12 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 69 



exhausted and operating companies became bankrupt before reor- 

 ganization and further development led to the discovery of new- 

 lodes. At the time of our visit a French company was in possession 

 and through the courtesy of the manager, M. Masse, and directors, 

 M. Michel and M. Degoutin, comfortable quarters, transportation 

 and other facilities were provided, without which much of the work 

 accomplished would have been difficult or impossible. The mines 

 were almost ideally located as a base from which to carry on field 

 investigations. Heavily forested mountain slopes cut by numerous 

 streams were of easy access behind the town, while open fields, old 

 clearings and marshy meadows in the valley added to the wealth of 

 environmental combinations. 



From February 24 to April 11 work w^as pushed as rapidly as 

 possible, mainly at various levels from 1,800 to 3.500 feet altitude in 

 the vicinity of the mines. 



In early March two days Avere devoted to a trip to the crest of 

 Mount Pirre to locate a convenient point from which to carry on 

 more extensive exploration of the upper slopes. Although only 

 five or six miles distant from the mines, the top of the range is almost 

 unknown, except to the Choco Indians. An old Indian route along 

 the crest is distinct in places and obliterated in others. Choosing a 

 ridge between the canyons of the Rio Escucha Ruido and the Rio 

 Limon a trail was cut through the forest from the Cana Valley to 

 the summit near the extreme headwaters of the latter stream where 

 my aneroid, set at the known elevation at the mines, and carried up 

 the same day, recorded an altitude of 5,300 feet, and a spring at 

 5,100 feet was fixed upon as a field base. The dry season affecting the 

 general region was at its height, but above about 4,500 feet we 

 entered a zone shut in by clouds and the forest dripping with mois- 

 ture contrasted strongly with the arid conditions prevailing a short 

 distance below^ 



In the latter part of March a week spent at Marraganti enabled 

 me to secure rare material in the tidal area under the favorable con- 

 ditions afforded by the long drought and resulting low water. 



Early in April several thunder storms occurred, but the weather 

 at the gold mines still continued generally dry, and the air became 

 very noticeably hazy, a condition regarded by the people as presaging 

 the coming of the rainy season. Meanwhile the stridulation of 

 cicadas had increased in volume until the notes of many insects 

 often blended in a shrill, vibrant chorus loud enough to interfere 

 appreciably with the detection of other forest sounds. 



