278 To the River Plate and Back 



were the most that I generally saw. Now and then, as 

 the clouds twisted about higher up, an aggravating and 

 unsatisfying glimpse of peaks and pinnacles was ob- 

 tained. Early one morning, about four o'clock, upon 

 waking and looking toward the west, I caught a glimpse 

 of the more distant summits; but it quickly vanished. 

 For weeks at a time the great Andean uplifts are 

 wrapped in fog. In consequence of this there is 

 wonderful vegetation upon the lower slopes. Antonio 

 drove me over by a very rough road, full of ruts, to the 

 edge of the tropical forest, which comes down to meet 

 the clearings in which sugar-canes grow. It was only 

 a glimpse I had of a world in which I would like to 

 have spent weeks. What I saw reminded me of the 

 forest-clad mountains about Rio de Janeiro the same 

 splendid growths of huge umbrageous trees; the same 

 intermingling of genera and species; the same wealth 

 of epiphytic plants. 



It was dinner-time and already dark when Antonio 

 brought me back at the end of my first day's experience 

 in Tucuman. I was glad to retreat to my bath-tub, and 

 at an early hour to 'woo the drowsy god,' safely 

 ensconced under the cover of the mosquito-net, which I 

 took pains to adjust in such a manner as to prevent 

 attacks by Stegomya, that insidious dipteron, which 

 conveys the germs of yellow fever. It had not been 

 reassuring at dinner to have the head-waiter inform me 

 that there were a good many cases of vomito in town. 



On the morning of the following day, at an early 

 hour, I was driven by Antonio into the country. We 

 went first to the Aguas Corrientes, the water- works, 

 where Antonio had informed me that I would see 

 something, and have a chance to make a good collection 

 of the small creatures which I wished to obtain. The 



