CHAP. II. THE GREAT ARENAL. 21 



halt to look at the mountains to the west. Many of the nearer 

 ones were considerably higher than our position, and as we rose 

 fresh tops kept coming into view, shewing the extent and 

 importance of this hitherto ignored Pacific Range. ^ 



The first part of the road to the Arenal was a fairly good 

 mountain-path, left, as elsewhere, to take care of itself. Higher 

 up it became slimy, and our pace was reduced, especially amongst 

 some first-class camello7ies near the top of the pass. On the last 

 two hundred feet the track disappeared, and every one followed 

 the way that seemed best over the steep, sandy slope. The 

 immediate summit was a rounded ridge of sand, and when this 

 was crossed the Great Arenal came into sight, sloping at first 

 very slightly and afterwards more abruptly towards the north- 

 east, and stretching uninterruptedly to the base of Chimborazo. 



Under the guidance of our arriero ■ we made for the Tambo 

 of Tortorillas (12,828),'^ the only place of refuge between Guaranda 

 and Chimborazo except a wooden shed at the place marked 

 Ensillada. The tambo was too filthy to enter, '^ and we went a 

 few hundred yards aside, and sitting on a grassy knoll looked 

 towards our mountain. Clouds hung about the whole of the 

 Upper part, and we could not anywhere see up to the snow-line. 



1 Between 11,000 and 12,500 feet the vegetation on the banks by the roadside 

 was rather unusually attractive. I collected an Eryngium ; several species of 

 Gaultheria {Gaultheria near conferia, Benth., G. Pichinchensia^ Benth., and another); 

 Bidens humiUa, H.B.K. (widely distributed in Ecuador) ; Draba grandiflora, Hook, 

 and Arn. ; Hyperlcxuii {Brathys) at rutheoloe folium, Juss. ; Castilleia JissifoUa, L. ; 

 VJuetagaster stricta, D.C. ; a Calceolaria, a Geraniicm, etc. etc. 



The Botanical Collections made on this journey have been worked out at the 

 Botanical Department of the British Museum under the personal direction of Mr. 

 Wm. Carruthers, F.R.S., to whom I offer my best thanks for his attentions and 

 courtesy. 



' This place, as well as all others mentioned, will be found upon the large 

 map accompanying this volume. 



^ It was composed of one room, which was kitchen and everything else. One 

 of the foulest tambos in Ecuador — the courtyard a sea of mud. Obtained potato 

 soup, bread, and chocolate here. 



