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NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



through the hills, and the road comes 

 out into a narrow valley whose edge 

 it follows to Quito. 



Quito 



The capital of Ecuador is a picturesque 

 and interesting city, lying upon a small 

 plain at the foot of the volcano Pichin- 

 cha. Due to an elevation of 9450 ft., 

 its climate is cool throughout the year. 

 The Hotel Metropolitano is recom- 

 mended. Naturalists, especially those 

 coming with credentials from the United 

 States Government, should by all means 

 call upon the American Minister before 

 undertaking work in the republic. 

 Through him the cooperation of the 

 Ecuadorian government, which has 

 taken an exceedingly generous attitude 

 toward scientific work of all sorts, can 

 easily be obtained. 



As a base for work in the highlands of 

 central and northern Ecuador, Quito 

 is the best spot. Interesting collecting 

 grounds may be found in the immediate 

 vicinity of the city. The slopes of 

 Pichincha have furnished material to 

 naturalists. A few miles distant lies 

 the remarkable Guaillabamba canyon, 

 4000 ft. deep, whose slopes lie within 

 the arid subtropical zone. Several 

 snow-capped volcanos lie within striking 

 distance of Quito and offer excellent 

 opportunities for work at high ele- 

 vations. 



Eastern Ecuador 



From the Ecuadorian highlands the 

 principal routes to the Oriente (as the 

 Amazonian side of Ecuador is popularly 

 called) are four in number. Beginning 

 at the north these are: the Papallacta 

 trail which leads from Quito through 

 the village of Papallacta to Archidona, 

 Tena, and Napo; the Banos route which, 

 starting at Ambato, descends the Rio 

 Pastaza and reaches the ancient settle- 

 ment of Canelos; the trail from Rio- 

 bamba to Macas, the largest town in 

 eastern Ecuador; and lastly the trail 

 from Loja across the Cordillera de 

 Zamora to the town of Zamora in the 

 Jibaro country. 



The Papallacta trail was one of the 

 first routes from the Ecuadorian high- 

 lands to the Amazonian plain. After 

 passing Papallacta it first reaches 

 Baeza, then Archidona (2000 ft.). Sin- 

 clair and Wasson report this settlement 

 to consist of four or five white families 

 in as many houses arranged about a 

 public square. Six and one-half mi. 

 from this point is Tena (1700 ft.), the 

 present capital of the Province of 

 Oriente and residence of the Governor. 

 Five or six families comprise the village 

 and there are numerous Indians in the 

 neighboring jungle. A few miles farther 

 is the town of Napo, which lies on the 

 flat north bank of the river of the same 

 name at an elevation of 1850 ft. This 

 is a place of about the same size as Tena 

 and lies at the head of canoe navigation. 



The most convenient route into the 

 Oriente is that which, leaving Ambato, 

 crosses the plain to Pelileo and descends 

 the river Pastaza. The picturesque 

 and interesting town of Banos (6014 ft.), 

 30 mi. from Ambato, lies immediately at 

 the foot of the volcano Tungurahua 

 and is locally famed for its hot springs. 

 The village offers poor accommodations, 

 but excellent collecting upon the neigh- 

 boring slopes of Tungurahua and in 

 the valley of the Pastaza. Richard 

 Spruce spent some months here. The 

 ascent of Tungurahua is not difficult 

 and can be accomplished easily in a day 

 and a half. Leaving Banos, where 

 Indian guides can be obtained, one 

 travels on foot or horseback through 

 the settlement of Pondoa and upward 

 to the spot known as El Campamento. 

 The elevation here is about 13,500 ft. 

 and a small quantity of water is avail- 

 able. The night can well be passed 

 at this point and the following morning 

 the ascent of the cone begun on foot. 

 Since the last eruption the region above 

 El Campamento has been covered with 

 volcanic scoriae which makes progress 

 slow and laborious. Higher up are 

 vast snow fields which extend almost to 

 the crater. The last few hundred yards 

 are free of snow due to the presence of 

 numerous fumaroles which give off hot 



