191 . , 



few Gentiancs, especially G. sedifolia, presented themselves 

 occasionally as we proceeded. 



The snow that had lately fallen had already disappeared 

 from the open ground, but much of it still remained in shel- 

 tered places. 



Before leaving Culluay in the morning, we had been ad- 

 vised not to take any breakfast except a little broth, to lessen 

 the risk of suffering from the puna or veta, the sickness that 

 frequently attacks those who are unaccustomed to breathe 

 the rarified atmosphere of these elevated regions. None of the 

 party, however, had experienced any inconvenience in the 

 ascent; and after proceeding about half a league, where the 

 elevation was considerably less than at the pass, we halted at 

 one of the lakes, and breakfasted on some cold meat. But 

 we soon found that we had calculated rather hastily on our 

 exemption from the puna; and that, like sea-sickness, which 

 it resembles so much in other respects, it does not always 

 immediately attack those who are liable to be affected by it. 

 Before we had advanced half a mile from the lake, several of 



the party began to suffer from headache; and Mr. M 



and myself were so ill that we found some difficulty in reaching 

 the end of the stage, a place called Casa-cancha, to which 

 we descended about four o'clock. We had scarcely arrived 

 when we were both ceased with violent vomiting, accompanied 

 by all the sensations that usually attend sea-sickness, but 

 the throbbing pain of the head was much more acute and 

 depressing. 



It is generally said that difficulty of breathing is one of the 

 most common and distressing symptoms of this disorder, but 

 it is not the case. Few people suffer in their respiration, 

 although the pulse is frequently accelerated, while they are 

 riding or walking on a level road ; it is only in walking over 

 rough ground, or in climbing the mountains, that respiration 

 is affected, and it then becomes necessary to halt repeatedly 

 and take breath. The miners work as hard, and perform 

 the same quantum of labour at Pasco, fourteen thousand feet 

 above the level of the sea, as those at a sixth-part of the eleva- 

 tion; and indeed the English mechanics there, unless very 



