234 NOTES OF A BOTANIST CHAP. 



bearing numerous spikes of lilac or violet flowers ; 

 and farther down the latter grew so abundantly that 

 it covered the whole hill-side with a mass of aromatic 

 flowers, which was an agreeable change from the 

 sterile paramo. The road ran parallel to the 

 Pumachaca, but at a vast height above it. It was 

 well on in the afternoon when we reached the 

 village of Ticsan, still in the cool region, and, as we 

 calculated on finding more comfortable quarters in 

 Alausi, which was two leagues ahead, we resolved 

 to try to reach it, which we accomplished just after 

 nightfall, having in the day made ten leagues. 

 With some trouble we succeeded in getting a little 

 food for ourselves ; but food for our beasts was of 

 more importance, and we could get none. At 

 4 o'clock the following morning I roused my people 

 and sent them out to the neighbouring farms in 

 quest of alfalfa (lucerne). They returned bringing 

 a mule-load, which, though an insufficient quantity, 

 was better than none, and we delayed our journey 

 until 8 o'clock in order that the poor animals might 

 eat, for we had this day only five leagues before us. 

 Our road now turned to the right, while that 

 to Cuenca continues southward and crosses the 

 elevated ridge of Azuay. We still followed the 

 course of the Pumachaca, which gradually turns 

 westward, and bursts through the Cordillera in a 

 gorge so deep and narrow that with difficulty has a 

 narrow path been cut along the declivity on the 

 southern side. The whole five leagues from Alausi 

 to Chiinchi consists of steep ascents and descents, 

 and of perilous crossings of precipitous slopes, not 

 to be passed without a shudder ; for the track is in 

 many places so narrow that two persons mounted 



