XXVIII 



HIDDEN TREASURE 515 



the curve the point already reached, merely implies 

 that you are to turn back and ascend the mountain 

 in a winding course till you reach the middle of the 

 south side of it. So far you have been going through 

 forest, but now you are told " On this side thou 

 wilt find a pajonal (pasture) in a small plain " (show- 

 ing that you have reached a considerable height), 

 " which having crossed thou wilt come on a canon 

 between two hills, which is the way of the Inca." 

 This canon is clearly the upper part of the " Chushpi 

 pongo," while the " Encanado de Sacha pamba " is 

 almost certainly the beginning of the " way of the 

 Inca." The explorers will now have reached the 

 area bounded by the three volcanoes of the " Guide " 

 -the Margasitas will be behind them, Zunchu- 

 urcu on his right, and the great volcano Topo in 

 front, and it is from this point only that they will be 

 in a position to look out for the remaining marks of 

 the " Route" -the socabon or tunnel " in the form 

 of a church porch," and evidently still far above them, 

 the cascade and the quaking -bog, passing to the 

 right of which is the way to " ascend the mountain," 

 going " above the cascade " and " round the offshoot 

 of the mountain " to reach the socabon. Then you 

 will be able to find the Guayra (or furnace), and to 

 reach the "third mountain," which must be the 

 Topo, you are to pass the socabon " either in front 

 or behind it, for the water of the lake falls into it." 

 This evidently means the lake mentioned in the 

 first sentence of the "Guide" as being the place 

 where the gold prepared for the ransom of the Inca 

 was hidden. The last sentence of the " Guide " 

 refers to what must be done if you miss the turning 

 shown by the hieroglyph, in which case you have 



