236 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES, chap. xii. 



In the Geografia de la Repuhlica del Ecuador of Dr. M. Villa- 

 vicencio I had, however, lighted upon a reference to a mountain 

 called Sara-urcu, which is not, I believe, mentioned either by 

 La Condamine, Humboldt or Boussingault. Its height, according 

 to Villavicencio, was 17,276 feet (6210 varas). As this closely 

 approximated to the elevation assigned to Altar, Sangai and 

 Illiniza, it seemed not impossible that the mountain might prove 

 to be the fifth in rank ; and before quitting the neighbourhood 

 I proposed to hunt it down, being the more moved to do so 

 because it was said to be situated well to the east, and might 

 afford another chance of having a glimpse of the great, unknown 

 Amazonian basin. 



At Quito I was unable to procure any information as to the 

 location of Sara-urcu. Few persons were acquainted with the 

 name ; but when Sefior Espinosa heard me mention it he said 

 that the mountain (and all the country to the east) belonged to 

 liim, and that he would indicate its direction. AVhen we first 

 started for Cayambe, Sefior Espinosa did point out a vague 

 something in the clouds which he said was Sara-urcu. We did 

 not actually see the mountain until the 4th of April, and then 

 it appeared only for a few seconds, just long enough to obtain 

 an idea of its position. In those few seconds we saw that we 

 should in all probability be able to ascend it, if its base could 

 be reached. 



Before leaving Cayambe, I sent Jean-Antoine with David in 

 advance, to see if they could light upon another camping-place 

 in the right direction ; retaining Louis and Verity to assist in 

 ■collecting. In the neighbourhood of the camp (that is to say, 

 -either a little above or below 15,000 feet above the level of the 

 ,sea) we found the nine beetles that are mentioned below, ^ 



1 ^Colpodes pustulosus, Bates {Supp. App., p, 14); *C. rotundiceps, Bates (p. 15); 

 ^C. fusipalpis, Bates (p. 17); C. steno, Bates (p. 20, with Figure); ^Trechus sp. ; 

 Bembidhim fulvocinctum, Bates (p. 22) ; Naupactus parvicollis, Olliff (p. 67) ; 

 ^Listroderes inco7ispicuus, Olliff (p. 69) ; and Erirrhinus glaber, Olliff (p. 76). 

 Those marked by asterisks were found only on Cayambe. 



