110 A NATURALIST'S WANDERINGS 



purcliasing. He and his sons were very much attached to 

 me, and I placed every confidence in them. Sitting round our 

 camp-fire one evening, as was my custom after dinner, convers- 

 ing on all sorts of topics, I mentioned what I had read as to 

 Mr. Clement R. Markham's mission [in search of cinchona- 

 ' ^. Now Manuel had been with me in three of ]ny 

 journeys into the cinchona districts of the Yungas of 

 Bolivia, where I had to go looking after laggard contractors 

 for delivery of hark. It was while conversing on the subject 

 of Mr. J\Iarkham's journey, and wondering which route he 

 would take, &c., that Manuel greatly surprised mc by saying : 

 ' The gentleman will not leave the Yungas in good hcalth°if 

 he really obtains the Hoqo plants and seeds.' Manuel was 

 always very taciturn and reserved. I said nothing at the time, 

 there being some thirty more of my Indians sittimr round the 

 large fire. The next day he reluctantly told me' how every 

 stranger on entering the Yungas was closely watched un- 

 observed by himself; how several seed-collectors had their 

 seed changed; how their germinating power was destroyed 

 by their o\m guides, servants, &c. He also showed me hoAV 

 all the Indians most implicitly believe, if by plants or seed 

 from the lungas, the cinchonas are successfully propao-ated in 

 other countries, all their own trees will perish. Such, I assure 

 you is their superstition. Although there are no laws prohibit- 

 ing the cinchona seed or plants being taken out of the country, 

 1 have seen private instructions from the Prefect in La Paz, 

 ordering strictest vigilance to prevent any person taking seed 

 or plants out of the country. More than half-a-dozen times I 

 have had my luggage, bedding, .U., searched when coming out 

 of the valley of the Yungas. [Mr. Ledger unsuccessfully 

 attempted to communicate with Mr. Tyiprkhnm xvhn „.,. ...^ 

 permitted to enter Bolivia.] 



« 



Mr. Markham, who was not 



You are aware how I am looked upon as a doctor by the 

 Indians. M ell, one day I said : '■ Manuel, I may some day 

 require some seed and flowers of the famous white flower, 

 rogo cascarrilla, as a remedy; and I shall rely on your not 

 deceiving me ,n the way you have told me.' He merely 

 said Matron, if you ever require such seed and flowers, I will 

 not deceive you.' And I thought no more about it. 



(■/. Markham's ' Travels in Peru and India.' 



