RESIDENCE AT TARAPOTO 89 



without suffering from mosquitoes, though a snake 

 may creep to his side for warmth, or he may be 

 disturbed by the invasion of a jaguar, especially if 

 he has allowed his fire to get low. Tambos are 

 always placed near good water, and as every 

 traveller carries his coffee-pot and provisions, he 

 has it in his power to enjoy one of the greatest of 

 earthly pleasures a cup of good coffee after a long 

 and fatiguing walk or ride. Pans for cooking can 

 rarely be carried, but meat and plantains can easily 

 be roasted. 



The inhabitants of Tarapoto have often good 

 broad roads to their farms and cane-mills, especially 

 when several of these lie in the same direction. A 

 great obstacle to the use of these, and indeed of all 

 other roads, is in the swelling of streams and the 

 improvidence of the people in making no bridges ; 

 and though the waters generally fall as rapidly as 

 they have risen, several hours must sometimes be 

 passed on the banks, at great inconvenience or loss, 

 awaiting their abatement. 



[Besides this main western route to Moyobambu, 

 two other roads or mule-tracks lead out of Tarapoto 

 to the south and east. That to Juan Guerra has 

 been referred to in Spruce's letter to Teasi 

 describing his journey to Tarapoto. Another goe 

 nearly due east till, after crossing the rivers Shillicaio 

 and Aguashiyacu, with their intervening hill 

 ridges, it sends a branch south-westwards, and then 

 again eastward to Chapaja on the Huallaga river, 

 while the main route continues over a high : 

 of Mount Guayrapurima to Chasuta, at th 

 entrance of the pongo of that river, 

 these roads Spruce collected assiduous! 



