Chap. XIII. RIVERS SANDIA AND HUACCUYO. 219 



In tlie morning of April 20th I rode down the beautiful 

 gorge to the confluence of the rivers of Sandia and Huaccuyo. 

 After this junction the stream becomes a roaring torrent, 

 dashing over huge rocks, and descending rapidly down the 

 ravine towards Sandia. On both sides vast masses of dark 

 frowning mountains rear themselves up for thousands of feet, 

 and end in fantastically shaped peaks, some of them veiled 

 by thin fleecy clouds. The vegetation rapidly increased in 

 luxuriance with the descent. At first there were low shrubs, 

 such as Baccharis odorata, Weinmannia fagaroides, &c. ; which 

 gradually gave place to trees and large bushes ; while all the 

 way from Cuyo-cuyo there were masses of ferns of many kmds, 

 Begonias, Calceolarias, Lupins, Salvias, and Celsias. Water- 

 falls streamed down the mountains in every direction : some 

 in a white sheet of continuous foam for hundreds of feet, 

 finally seeming to plunge into huge beds of ferns and flowers ; 

 some like driven spray ; and in one place a fall of water 

 coidd be seen between two peaks, which seemed to fall into 

 the clouds below. 



A most glorious and enchanting scene, allowing little 

 time to think of the road, which was very bad, and in many 

 places most perilous. In its best parts it was like a steep 

 back-attic staircase after an earthquake. Three leagues frcim 

 Cuyo-cuyo is the confluence of the torrent of Nacorequi with 

 the river of Sandia ; and after this point maize beguis to be 

 cultivated, where the craggy jutting cliffs permit, between 

 the river and the mountains. The Indians live in epie-like 

 huts, perched at great heights, here and there, amongst the 

 maize terraces. The village of Sandia is at a distance of 

 fifteen miles from Cuyo-cuyo, down this ravine, a dilapidated 

 little place, with more than half the houses roofless and in 

 ruins. It is built along the banks of the river, and has a 

 church in the ijlaza. The mountains rise up all round it, 

 almost perpendicularly, forming a close amphitheatre ; and 



