VIEW OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS. 2G5 



After climbing upward the greater portion of tlie day, 

 we at length stood upon the very crest of the Cordillera, 

 at an elevation of almost three miles, and looked down 

 into the tropical valley of the Amazons. Not more per- 

 fect could have been the contrast between that view and 

 our last of the valley of Quito. The Qu.itonian plains pre- 

 sented a scene of perfect repose ; with the clouds lying in 

 heavy banks in the transversal valleys, or resting in long- 

 drifts upon the flanks of the Western Cordillera. Over 

 the summit of the ridge, in the Amazonian Valley, the 

 trade-winds were dashing heavy clouds against that gigan- 

 tic mountain-wall, or sweeping them wildly up the steep 

 slopes of the paramos. It was only through the rents, torn 

 in the clouds, that we could catch a glimpse of the great 

 forest, which seemed to roll like a dark sea into the deep 

 valleys between the outlying spurs of the Andes. 



Starting down the eastern slope, our horses leaped 

 across a rivulet, the first waters of the Amazons, now a 

 little stream half lost in the tall grass of the moorland, 

 before reaching the sea a majestic river, presenting to the 

 voyager a blank horizon of water and sky. We passed 

 the night at a tambo two thousand feet below the summit 

 of the Cordillera. Snow whitened the surrounding moun- 

 tains, as, the following morning, we set out for Papallacta, 

 the terminus of our ride. A short distance from our 

 tambo we found ourselves upon the borders of a little 

 lake, formed by a stream of lava from Antisana flowing 

 across the bed of a mountain-stream. After leaving this 

 lake, our trail became fearful, even for the Andes, often 

 dropping down by means of steps formed of the trunks 

 of trees, laid transversely, down which our trained horses 

 carefully descended sidewise. At times we rode along 

 the wall of the ancient lava-stream which poured down 

 the slope. Reaching Papallacta, we were greeted by the 

 Indian governor, wlio received us in liis own hut, spread 

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