THE FORESTS OF ALAUSI 237 



journey farther down. I brought recommendations 

 from Ambato, and the people seemed willing to 

 assist me ; but the houses were so miserable, so 

 full of dirt and vermin, and so utterly destitute of 

 furniture (for I could procure neither bedstead, 

 chair, nor table), that I saw I should work on my 

 plants with infinitely less comfort than I used to 

 do in a palm-hut in the warm forest. Another and 

 greater difficulty was the procuring of food for my 

 beasts, for all the pastures were dried up, and a 

 man who sold me alfalfa for two days then told me 

 he could spare no more. About a league from 

 Chiinchi, and 1000 feet lower down, there is a cane- 

 farm called Guataxi, whose owner, Senor Jose Leon, 

 I had known in Riobamba. Almost in despair, 

 I rode down to consult with him, and he at once 

 invited me to take up my quarters in the hacienda, 

 where he has a good house, with neatly-papered 

 rooms and decent furniture. The cane-grounds 

 extend along the banks of a stream, which before 

 falling into the Chanchan forms a considerable lake, 

 on whose shores there was still a little herbage ; 

 besides that a few squares near the house were 

 planted with alfalfa. 



On the third day after "establishing myself at 

 Guataxi, having procured a guide, I proceeded to 

 Lucmas, a short day's journey lower down the 

 river, where there are a few small chacras tenanted 

 by Indians and Zambos. There I was told I should 

 be near the Cascarilla roja (Red Bark), and I was 

 recommended to a person called Bermeo, who had 

 worked a good deal at getting out cascarilla and 

 sarsaparilla. I at once secured his services, and, 

 as he turned out an honest, active fellow, I took 



