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and the custom is continued to the present day. After mass, 
the congregation, headed by the priests, marched in pro- 
cession round the plaza, and while the latter were chaunting 
a part of the church service, the Indian girls continued to 
dance and sing round them, accompanied by several men 
dressed in the ancient costume of the Incas, some of them 
having their faces covered with hideous masks made from 
calabashes. This performance was continued even while 
the priests were officiating at a temporary altar, erected on 
one side of the plaza. Immediately after the procession, a 
cock-fight was exhibited, and the rest of the day was con- 
sumed in eating and drinking. : 
As no one could be prevailed upon to go in search of our . 
mules during these important proceedings, it was long past 
noon on the 25th ere we were able to pursue our journey, 
and we determined only to proceed as far as Culluay, three 
leagues higher up, and the last inhabited place in the valley. 
The next stage, of seven leagues, lies across the Cordillera, 
and there is no intermediate place to sleep at. 
I had first seen the Perilomia at the entrance of Obrajillo, 
and just above the town it was very abundant for a few 
hundred yards, after which I'saw no more of it; neither 
did I observe the Molle, nor the Huarumo, above Obrajillo; 
but the Mutisia continued to spread itself in every direction 
over the shrubs, which were loaded with its blossoms. After 
skirting the hills for some distance, the road descended to 
the valley, along which it then continued. As we ascended, 
yes perceived every moment that we were entering a colder 
climate, where the season was less advanced. Green grass 
appeared among the numerous shrubs, and many plants 
pasts only coming into flower; among these were Loasa 
contentis; Calceolaria bicolor, and other species of that genus. 
The most common plant was the large shrubby Lupine,* 
which flowered lately in the Botanic Garden of Glasgow- 
_A little below Culluay, the valley expands, and a consider- 
_ * Lupinus Crückshanksii, nob. in Bot. Mag. t. 3056. —Ed. 
