338 HALL’S EXCURSIONS, 
volcano early in the morning, we had determined on passing 
the night as near to it as possible. We accordingly proceeded 
for about a league on the western side of the ridge, to a 
ravine, on one side of which is a cliff which projects a little at 
its summit, so as to form a Machai or cave, if such a term 
can be properly applied to a spot of ground so partially 
sheltered. However, there was dry ground enough to sleep 
on as the weather was fine, and firewood to prepare our coffee 
and supper, after which indispensable arrangement we formed 
our beds of our mules’ furniture, cloaks, &c., and slept com- 
fortably, though the thermometer fell during the night to 32°. 
We awoke with a clear frosty morning, and while breakfast 
was preparing, collected a few plants, among which was an 
elegant Calceolaria, and a small Andromeda, growing on the 
rocks. The whole of this region, to the foot of the volcano, 
is rich in alpine plants. Among them are Chuquiraga insignis, 
very abundant; Gentiana—? the largest species of the Andes; 
three different Lupines ; a large aquatic Valeriana ; Culcitium 
reflexum, C. nivale, Draba aretioides, D. alyssoides, and still 
‘nearer to the sandy summit, Espeletia * Fraylejon,” Saxifraga 
andicola, Sida Pichinchensis, Cerastium densum, and several 
Grasses. 
With every respect for the authority of a naturalist and 
philosopher, so correct as Humboldt, I must here point out 
‘several inaccuracies in a passage quoted from his works, in 
Part V. of the Botanical Miscellany, p.206. *¢ Still higher,” 
he says, “namely at an elevation of 3,500 métres (1796 
toises), the arborescent plants terminate.” If we observe 
those slopes of the mountains which descend toward the table 
land of Quito, we find the region of arborescent shrubs 
rising everywhere to the height of 13,000 feet. Tunguragua 
is covered with copses to the elevation of 13,317 feet, by 
M. Boussingault’s barometrical measurement. But, if we 
examine those steeps, which rise from the ‘plains of the 
Maraüon on the east, and from the forests of the Pacific on 
the west, we shall find not only shtubs, but even forests, 
ascending to nearly 14,000 feet. The tree (2 No. 8.) is 
