136 NOTES OF A BOTANIST CHAP, 



by the side of which our course lay for above an 

 hour, sometimes crossing it, sometimes plodding 

 among stones and mud on its margin. At length 

 we turned away to the right and began to ascend 

 to a ridge, which gradually runs higher and sharper, 

 like many such in the Andes, whence they are 

 called cuchillas (knives). It separates the valley 

 of the Tinguisa from that of the Bombonasa. As 

 we ascended it, we had often on our left a steep 

 bare barranco of sand -rock and pebbly alluvium, 

 quite like what I had remarked along the Bom- 

 bonasa. At 2 r.M. we had come out on high ground, 

 nearly level, but still with steep declivities left 

 and right where a cool wind was blowing. Though 

 so early, our men declared that there we must pass 

 the night, because it was the accustomed stopping- 

 place on the first day from Canelos, and they set 

 to work to clear the ground and to collect materials 

 for ranches. Here, as in most other places on the 

 way, we occupied four ranches, one for myself and 

 my servant, and the other three for the cargueros, 

 who generally chose a site a little retired say, 

 thirty paces or more from our rancho. The ranchos 

 were merely a fall-to roof, resting on the ground, 

 and were erected in this way. Two stout sticks 

 about 9 feet long were stuck sloping into the 

 ground, about 4 to 6 feet apart ; across these were 

 tied palm -fronds, after the fashion of large tiles, 

 till the roof had reached the required width, and it 

 was then secured at an angle of about 45 by 

 a forked stick stuck in front of each of the two 

 whereon the roof was framed. The palm-fronds 

 used were those of two species of Iriartea and of 

 Wettinia Maynensis. Of the Iriartea, the fronds 



