202 PROVINCE OF CARAVAYA. Chap. XII. 



the chief stream of Marcapata, and all the workmen ran 

 away, and could not be induced to return. This was in about 

 the year 1788. 



For forty years after this event coca-farms and gold- wash- 

 ings were alike abandoned in Marcapata, until in 1828 the 

 cura of the village of that name, Dr. Pedro Flores, again 

 opened a road into the valleys, and, with some associates, 

 established several farms for raising coca and fruit. In 1836 

 a company was formed by several young adventurers, the 

 chief of whom were Jose Maria Pacheco of Cuzco and Jose 

 Maria Ochoa* of Huara, with the object of again discovering 

 the long-lost golden hill of Camante. The party assembled 

 at Ocongate, in the cold region of the Andes, whence the 

 distance to Marcapata, at the commencement of the warm 

 valleys, is fourteen leagues over a bad road, which traverses 

 the Cordillera of Ausungate and Pirhuayani. From Marca- 

 pata the two adventm*ers Pacheco and Ochoa, both active and 

 intrepid young men, advanced into the forests with fourteen 

 Indians, and a stock of chunus and dried meat. These ex- 

 plorers penetrated for several leagues, following the course of 

 the Vilca-mayu, but their expedition led to no practical 

 results.^ In 1851 Colonel Bologenesi became the manager of 

 an expedition for collecting chinchona-bark in the forests of 

 Marcapata, and proceeded to the scene of his labom-s, accom- 

 panied by a young Englishman named George Backhouse. 

 They advanced into the forests until they fell in with parties 

 of wild Chuncho Indians, who were propitiated by presents 

 of knives and other trifles, and induced to assist young- 

 Backhouse and his party in collecting bark. Some of the 

 Chunchos, however, who had received knives, neglected to 



* Brother of the present rector of the 

 university of Cuzco. 



* Account of the Valleys of Marca- 

 patti, by Don Jose Maria Pacheco. 



Museo Erudilo del Cuzco, 183'J, No. j Scenes et Paysages dans les Andes. 

 21. ^ee also au accoimt of a journey ! 



down the course of the river Marca- 

 pata as far as its junction with the 

 OUachea, signed Paul Mareoy, in the 

 Revue Contemporaine, torn. 4""=, 1860. 



