CiiAP. XV. SUGAR-BEER. 245 



worked by a single capstan-bar and a mnle, the juice flowing 

 into a glitter, and running thence, through a bamboo, into 

 a large jar. The juice is then placed in two long canoes, 

 hollow trunks of trees, where it is allowed to ferment. In 

 about eight days the fermentation is over, and it is ready 

 for distilling. Tliis sugar-beer is called huarapu, and is 

 i-ather good. The juice is then poured into a large jar, over 

 an oven, and above the mouth of this jar he places tlie 

 broken side of another smaller one, covering the joining 

 round with mud. From the mouth of the second jar a 

 bamboo is led through a large canoe to the mouth of a tliirtl 

 jar. The fire is lighted in the oven, the cauoo is filled with 

 cold water to condense the vapom- as it comes up through 

 the bamboo, and the work of distilling begins; the clear 

 colom'less rum soon commencing to flow out of the bamboo 

 into the receiviug-jar. The sugar-cane is of the purplish- 

 brown kind, which is said to ripen quickest. 



Gironda also raises a few edible roots, such as yuecis {Jato- 

 phra manihot), aracachas' {Canium maeulatum), camotes or 

 sweet potatoes, and ocas. He gave me the following informa- 

 tion respecting the climate and seasons in the valley of 

 Tambopata, which is worthy of attention, as this is the very 

 centre of the C. Calisaya region. 



January. — Incessant rain, mtli damp heat day and niglit. Sun never 

 seen. Frxiits ripen. 



February. — Incessant rain and very hot. Sun never seen. A coca 

 harvest. 



March. — Less rain, hot days and nights, little sun. Bananas yield most 

 during the rainy season. 



X.-pxi\. — Less rain ; hot, humid nights, and little sun in the daytime. 



May. — A showery month, but little heavy rain. This is the month for 

 planting coca and sugar-cane, and what is called the michca, or small 

 sowino- of maize, as well as yucas, aracachas, camotes, and other edible 

 roots, Cofiee-harvest begins. 



- An UmbeUifer. Tiie rootis taste I arc four kinds— white, yeUow, brown, 

 sonuthinK like a pai-snip, and tlicre | and reddish. 



