38 BE3IARKS ON THE PRACTICABILITY 



received the greatest kindness and hospitality, and also much valua- 

 ble information, which a residence of twenty-eight years had ena- 

 bled him to acquire. 



Tarapoto and Cumbasa are situated in a large plain, with the 

 river Mayo (or, as it is generally called, Mayobamba) on the south, 

 and a range of high hills on the north, extending from the Hual- 

 laga to the westward of Lamas, where they form the north bank of 

 the above river, and thus continue their course, with some slight 

 variation, to the source of the river in the Cordilleras of Chacha- 

 poyas. In the immediate neighbourhood of Tarapoto and Cumbasa, 

 the soil is sandy and partially covered with shrubs and small trees, 

 with abundance of good pasture throughout the year. At short 

 distances commence the montana real,* in which are situated the 

 chacrast and labranzas,t which with little labour produce rich crops. 



The principal productions are plantains, maize, yuccas, aracachas, 

 rice, sugar, tobacco, cotton, frigoles, and mane; the fruits, pinas 

 sapote, caimeto, oranges, lemons, limes, paltas,;}: granadilla3,|| tum- 

 bo,JI and cashew. The manufactures are cotton-thread, tucuyos, 

 lonas, and hats. The natural productions of the woods are bees*- 

 wax, myrtle-wax, balsam of copaiva, vanilla, acerte-de-Maria, cara- 

 na, or leche caspij§ copal, estorach, and sarsaparilla, besides various 

 medicinal plants, :\vhich require only to be proved by experienced 

 and practical men to become valuable additions to our Materia Me- 

 dica; and also many plants whose leaves or roots yield valuable and 

 rich dyes of various colours, and some of them permanent even 

 without chemical aid. 



Besides the above, the woods abound in red-deer, huanganas or ja- 

 vali,** rabbits, pangis,tt pavos,;]::}; managaracas/jj^l &c., not mention- 

 ing the numerous small species of the feathered tribe of the most beau- 

 tiful colours; and the rivers abound with innumerable kinds of fish. 



• The forests, 

 •f- Cultivated grounds. 

 X The Alligator Pear, Laurus Persia. 

 II Two species of Pasiflora. 



§ Caragna Jjeche caspi, Milk of the tree. The word caspi signifies tree or 

 wood, in the language of the Incas. 

 •• A species of Pecary. 



•f-f A fine bird, nearly as large as a turkey, related to the Curasa. 

 XX A small species of turkey. 

 1111 About the size of the English Pheasant, but not so handsome. 



