26 Scientific Reviews. 



liant sparkling of numerous fire-flies, and the clear pale light of the 

 moon, gave additional effect to the rugged mountain landscape. 

 Here our traveller and his horse were near terminating their ca- 

 reer in the rocky bed of the torrent, falling over a flight of steps ; 

 but the horse luckily descending on his feet, his rider was enabled 

 to make him wheel, and stand athwart the path. 



The dogs of Peru are taught to suck the flock to which they are 

 afterwards to belong as guardians ; and, being brought up in this 

 manner, Avhen grown to the full size, they continue to attend the 

 flocks, going out with them in the morning, remaining during the 

 day, and bringing them home in the evening, without the necessity 

 of herdsmen. They generally attack their enemies in packs of two 

 or three together. 



The condor's quill is used as a pen by the natives : a little Peru- 

 vian, writing with a quill about two feet four inches in length, 

 and near an inch and a half in circumference, must partake of the 

 picturesque. 



The district of Toulea may be considered as the commencement 

 or extremity of the Montana woods in the eastern side of the 

 Andes. The wild luxuriance of the trees and flowers in the Mon- 

 tana is excessive ; scarcely a cleft in the abrupt rocks that occa- 

 sionally show themselves, is left unoccupied. Streams become 

 more numerous, and the notes of the organ bird are heard. 



Mr. Maw proceeded on foot from Moyobamba to Balso Puerto. 

 Beyond the Montana, the last traces of the cultivation of the de- 

 scendants or subjects of the Incas, retreating to avoid the Spa- 

 niards, were visible on the steep sides of the Andes. Furrows were 

 made in arches, one above another, so that the rain falling on the 

 uppermost of these arches, descended down its sides into the tops 

 of those immediately below it, and again down their sides into the 

 tops of others, until the water was all soaked up, or at least had 

 passed through all the arched furrows. If the Pampa or level at 

 the bottom of the steep was cultivated, and the water had not been 

 entirely expended, it was still applied in a manner likely to aflford 

 the greatest benefit for irrigation, by the furrows being twisted 

 interminably. 



At Balsa Puerto our traveller embarked on one of the tributary 

 streams of the Maranon, bringing to at night on playas, or dry 

 banks of sand, on which the crew cooked their suppers, and 

 the Indians slept under small tents made of tucuya, which they 

 suspended to sticks fixed in the sand, to keep ofi^ musquitoes and 

 more formidable wild animals. They had a belief that, if no part 

 of the body, as a hand or foot were exposed from under the canopy, 

 tigers would come down and walk round, without attempting to 

 molest the sleepers; but if any part of the body made its appear- 

 ance, the result would probably be otherwise. Mr. Maw and his 

 companion, Mr. Hinde, slept in the canoes. 



The navigation down the river to Tabitinga, which is the fron- 

 tier post of Brazil, was accomplished without much aggravation of 

 difliculties. Mr. Maw throughout the whole course made sound- 



