French Scientific Mission to the Pampa del Sacramento. 125 
along which the mountain torrents swept the snows they had received 
from the neighbouring peaks. These valleys are peopled with colobri 
or humming-birds of the most brilliant hues, and remains of the 
ancient Indian civilization could often be recognized among the noble 
trees of the forests. Ere long, we had to ascend a chain of moun- 
tains, whose summits seemed lost in the clouds. ‘The path wound 
along the mountain-side until it reached the limit of perpetual snow ; 
here we were enveloped in thick mist, and our limbs felt benumbed 
with cold. The sole inhabitant of those lofty regions is the condor, 
which keeps constantly swooping above the head of the traveller. 
We descended the eastern side of the Andes, by paths extremely 
narrow, and running along the edge of tremendous precipices, and 
reached at last the lovely valley of Santa Anna, abounding in 
sugar-canes, coffee, cocoa, and coca, Here, this last production is 
the most valuable of all; for whereas all the rest perish under foot, 
owing to the impossibility of transporting them to the coast, the 
coca, on the contrary, being an indispensable article of food to the 
Indians, always commands a ready sale. With no farther provision 
than a few handfuls of the leaves of this shrub, these will undertake 
an eight days’ journey, and even more. I doubt not, that ere long, 
this production of the soil will be in request in Europe; it strikes 
me, it might be serviceable above all to sailors, whom it might secure 
against the horrors of famine, so common in very long voyages. We 
were hospitably received at the fine farms that cover the valley, 
which are cultivated by Indians, paid at the rate of from a shilling to 
fifteen pence. But it is often difficult to procure labourers, and the 
proprietors complain much of their capricious tempers. 
We reached the small village of Echarate on the 29th of July, 
and remained there for some time, for the purpose of organizing the 
expedition, this being the last Peruvian settlement in that direction. 
Notwithstanding the minutest precautions, several of the soldiers 
had already deserted, and among these was the sergeant, who went 
off while relieving guard. This escort proved a most ridiculous 
affair. While on the march, there was always one officer at the 
head of the column and another brought up the rear; on arriving at 
a village or hacienda, the soldiers were locked up and guarded, by 
men belonging to the place, during the night, in spite of all which 
precautions, there was not one left on our arrival at Echarate. One 
of the officers even had left us on the road. 
Here, with much ado, we succeeded in engaging the services of eight 
men belonging to the district, and Fray Raymond Bousquet, an old 
French Franciscan missionary, who had penetrated into the Pampa 
del Sacramento forty years before, expressed a desire to accompany 
the expedition. bis monk, who had been born in Spain, although 
now verging on eighty, had resolved to give us the benefit of his ex- 
perience among the tribes of the wilderness, having been requested 
to do so by the Bishop of Cuzco. Ever in high spirits himself and 
