THE RAPIDS AND CANYONS OF THE URUBAMBA 11 



the river is a sugar plantation, whose owner lives in the cooler 

 mountains, a day's journey away; on the right bank is a small 

 clearing planted to sugar cane and yuca, and on the edge of it is 

 a reed hut sheltering three inhabitants, the total population of 

 Eosalina. The owner asked our destination, and to our reply that 

 we should start in a few days for Pongo de Mainique he offered 

 two serious objections. No one thought of arranging so difficult 

 a journey in less than a month, for canoe and Indians were diffi- 

 cult to find, and the river trip was dangerous. Clearly, to start 

 without the loss of precious time would require unusual exertion. 

 We immediately despatched an Indian messenger to the owner 

 of the small hacienda across the river while one of our peons car- 

 ried a second note to a priest of great influence among the forest 

 Indians, Padre Mendoza, then at his other home in the distant 

 mountains. 



The answer of Seiior Morales was his appearance in person to 

 offer the hospitality of his home and to assist us in securing canoe 

 and oarsmen. To our note the Padre, from his hill-top, sent a 

 polite answer and the offer of his large canoe if we would but 

 guarantee its return. His temporary illness prevented a visit 

 to which we had looked forward with great interest. 



The morning after our arrival I started out on foot in 

 company with our arriero in search of the Machigangas, who 

 fish and hunt along the river bank during the dry season and re- 

 tire to their hill camps when the heavy rains begin. We soon left 

 the well-beaten trail and, following a faint woodland path, came 

 to the river bank about a half day's journey below Eosalina. 

 There we found a canoe hidden in an overhanging arch of vines, 

 and crossing the river met an Indian family who gave us further 

 directions. Their vague signs were but dimly understood and we 

 soon found ourselves in the midst of a carrizo (reed) swamp 

 filled with tall bamboo and cane and crossed by a network of inter- 

 lacing streams. We followed a faint path only to find ourselves 

 climbing the adjacent mountain slopes away from our destination. 

 Once again in the swamp we had literally to cut our way through 

 the thick cane, wade the numberless brooks, and follow wild ani- 



