to be built by Brazil will
remedy this unfavourable situation, will afford a better outlet for
north-eastern Bolivia, and should promote a more rapid development of
that region, which is covered with an admirable system of navigable
rivers above the falls of the Beni and Mamore. Connected with the upper
Paraguay are Puerto Pacheco on Bahia Negra, Puerto Suarez (about 1600 m.
from Buenos Aires by river), on Lake Caceres, through which passes the
bulk of Bolivian trade in that direction, and Puerto Quijarro, on Lake
Gaiba, a projected port said to be more accessible than any other in
this region. Whenever the trade of southern Bolivia becomes important
enough to warrant the expense of opening a navigable channel in the
Pilcomayo, direct river communication with Buenos Aires and Montevideo
will be possible.

_Industries._--Stock-raising was one of the earliest industries of the
country after that of mining. Horses, formerly successfully raised in
certain parts of the north, have not flourished there since the
introduction of a _peste_ from Brazil, but some are now raised in La Paz
and other departments of the temperate region. The Jesuit founders of
the Mojos missions took cattle with them when they entered that region
to labour among the Indians, with the result that the Mojos and
Chiquitos llanos were soon well stocked, and have since afforded an
unfailing supply of beef for the neighbouring inland markets. Their
inaccessibility and the costs of transportation have prevented a
development of the industry and a consequent improvement in stock, but
the persistency of the industry under conditions so unfavourable is
evidence that the soil and climate are suited to its requirements.
Farther south the llanos of Chuquisaca and Tarija also sustain large
herds of cattle on the more elevated districts, and on the well-watered
plains of the Chaco. There are small districts in La Paz, Potosi and
Cochabamba, also, where cattle are raised. Apart from the cattle driven
into the mining districts for consumption, a number of _saladeros_ are
employed in preparing (usually salting and sun-drying) beef for the home
markets. The hides are exported. Goats are raised in the warm and
temperate regions, and sheep for their wool in the latter. On the higher
and colder plateaus much attention is given to the breeding of llamas
and alpacas. Another industry of a different character is that of
breeding the fur-bearing chinchilla (_C. laniger_), whi