HIDDEN TREASURE 493 



I ascertained also that the botanist above alluded 

 to was a Don Atanasio Guzman, who resided some 

 time in the town of Pillaro, whence he headed 

 many expeditions in quest of the gold of Llan- 

 ganati. He made also a map of the Llanganatis, 

 which was supposed to be still in existence. Guzman 

 and his companions, although they found no deposit 

 of gold, came on the mouths of several silver and 

 copper mines, which had been worked in the time 

 of the Incas, and ascertained the existence of other 

 metals and minerals. They began to work the 

 mines at first with ardour, which soon, however, 

 cooled down, partly in consequence of intestine 

 quarrels, but chiefly because they became disgusted 

 with that slow mode of acquiring wealth when there 

 was molten gold supposed to be hidden close by ; 

 so the mines were at length all abandoned. This 

 is said to have taken place early in the present 

 century, but the exact date I can by no means 

 ascertain. Guzman is reported to have met with 

 Humbolclt, and to have shown his drawings of 

 plants and animals to that prince of travellers. He 

 died about 1806 or 1808, in the valley of Leytu, 

 about four leagues eastward of Ambato, at a small 

 farmhouse called now Leytillo, but marked on his 

 map San Antonio. He was a somnambulist, and 

 having one night walked out of the house while 

 asleep, he fell clown a steep place and so perished. 

 This is all I have been able to learn, and I fear no 

 documents now exist which can throw any further 

 light on the story of his life, though a botanical 

 manuscript of his is believed to be still preserved in 

 one of the archives of Quito. I made unceasing 

 inquiries for the map, and at length ascertained 



