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but the showers are only experienced occasionally; a few 

 leagues higher up, they fall constantly during the mountain 

 winter. No vegetation yet appeared on the hills, except 

 Cacti, chiefly C. tetragonus, which became more common as 

 we proceeded. There were Huarango trees and Willoivs in 

 the valley, rows of the latter being frequently planted along 

 the water-courses. I had not hitherto had an opportunity of 

 collecting a single plant, though, doubtless, many might be 

 found in the low ground ; but, in order not to encroach on 

 the cultivable land, the roads are generally carried along the 

 sides of the hills where that is practicable, although the route 

 becomes more circuitous, and more fatiguing for the mules. 

 A little higher up, the Molle {Schinus molle) began to make 

 its appearance, loaded with its bright red berries. 



At the end of two leagues, we came to Santa Rosa de 

 Quive, a small place consisting now only of a few huts on 

 the hill-side; a church and some houses in the valley 

 having been destroyed by fire during the revolution. Here 

 we halted for the night. The little hut where we stopped, 

 was not large enough to contain one-third of our party; 

 but being on an eminence far above the valley, there was no 

 danger in sleeping out of doors, and we therefore took up 

 our quarters in an open shed. 



June 23d. — Having been fortunate in escaping the attacks 

 of mosquitoes, which are numerous in the valley, we rose at 

 daybreak, and started as soon as our numerous beasts could 

 be laden and saddled. 



The rock here is granite, which is again succeeded by 

 greenstone. After leaving Santa Rosa, we observed little 

 difference in the appearance of the hills, which were still 

 covered with Cacti till we approached Yazo, a small village 

 three leagues farther up. Though seated on a natural plat- 

 form, far above the valley, the inhabitants of Yazo are very 

 subject to intermittent fever, and the place has a bad name, 

 on that account, among those who travel to Pasco; but 

 there can be no doubt that the people bring the germ of 

 the disease from below. They work all day in small pieces 

 of irrigated land in the narrow valley, where the heat is 



