120 NOTES OF A BOTANIST CHAP. 



loose and wet, so that the fragments of gold sink 

 into it by their weight. 



At 4^ P.M. we reached the pueblo of Sara-yacu, 

 on the left bank. It stands on a steep ridge 15 feet 

 above the high-water mark of the river and distant 

 perhaps 200 yards. On each side of it and at a 

 short distance is a deep ravine with a rivulet ; at 

 the mouth the streams are barely 30 yards apart, 

 but the space between them widens higher up. 

 The track leading up to the pueblo has in one place 

 a steep slope on each side, with barely room for one 

 person to pass another. A barricade across this 

 strait would render it defensible by two men 

 against a hundred. This position has no doubt 

 been selected for the pueblo with an eye to its 

 defence from attacks of Infieles, and it is far 

 stronger than that of Andoas, though there is some 

 similarity. 



May 20 (Wednesday]. Our Indians from Andoas 

 should have returned home from Sara-yacu, but 

 as we found there neither Governor nor Curaca, 

 we persuaded them to go on with us to Puca-yacu, 

 where the Governor was at present residing, and so 

 paid then each 2 varas of Tocuyo for the additional 

 labour all save two who could not be persuaded 

 to go farther. This day was passed dully enough 

 in the port of Sara-yacu, waiting till the Indians 

 should stuff themselves with masuto; enlivened only 

 by disputes about the payment to Puca-yacu, such 

 as are unavoidable in all traffic with Indians. 



May 21 (Thursday].- . . . We left at an early 

 hour, and the slight rise of the waters gave 

 us more depth in the rapids, so that we got on 



