SUMMARY OF THE CONTENTS OF VOL. II. 337 



Alpine vegetation of the Paramos. Remains of ancient Peruvian 

 artificial roads ; they rise in the Paramo del Assuay almost to the 

 height of the summit of Mont Blanc . . . 269277 



Singular mode of communication by a " swimming post" messenger. 



Descent to the Amazons river. Vegetation round Chamaya and 

 Tomependa; Red Groves of Bougainvillaea. Ridges of rock 

 traverse the Amazons. Its breadth at the Pongo de Manseriche 

 less than 160 English feet. The falling in of masses of rock at 

 Rentema left the bed of the river below the falls dry for some hours, 

 to the great alarm of those who lived on the banks . 279 281 



Passage across the chain of the Andes at the part where it is inter- 

 sected by the magnetic equator. Ammonites nearly 15 English 

 inches long, Echini, and Isocardias of the cretaceous group, 

 collected between Guambos and Montan, 12790 English feet above 

 the level of the sea. Rich silver mines of Chota. The pictu- 

 resquely towering Cerro de Gualgayoc. Large mass of pure 

 native silver in filaments or wire found in the Pampa de Navar. 

 A fine piece of pure gold, wound round with similar threads of 

 silver, found in the Choropampa (field of shells), so called from the 

 numerous fossils. Outbursts of silver and gold ores amongst the 

 cretaceous rocks. The small mountain town of Micuipampa is 

 11874 English feet above the level of the sea . . 282286 



From the mountain wilderness of the Paramo de Yanaguanga the 

 traveller descends into the beautiful valley, or rather plateau, 

 of Caxamarca (the elevation of which is nearly equal to that of 

 the city of Quito). Hot baths of the Incas. Ruins of the 

 Palace of Atahuallpa inhabited by his descendants, the family of 

 Astorpilco, who live there in the greatest poverty. Strong belief 

 of the still remaining subterranean " golden gardens" of the Inca 

 beneath the ruins ; such certainly existed in the valley of Yucay, 

 VOL. II. Z 



