246. ON THE CASCARILLAS OF 
countering very great obstructions in those 
districts where no one can claim the land 
as their own, and where the bark-trees are 
abundant. There they erect some very 
simple huts, and engage also a number of 
common day-labourers, besides the proper 
Cascarilleros, partly to enable them to level 
the rough ground over the excessively 
stony mountains on which the bark is con- 
veyed from the forest, and partly to supply 
them, from time to time, with needful 
provisions. Not satisfied with those trees 
which stand singly, the produce of which, 
indeed, would hardly repay the heavy ex- 
pense incurred, the Cascarilleros eagerly 
look out for the groups (manchas), where 
the Cinchonas are found growing together. 
For this purpose they either ascend the 
top ofa high rock or lofty tree, experience, 
and a sharp sight, enabling them to detect 
the clusters of Cinchonas at a great dis- 
tance by their dark hue; and, on sunny 
days, by the reflection of light from their 
leaves, which shine very conspicuously 
even far in the heart of these interminable 
forests. The Indian, with unerring in- 
stinct, now constitutes himself the leader 
of the whites, and leads them for many 
leagues through the forests, to the desired 
groupe of Cinchonas ; though, perhaps, at 
every step it has been necessary to clear 
the way with the forest axe. When a por- 
tion of the trees have been stripped of 
their bark, which, in a successful year, 
would amount to fifty arrobas from a 
single cluster of Cinchonas, the whole 
quantity is divided into bundles, weighing, 
in the moist state, about three arrobas 
eee Every 
_ thing depends on the result of this opera- 
. tion; for the article that has once become 
mouldy, loses its colour, and no art can 
 Festore «t so perfectly as to hide this 
CUCHERO AND HUANUCO. 
damage from the eyes of the experienced — 
purchaser. For each arroba thus delivered” 
of the green bark, called mato, the under- 
taker places two realsto the account of the 
Cascarillero ; but as in good and productive 
spots the industrious workman may easily 
strip off from eight to ten arrobas in a day, 
the profit to him amounts to more than 
two pesos. Undoubtedly, the individual 
who is at the head of such a co 
must possess a considerable capital; but 
then the advantage is more than propor- — — 
tionably large and certain: for, even then, — — 
the arroba of good bark, including its. 
conveyance to Huanuco, fetched the very — 
highest price of seven pesos, though being — 
gathered at great distances, and on the 
wildest mountains, the difficulty of convey- | 
ance, on the backs of the Indians, adde 
greatly to the expenses. o the pro- 
prietors of Cassapi and Cuchero, whose 
bark was gathered immediately close to 
their dwellings, and could be carried by 
mules, the arroba cost from three to four 
pesos; whilst its price, at Lima, was 
always from sixteen to twenty pesos. And 
though recent trials have proved that little 
more than twelve pesos would be got at 
Huanuco, yet the expenses are so much 
lessened by the fall in the price of all im- 
plements, aud the increase of labourers, 
yet there still must remain a considerable: 
profit for the speculator. The value o 
goods in Lima has hitherto been somewhat. 
variable, and continues subject, at the 
present time, to unlooked for fluctuations; 
still the contractor in the interior was little 
affected by such causes, a stipulation 
having been previously made for the price 
on delivery of his goods. Nor did the 
merchant, in Lima, suffer materially from 
the diminution of a few dollars in selling 
the bark; as even, when at the lowest, a 
clear profit always remained for him of 
people, who were deceived by a bad arti- - 
cle, imported from the warm vallies, or the - 
Montafia Real, that the bark trade was @ : 
perilous speculation, and one which some- - 
