6 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 69 



use as far as the base of the mountains, and native packers for work 

 on the steep, forested slopes. 



On March 20 we left Chepo and traveled about 20 miles, mainly 

 in a westerly course over the " sabanas," crossing the Rio Pacora and 

 turning northward into the forest which forms here a heavy, un- 

 broken cover from the basal slopes of the mountains to their summits 

 and across the Isthmus to the Atlantic coast. The line of demarca- 

 tion is sharply drawn and we passed almost at a single stride from 

 the broad expanse of brilliantly sunlit savanna into the somber 

 depths of the forest. The pack animals were sent back, and the 

 following day our porters moved the camp equipment about three 

 miles up stream courses, through rough, rocky country to a place 

 called " Cabobre," at 800 feet altitude, on a branch of the Rio Pacora. 



A palm-leaf shelter was erected and a comfortable permanent camp 

 established for work on the mountains. Myriads of tiny ticks and 

 innumerable larger ones were, however, found somewhat trouble- 

 some at this locality. 



Taking two porters, provided with machetes for clearing a trail, 

 and a native hunter, I ascended from camp to the summit of Cerro 

 Azul, March 22. Except in a few places the way was only moder- 

 ately steep, the most difficult part being at the lower levels where the 

 most practicable route was along stream beds strewn with large, 

 smooth, slippery boulders. Especially when wet these boulders 

 afTord a very insecure foothold and several of us were precipitated 

 into the stream, much to the amusement of the remainder of the 

 party. On the upper slopes the forest is of smaller but denser 

 growth, and evidences a much more humid climate above 2,000 feet 

 elevation. The summit, at 3,000 feet, and north slopes for at least 

 500 feet below, are clothed with a dense growth of low trees, loaded 

 with moss, orchids, and bro'nieliaceous plants, and similar vegetation 

 is massed in places upon the ground. The Cerro Azul is the highest 

 peak of a range extending north of east from Culebra, increasing 

 in height toward the eastern end west of the Pacora River. Owing 

 to the heavy forest no very clear view could be obtained toward the 

 northwest from the summit, but in that direction a lower range evi- 

 dently connects with the mountains along the Atlantic coast and 

 separates the Chagres and Pacora watersheds. The northern and 

 eastern slopes are steep and descend to the Pacora, the upper course 

 of which is through rugged country, the river partially encircling 

 the mountain. The air was hazy, but over low, uniformly forested 

 mountains toward the northeast the Caribbean Sea could be seen; 



