A RIVAL FOR CALIFORNIA AND AUSTRALIA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 378, 1 August 1874, Page 3

A RIVAL FOR CALIFORNIA AND AUSTRALIA.

The upper valley of the Madeira River contains, approximately, 400,000 square miles, marvellously rich in every product of value in South America. . Its eastern and central parts — the Bolivian Provinces of Corddlcra, Ohiquilos, and |be Beni — were first settled by the Jesuits, who penetrated northward from their settlements in the valley of the Rio de la Plata, and organised numerous " reductions " of the native tribes and founded many prosperous towns. These however, were always either upon the banks of navigable streams or within easy reach of them. Lying in the extreme eastern part of the Madeira Valley is the mineral Brazilian Province of Matto-Grosso, abounding in valuable agricultural products and gold and diamond washings. It is, owing to its -inaccessibility, vory thinly populated, but promises to be in the future one of the most prosperous states of the Empire of Brazil. It-is also one of the, at the present, mest unprotected frontiers of that country, being almost at tho mercy of the States of the Plata Valley in case of war. Ascending the upper central and western rivers of the Madeira Valley, we reach the richest of all the slopes of the Ande3, well populated by the Spanish race, mixed* with Quichua and Aymara Indiaus; the Indian element being probably the best which can be found upon the Western Continent, and capable of a high degree of civilisation. Tts power of increase is extraordinary, surpassing even that of the Mexican Indian races, which are so fecuud. The Bolivian part of the Madeira Valley contains about 2,500,000 people, the Indian blood slightly p.edotnmating. At the date of Bolivian independence, iv 1825, the population was less than 1,000,000. Out of the present inhabitants, some 2,000,000 are in the valley which we treat of, living within comparatively easy reach of the navigable streams which swell the volume of the river Madeira. The country in which they live is without exception,' the .richest on the globe in everything that nature gives toman. In mineral wealth it cannot be equalled within any equal area upon the Western Continent. The number of silver mines opened there during the rule of Spain might appear fabulous, were they not registered in the archives of the State. They exceed ten thousand. From the banks of tho little streams which feed the Beui branch of the Madeira, gold may be washed anywhere ; and we have little hesitation in stating that this auriicrous district will yet rival, if not surpass, the fame of Australia aud California combined. In fact, the whole of the Andes, ia an immense sweep of one thousand miles, extending from Cuzco to Matto-Grosso, is a vast gold placer.