OP NAVIGATING THE RIVER HUALLAGA. 39 



The average height of the thermometer seldom exceeds (in the 

 shade) 86°, and rarely lower than 80° ; and the climate is generally 

 healthy, and free from those universal plagues of tropical climates, 

 the sanchudas* and musquitos. 



The city of Lamas, which is distant nearly six leagues from 

 Tarapoto, is situated on an irregular hill, and scattered over a large 

 surface. The thermometer indicates a lower temperature than that 

 at Tarapoto. The continual light breezes which are felt, render it 

 far more pleasant, and cattle thrive much better than in Tara- 

 poto ; being less subject to the ravages of the fly, (a species of 

 cestres) and tabanus, called by the natives subyacuros, which 

 deposit their eggs beneath the skin and cause considerable wounds, 

 from the effects of which the animal becomes lean and sickly. The 

 chacras are situated, for the most part, at some distance from the 

 city, and on the sides of the quabradas, and produce the same as at 

 Tarapoto. On the tops and sides of the hills are large pajonales,t 

 which produce abundance of pasture during the whole year. There 

 is also a vein of quicksilver here, and several kinds of earth, which, 

 with but little labour in preparing them, are used to paint the 

 interior of the houses. 



From Lamas to Mayobamba the road is a continued succession of 

 ascent and descent, with considerable windings. On leaving La- 

 mas, the descent is continued to the river at San Miguel, and from 

 thence the ascent continues to Tabalosa. From Tabalosa the road 

 winds some distance along the sides of the hills, and then ascends a 

 high range which runs N. W. From the summit of one of these 

 hills is a fine view, embracing the whole of the valley to the bor- 

 ders of the Huallaga, and the course of the Mayo : at a short dis- 

 tance farther on is the Patrero and Campana, the summits of the 

 range, containing some leagues of open pajonales of excellent pas- 

 ture, with IMontana at their base. From these heights there is also 

 an extensive view of the valley towards Sapo-Soa; at their base runs 

 the source of the River Sisa, which joins the Huallaga, but not as 

 represented in the IMap of the Pampa Sacramente, published by M. 

 Chaumette-Des-Fosses, where it has been placed on the opposite 



• Tipuli. t Open spaces clear of wood. 



