RESIDENCE AT TARAPOTO 



39 



descendants of two powerful tribes of Indians who 

 occupied the same site when the first whites came 

 from Lamas, about seventy years ago, to found Tara- 

 poto. Looking over the pueblo from my house, I 

 am reminded by the general aspect of an English 

 village in some agricultural district, though the 

 accessories are different. Here and there in the 

 forest (which is mostly low, though there are a few 

 lofty relics of the old primeval woods) are verdant 

 spots whereon pasture various domestic animals : 

 horses, mules, cows, pigs, turkeys and other fowls. 

 On their margins, or from amid the forest, peep 

 out the straw roofs of cottages, often accompanied 

 by plantain gardens and by orange and other fruit 

 trees. Beyond the pueblo stretches a plain towards 

 the S.E. and S., while towards the E. and N.E. 

 the ground gently rises, to fall again into the deep 

 valley of the Aguashiyacu. The plain is bounded 

 by a low ridge of Lamas shales, whereon a red 

 loam predominates and gives to the ridge the 

 appellation of Piica-lama. A broad red road is 

 seen winding over it which leads to the fields and 

 gardens of Aguashiyacu. 



The track leading to Chasuta passes through 

 the village of Cumbasa in an easterly direction. 

 After crossing the Aguashiyacu it emerge? 

 very wide plain of loose sand, covered chiefly 

 coarse grasses and low scattered trees. 1 

 pajonal (open campo) is not visible from Tarapoto, 

 but it extends nearly to Pura-yucu. Immediate 

 across this stream and a littl<- more than two 



1 Among these are Curatcllii <//< ;/'.. /;/,/. I 'ina with 

 a strange-looking Tiliacea, and a prickly Xanth"\ 

 abominable odour of bugs when brui 



