FROM MANAOS TO TARAPOTO 35 



the steep perpendicular walls which confine these 

 narrows, the Peruvians say very expressively that 

 the rivers in such places are boxed in ("encajonado"). 

 The pongo of the Huallaga commences a little 

 above Yurimaguas, and it takes two days to ascend 

 it when the river is pretty low when it is high the 

 pongo is impassable. Above the pongo are three 

 of the worst malos pasos (rapids and falls) in the 

 whole river. . . . 



The principal inhabitant of Tarapoto is a 

 Spaniard (a native of Mallorca) named Don Ignacio 

 Morey. We had known each other by name some 

 years, and he had signified to me that if I would 

 visit Tarapoto he would assist me as far as lay in 

 his power. From Yurimaguas I had advised him 

 of my approach, and he was kind enough to send a 

 couple of mules to meet me at Juan Guerra. 

 When you consider the amphibious life I had led 

 for six years, during a great part of which period 

 I had not so much as set sight on a horse, and that 

 for several years before leaving England I had 

 discontinued equestrian exercises, you will under- 

 stand that I found the transition from a canoe to 

 a horse rather abrupt. I am, however, too old a 

 traveller to be taken aback by anything, and 

 immediately made choice of one of the two animah 

 sent me a large white macho, whose stride was as 

 long as that of a racehorse, and whose caparisons 

 were altogether strange to me, especially the large 

 wooden stirrups, in form of a square pyramid, 

 a hole on one side for inserting the foot ; the whole 

 curiously sculptured. An Knglish hors 

 have felt weary with such trappings, but he 

 have stared in dismay at the road, though one 



