186 CHACUK-CHACA. Chap. XI. 



tive ; hama-hama, the root of a valerian, said to be an excel- 

 lent specific against epilepsy ;^ and many others, the native 

 names of which, with their uses, were given me, but I was 

 unacquainted with their botanical names. Generally when 

 the name of a plant is repeated twice in Quichua it denotes 

 the possession of some medicinal property. 



On the morning of our departm*e from Lampa the ground 

 was covered with snow, which was slowly melting under the 

 sun's rays. Immediately after leaving the town the path 

 winds up a steep mountain range called Chacun-chaca, the 

 sides of the precipitous slopes being well clothed with quenua- 

 trees {Polylepis tomentella, Wedd.), which are gnai'led and 

 stunted, with dark-green leaves, and the bark of the trunk 

 peeKng like that of a yew. Theii* sombre foliage contrasted 

 with the light-green tufts of stipa, and the j)atches of snow. 

 The pass was long and dangerous, with little torrents pouring 

 down every rut ; and on its summit was the usual paeheta, or 

 caim, which the Indians erect on every conspicuous point. 

 The path descends on the other side into a long narrow plain, 

 with the hacienda of Chacun-chaca on the opposite side. The 

 buildings are sm-rounded by quenua-trees, and in their rear 

 two remarkable peaked hills rise up abruptly, clothed with 

 the same trees, with ridges of rock cropping out at intervals. 

 Their sides were dotted with cattle, tended by pretty little 

 cow-gii*ls, armed with slings, and some of them playing the 

 pincullu, or Indian flute. The plain was covered with long 

 gTass, in a saturated and spongy state, and groves of queiiua- 

 trees grew thickly in the gullies of the mountains on either 

 side. After a ride of several leagues over the plain, latterly 

 along the banks of the river Pucara, I turned a point of the 

 road, and suddenly came in sight of the almost perpendicular 

 mountain, closely resembling the northern end of the rock of 



- The three latter are also meutioned by Haeuke. 



