IN THE ECUADOREAN ANDES 183 



lake (Myriophyllum, Lemna, and Callitriche). 

 Guayrapata is almost as mossy as Abitagua, and 

 much more flowery. 



[In a letter to his friend Mr. Teasdale, written 

 a few days later, there are some details which are 

 additional to those given to Mr. Bentham. After 

 describing the journey to Banos in much the same 

 terms, he proceeds : 



September 14, 1857. 



Banos is a poor little place of about a thousand 

 souls ; and it takes its name from certain hot 

 springs that well out at the foot of a cataract of 

 very cold water, falling from an offshoot of Tungu- 

 ragua. The patron saint " Nuestra Senora de las 

 Aguas Santas " -is a very miraculous saint, ' and 

 " romeros" (i.e. pilgrims) come to adore at her shrine 

 from far-away towns. In large troops they come- 

 bathe nine days in the hot wells, assist at nine 

 masses, rosarios, and processions, get drunk every 

 night of the nine all in honour of the virgin and 

 then, after these " actas de devocion," as they are 

 called, return to their homes rejoicing, having 

 fulfilled some previously-made promise to the saint, 

 and feeling secure of her protection for the future. 



Banos is nearly 6000 feet above the sea, and 

 nestles under Tunguragua in the gorge of the 

 Pastasa, where the deep narrow valley widens out 

 a little at the estuary of a small river (the Bacciin) 

 which rushes down from the volcano. In the 

 village we have oranges, bananas, and sugar- 

 cane, and on the hills close by barley, beans, and 

 potatoes. Wheat is grown farther up the Andes, 



