
resembled swamps than terra ilrma
and five or six miles were consid
cred a good days work. In fact, the
stream beds often proved better trails
than the maChcte.cut roads through
the palm and canebrakes.
Crossing South America from Mol
leudo on the west coast TO Para on
the east. by far the most eyentful part
OF the journey is the 500 miles by mule
train from CoChabamba, high in the
Cordi!lera. to Todos Santos, the head
waters of the Amazon, 3,4O0 miles
above its mouth Cochabamba itsel
is a city OF 10000 inhabitants, the
greater number of whom has never
left its suburbs. A railroad Is in course
OF construction. bat from Argue, the
end OF the rails, all commerce mus
pass by mule pack for two days Over
the powders of the river bed. w,
reached Cochabamha from Nollendt
by rail, lake steamer and coach. After
crossing the first two ranges OF the
Cordillera by rail we assembled tn,
third by pack train starting from
COchahamba Our party consisted o
Hessrs. Alfred Collins, Willard Walk
nr, George *. Cherrie. Robert Booker
and the writer, and after securing 2S
mules, chief arriero or mule driver
and two Indian helpers, we started foi
the head of the pass and the tribu
taries OF the great Amazon river be
yund
Mule Trail Hard to Follow
The mule trail from CoChabamba tC
Todos Santos is far from an easy one
to follow, understanding that 1t is
constantly Travelled, being the route
for most of the commerce between the
low hot grazing lands OF Bolivia at tn,
eastern base of the Andes, and the
high. well-populated tablelands arounC
La PaZ. COChabamba, OrurO and Other
cities II Is always very narrow, passes
through heavy woods over ridges
along sides of cliffs, up or down &
stream and is often difficult even to 10
cate Especially is this true in the
tangled roots incumber the way In tho
woods and mule drivers passing pre-
yiously have often left the path II
search Of better going, thus making
false trails unsafe to follow unless
with very experienced guide
The short journey up from Cocha
bamba was hot and dry, over trails
covered with white dust but the las
divide we crossed in thick mist anC
turning due north from the Santa Cru;
trail seemed suddenly to have entered
another country Almost perpetua
rain was now encountered, and the pre-
cipitous nature Of the descent, about
five thousand feet in twenty -four
hours, made travelling decidedly un
easy and In parts dangerous, due t.
the paths being water courses iron
which all mold had been washed away
Wet. slippery rocks and often quaint
ties OF loose. small powders made 4
necessary to walk most of the way