The islands of Titicaca and Koati, illustrated . ion, maintained also after theSpanish occupation, render an uprising very improbable;but should they ever be able to coalesce, the situation ofBolivia and of the Peruvian Sierra might become exceed-ingly critical. These are the main reasons why the Indian is so ex-tremely anxious, as I have previously stated, to securemoney. He uses it also as currency in his daily transac-tions. But there is a substance which he prizes even more,for certain reasons, than gold or silver, and this is dried leaves of Erythroxilon Coca, a product of thehot
The islands of Titicaca and Koati, illustrated . ion, maintained also after theSpanish occupation, render an uprising very improbable;but should they ever be able to coalesce, the situation ofBolivia and of the Peruvian Sierra might become exceed-ingly critical. These are the main reasons why the Indian is so ex-tremely anxious, as I have previously stated, to securemoney. He uses it also as currency in his daily transac-tions. But there is a substance which he prizes even more,for certain reasons, than gold or silver, and this is dried leaves of Erythroxilon Coca, a product of thehot lands, are in many cases a greater incentive for theIndian to sell or to work than money.^^ Such has been ourexperience elsewhere. Coca is, to the older men amongthem, more indispensable than food or drink. I need nottreat here of the qualities attributed to this plant, whetherreal or imaginary; but its leaves are, if not another cur-rency, like shell-beads among northern Indians, often amuch surer resource than silver or gold. The use of coca. 0 ,a X ew X O to la ^ M < ft! M M o
Size: 1253px × 1994px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidislandsoftit, bookyear1910
