296 NOTES OF A BOTANIST CHAP. 



caterpillars, which also had to be combated. In 

 short, it is impossible to detail here all the ob- 

 stacles encountered, and which only Mr. Cross's 

 unremitting watchfulness enabled him to surmount. 

 As his labours have been crowned by success, he 

 may perhaps give a separate account of them, 

 which will necessarily be fuller and more accurate 

 than any I could furnish. 



The passage of troops still went on for some 

 days after Mr. Cross's arrival at Limon. A good 

 deal of rain had fallen in the upper woody region 

 and the roads were horrible. The poor beasts of 

 burden, ill-treated and with their heavy loads ill- 

 adjusted, had their backs worn into sores, and 

 many of them sank under their burdens. Wher- 

 ever a beast gave in, there it was turned adrift. 

 In the warm forest, maggots soon filled their sores 

 and ate into their very entrails ; so, after wandering 

 about for a time, most pitiable objects, they at 

 length nearly all died. Between Guaranda and 

 Ventanas not fewer than 300 dead horses and 

 mules strewed the track and the adjacent forest, 

 and above 20 carcasses were laid within nose-shot 

 of our hut. I set the Indians to roll them into 

 ditches and hollows, and cover them with branches 

 and earth, but the horrid smell turned their 

 stomachs and they never half performed the task. 

 During the day, whilst we were going about, we 

 did not feel so much inconvenience, but when the 

 night breeze filled our hut with the vile odour we 

 found it impossible to sleep. Now I smoked 

 awhile, and then I lay down, covering my face 

 with a handkerchief wetted with camphorated 

 spirit, but all in vain. When I considered the fate 



