240 THE PAJONALES. Chap. XV. 



CHAPTEE XV. 



CARAVAYA. 



Chinchona forests of Tambopata. 



On the morning of April 27tii we crossed a rude bridge over 

 the Huari-huari, and began to make our way up the face of 

 the steep mountain on the other side, first through a thick 

 forest, and then up into the gi-assy highlands, until, after 

 several halts, we at length reached the summit of the ridge, 

 though a mountain-peak still rose up in our rear. From 

 this point there was a most extensive panoramic view. A 

 sea of ridges rose one behind the other, with stupendous 

 snowy peaks in the background, and, more than a thousand 

 feet below, the rivers of Sandia and Huari-huari, reduced to 

 mere glittering tln-eads, could be seen winding through the 

 tortuous ravines. We had now reached the pajonales, and 

 were on a ridge or back-bone between the rivers of Laccani 

 and San Lorenzo, two tributaries of the Huari-huari ; a 

 grass-covered and comparatively cold region, interspersed 

 with thickets, forming the crest of the tropical forests which 

 line the sides of the ravines through which the rivers wind, 

 far below. 



When there is sunshine, these pajonales form a very plea- 

 sant landscape : the broad expanse of grass, dotted over with 

 a gi-aceful milk-white flower called sayri-sayri, is intersected 

 by dense thickets, some in the gullies and watercourses, and 

 others in clumps, like those in an English park, the palms 

 and tree-ferns raising their graceful heads above the rest of 

 the trees. Here and there a black pool of sweet water is 

 met with at the edge of the thicket, with chinchona and hua- 



