Chap. XVII. VALLEY OF SANDIA. 277 



Martel's son and liis party stationed on the verge of the 

 pajonal. They were evidently waiting for us, but did not 

 attempt to impede our passage, and a display of my revolver, 

 although it may have been very efficacious, was perfectly 

 harmless, as the powder was quite damp. The young Martel 

 asked the Indians in Quiclma how they dared to carry the 

 plants, and called after them that they would be seized at 

 Sandia ; but he was civil to me, and we continued our journey 

 peaceably, though full of apprehensions at the turn affairs 

 might take on our arrival at Sandia. 



^Ve had to cross the same country as we had traversed in 

 our journey to the Tambopata valley ; and, in skirting along 

 the verge of a ridge, near the Marun-kunka, the cargo-mule 

 fell headlong down a precipice of twenty feet, into a dense 

 mass of trees and underwood. We could see the poor beast's 

 legs kicking in the air, but it was long before we coidd 

 reach her, and more than two hours before a circuitous 

 path could be cut and cleared away to extricate her. We 

 encamped on the pajonal, and next day, after a very labo- 

 rious walk of twelve hours, we reached the Ypara tambo, 

 in the valley of Sandia, Mr. Weir having collected twenty 

 plants of Calisaya JosepMana on the way. On May 1-ith we 

 continued our jouniey towards Sandia, and collected fifty-five 

 more plants of Calisaya JosepJiiana on the pajonal of Paccay- 

 samana^ chiefly seedlings. 



The water of the numerous cascades is very refreshing, and 

 as beautiful in its limpid transparency as when it dashes down 

 the rocks in dazzling streams of purest white. We were now 

 too in the land of luscious oranges and chii'imoyas. The com- 

 monest bird in the valley of Sandia is the cuchu, a kind of 

 larire crow, with a shrill weak caw. It has a long yeUow bill, 

 greenish-brown body and wings, rump-feathers red, and a long 

 bright yellow tail, with a black line down the centre. The 

 ouchus walk about the fields eating the youug maize, and 



