ON THE CASCARILLAS OF 
luxuriantly, that it is expected the first 
years produce might, with great ease, 
amount to 12,000 arrobas (in value about 
60,000 pes. dur.) During the war, the 
bark obtained from the yungas or mode- 
rately elevated mountain-forests of Bolivia, 
came an article of commerce, finding its 
way into Europe by Arica. It is called 
Calisaya, an erroneous name, destitute of 
any meaning, and which ought to be spelt 
Collisalla, as its etymology is “ Colla," 
which signifies remedy, and “ Salla,” rocky 
ground. Like the Cinchona of the lower 
Peruvian provinces, the Bolivian tree affects 
the stony hills, and there exclusively pro- 
duces a good and powerful bark. Perhaps 
it is the accession of foreign capital, and 
not the superior quality of the article itself, 
which induces the merchants of Lima, 
many of whom are mainly dependent on 
Arica, to recommend and patronize exclu- 
sively the Ca/isaya, while they refuse to 
vend the bark of Huanuco. It is impossi- 
ble at present to obtain an accurate account 
of the number of arrobas of the latter, 
which in more prosperous times used to 
be transmitted to Lima, as much of it was 
purchased by small and inferior specu- 
lators, who declined any connexion with 
Some 
old citizens of that place, who were in- 
debted to the bark trade for their wealth, 
have stated to me that about 24,000 arrobas 
(of 25 Spanish lbs.) may have been ex- 
ported from the province in the best years ; 
and that estimable person, Don José Es- 
pinosa, who formerly occupied the first 
in this class, adds, that the speculators, 
who, possessing no landed property, ram- 
bled in the woods to collect the article, 
Seldom obtained more than 300 or 400 
arrobas each; whilst the proprietors of large 
- haciendas, who, naturally enough, permit- 
ted no Stranger to fell and strip the Cin- 
chonas in their woods, frequently accumu- 
za lated, according to the size of their dis- 
tricts, from 2,000 to 3,000 arrobas a- 
piece. Cuchero can boast of the greatest 
bundance of these trees, and one of its 
former proprietors, Don José Bidurrezaga, 
Was enabled to procure from his woods, 
* 
245 
6,000 arrobas, which, at the common price, 
produced more than 90,000 pes. dur. At 
present this trade may be considered ex- 
tinct in the province of -Huanuco, for 
scarcely 50 arrobas find their way to Lima, 
in small quantities, and are there used for 
mixing with the inferior Bolivian sorts, or 
added to improve the flavour of the best 
Truxillo kinds, which occur in very small 
quantities in commerce, and may be con- 
sidered as the very worst article of all. 
When the great haciendas were searched 
for the Fever Bark, the business was con- 
ducted systematically, as it might have 
been in the forests of Europe. The first 
point was to obtain an accurate knowledge 
of the place, by separating the whole into 
different departments. Remote excursions 
were not undertaken, as the workmen — 
always saw the buildings of the hacienda 
so near as to enable them to return within 
a few hours; and the whole employment 
was only pursued occasionally. The man- 
ner of proceeding was altogether different 
when the speculator, who had no land of 
his own, was obliged to search for bark 
on the high mountains on the other side of 
the Huallaga, and at the sources of Tulu- 
mayo. The people employed were indi- 
viduals residing near the Cinchona districts, 
who, being much too proud for dai í 
CUCHERO AND HUANUCO. 
aily 
agricultural toil, assume to themselves the 
title of Cascarilleros, or bark -collectors ; 
and considering themselves to belong to a 
much higher station than the peon, or day 
labourer, claim privileges above the latter, 
and make their own terms with the mana- 
ger of a party. A contract is generally 
entered into, and the Cascarillero receives, 
in conformity with a system equally di 
vantageous to both parties, and only to be 
explained from the scantiness of the po- 
pulation, a credit of sixty to one hundred 
pes., which he gambles away generally in 
brandy, seldom taking useful articles in 
return. The very best provisions and im- 
plements are also provided at the expense 
of the person who engages the party; and 
the company, consisting of ten or more 
individuals, then start, well armed, for the - 
forest, pressing forwards on foot, and en- . 
- 
