The people also complained bitterly of the great emigration to the rubber-grounds of Brazil, and spoke of Trinidad as depopulated, many houses appearing to be left altogether empty and uncared for. Nevertheless, there seems to be a good deal of business done in the place, and the principal merchants appear to be very well off; but the construction of the Madeira and Mamoré Railway, which would cause an entire change in the route of trade with Bolivia, is the only event that can save the once flourishing department of the Beni from becoming again the hunting-grounds of the savage Siriono and the haunt of the wild beasts of the forests. The opening up of the route past the rapids would arrest entirely the decay of these fertile provinces, by affording a ready means of transit to a good market for the chocolate, sugar, tobacco, oxen, hides, tallow, skins, and other produce, for which the inhabitants are now only able to realize but a small amount in value compared with what they will be able to when the route is open, and some of the Bolivian peons in exile in Brazil have been brought back to their homes.
In consequence of the scarcity of hands, the peons now get thirty to forty per cent. more for their journeys than they did a couple of years ago; thus, from Trinidad to Coni, they now get eight pesos for the up river voyage, and two for bringing back the canoes, while formerly the price was six to seven pesos for the round trip. The monthly rate of pay does not, however, seem to have altered much, as it is still about five pesos (16s.) per month.
The Indians of Trinidad, Santa Cruz, and other towns of the department of the Beni, though, like most men of Indian race, fond of the dolce far niente, “swing in a hammock,” “smoke cigarette” kind of existence, are very clever in their specialities. Some of the produce of their hand-looms will compare very favourably with the fabrics of civilized countries, if not for texture, at least for strength and durability, and a wearer of their “macanas,” or linen drill, can be certain that there is no shoddy or size in the material. So, also, the hammocks they weave from the native cotton are handsome and strong, whilst the “cascaras,” or bark shirts, that they beat out of the inner skin of several trees, are marvels of patience and ingenuity, and the hats they weave from the young and tender leaves of a low-growing palm tree are quite equal to the much-vaunted hats of Panamá. A straw hat worth about three or four dollars in the Beni, the collection of the straws for which has occupied an Indian for months, would be equal to one costing twenty or thirty in Panamá.
Prices of provisions are much the same as those current in Exaltacion. I observed, however, that Manchester goods, such as calicoes, longcloths, ribbons, etc., are brought to Trinidad from Curumbá, viâ Santa Cruz, at prices far below those at which they can be brought at present from Pará, viâ the cachuelas, and it is evident that when the trade in these goods is carried up the Amazon and over the railway, the merchants of Pará must be contented with smaller profits than those they now obtain. Pará on the Amazon, and Curumbá on the Paraguay, are both Brazilian ports, and I presume that the same tariff of customs rules alike at both places; nevertheless, calicoes bought in Pará, that cannot be sold in the river Madeira for less than 250 or 300 reis (say 1s. to 1s. 2½d.) per yard, can be bought in Trinidad at two reales, or 9½d.; also longcloths on the Madeira sell at 200 to 300 reis (9½d. to 1s. 2½d.) per yard, and are only worth one and a half to two and a half reales (say 7¼d. to 1s.) per yard in Trinidad. It must, however, be noted that only very low quality goods are brought from Curumbá, and that the secret of business in Trinidad seems to be to sell at a low price without regard to quality. The articles that leave the best profit when taken up the cachuelas are iron pots, enamelled saucepans, and other general ironware for house use; also claret of a low class—for any stuff called “wine” and sold in bottles, with pretty etiquettes, fetches eight reales (3s. 2½d.) per bottle—and no Bolivian in the Beni would pay more, even for “Chateau Margaux” or “Chambertin.” Gunpowder in one-pound tins fetches twenty reales, or about 8s. 6d.
As I found that Don Bello was on the point of making a journey to Cochabamba by the rivers Chapari and Coni, I decided to proceed in his company, and give up any idea of visiting Santa Cruz, more especially as I was informed that the river Piray was very dry, and the Siriono savages, who dwell on its banks, were very active, having attacked several canoes during the months immediately prior to my arrival in Trinidad.
Before leaving Trinidad, it is the best plan to change any Brazilian paper money that one may have, for it is perfectly useless in the interior of Bolivia; and one must be careful to examine well the dollars given in exchange, as there is an immense amount of bad money in the Beni, where the worst of the extremely depreciated currency of Bolivia seems to have collected. The fact is, that when any of the traders get hold of any good silver dollars, they immediately inter them in some safe spot, as it is thus only that they can keep any funds they may have over what they need for their ordinary trade requirements, which they keep going by the use of the depreciated coins. To get properly acquainted with the money of Bolivia takes considerable time and trouble. The best coinage is the new one struck during recent years at the mint at Potosí, namely, the dollar of 500 grains, equal in value and quality to the Peruvian sole. Half-dollar pieces, reales, and medios are also coined of equally good quality. The old money from Spanish times, and the dollars bearing a tree on the reverse, are all of good silver, but for the last twenty years or so a succession of presidents have enriched themselves at the expense of the country by the issue of an inferior coinage, culminating with the scandalous production issued by Melgarejo and his minister Muñoz. These pesos, or “Melgarejos,” as they are called, are nominally worth eight reales, or about 3s. 2½d., but intrinsically they may be worth about 2s. They are also called “moneda de dos caras,” or the “money with two faces,” as they bear the profiles of the president and his minister, who have, unwittingly, held themselves up to the derision and hatred of their countrymen, by putting the legend “Honor y Talento” (“Honour and Talent”) on the infamous robbery they perpetrated. The Melgarejos have been largely imitated by clever coiners in various parts of the republic, so that the diversity of impressions has become exceedingly great, and in some towns the coins that have faces with long beards are most acceptable, while in others the short-bearded ones only will pass. I found it a good plan to keep about half long beards and half short beards in my stock, and then, on arriving at a town, one soon finds out what style is most in fashion, and can act accordingly.
The Government was making some faint endeavours to get some of this vile money out of circulation, and many were the projects put forward for the purpose by the members of the Congress of 1874; but revolution, which appears to be the normal condition of Bolivia, broke out towards the end of the year, and then the question became, not what were the infirmities from which the country suffered, but who should be doctor or president, and consequently the depreciated currency still remains a curse to the country.