HISTORICAL NAEEATIVES AND FIELD WORK 43 



terrace begins at the edge of the town, and corresponding terraces 

 can be seen on the opposite side of the river. El Barrero (altitude 

 about 1,000 meters) dominates the view on the south. From the 

 top of hills near Jarabacoa can be seen the rounded peak of El 

 Eucillo, and far away to the north the massive profile of the Cordi- 

 llera Septentrional. 



After leaving the valley of the Jimenoa and the proximity of 

 Jarabacoa, the climb up the steep and rocky defile of the Arroyo 

 Baiguate brings one to the top of El Barrero. The narrow trail, 

 following the crests of ridges that buttress the narrow mountain 

 crest, descends the southern slope and again ascends to El Paso 

 Bajito and again encounters the Rio Jimenoa, which is forded at El 

 Rio. Here, in the narrow flat valley, may be seen aboriginal earth 

 works resembling very much those to be described later from 

 Constanza. 



After leaving El Rio one must ascend another mountain crest, the 

 Loma del Hato Quemado, which marks the watershed between the 

 waters flowing north into the Jimenoa and Yaque del Norte and 

 those flowing east into the Camu and Yuna Rivers, which empty 

 into the Bay of Samana far to the east. 



Circling along the crests of ridges in a general southerly direc- 

 tion, the trail descends to the narrow valley of the upper Tireo 

 River, a tributary of the Yuna River. Several aboriginal earth- 

 works of the Constanza type were observed. There were also ob- 

 served scattered groups of the peculiar natural mounds, resulting 

 from exfoliation, but which are locally known as Indian burial 

 mounds. 



From the valley of the Rio Tireo the final ascent up the flank of 

 the Loma del Valle brought into view the panorama of the flat valley 

 of Constanza framed by encircling mountains. The valley occupies 

 an area of 30 square kilometers and lies at an altitude of 1,100 meters 

 above sea level. Tavo tiny rivulets, the Pantufle and the Rio Con- 

 stanza, drain the valley and unite to form the Rio Limon at its 

 southeastern corner. The village of Constanza is sheltered under 

 towering mountains at the northeast corner of the valley. Xear by 

 is the largest of the series of aboriginal eartlnvorks that also appear 

 elsewhere at several parts of the valley. SouthAvast of Constanza the 

 department of agriculture maintains an experiment station for rais- 

 ing products of the Temperate Zone. Constanza is a forlorn village 

 of several score of houses, and has few attractions to the outsider, 

 except its beautiful location. 



Living quarters were obtained in the house of Seiior Felix Matias, 

 a kindly Dominican whose aid in obtaining permits to carry on 

 excavations was much appreciated and is here gratefully acknowl- 



