492 NOTES OF A BOTANIST CHAP. 



I could not leave Ambato and Riobamba, where 

 my goods were deposited, for more than a few 

 days together. I obtained, however, indisputable 

 evidence that the " Derrotero " or Guide to Llan- 

 ganati of Valverde had been sent by the King of 

 Spain to the Corregidors of Tacunga and Ambato, 

 along with a Cedula Real (Royal Warrant) com- 

 manding those functionaries to use every diligence 

 in seeking out the treasure of the Incas. That one 

 expedition had been headed by the Corregidor of 

 Tacunga in person, accompanied by a friar, Padre 

 Longo, of considerable literary reputation. The 

 Derrotero was found to correspond so exactly with 

 the actual localities, that only a person intimately 

 acquainted with them could have drawn it up ; and 

 that it could have been fabricated by any other 

 person who had never been out of Spain was an 

 impossibility. This expedition had nearly reached 

 the end of the route, when one evening the Padre 

 Longo disappeared mysteriously, and no traces of 

 him could be discovered, so that whether he had 

 fallen into a ravine near which they were encamped, 

 or into one of the morasses which abound all over 

 that region, is to this day unknown. After searching 

 for the Padre in vain for some days, the expedition 

 returned without having accomplished its object. 



The Cedula Real and Derrotero were deposited 

 in the archives of Tacunga, whence they dis- 

 appeared about twenty years ago. So many people 

 were admitted to copy them that at last some one, 

 not content with a copy, carried off the originals. I 

 have secured a copy of the Derrotero, bearing date 

 August 14, 1827 ; but I can meet with no one who 

 recollects the date of the original documents. 



