110 A NATURALIST'S WANDERINGS 



purchasing. He and his sons were very much attached to 

 me, and I placed every confidence in them. Sitting round our 

 camp-fire one evening," as was my custom after dinner, convers- 

 ing on all sorts of topics, I mentioned what I had read as to 

 Mr. Clement E. Markham's mission [in search of cinchona- 

 seeds]. Now Manuel had been with me in three ,of my 

 journeys into the cinchona districts of the Yungas of 

 Bolivia, where I had to go looking after laggard contractors 

 for delivery of bark. It was while conversing on the subject 

 of Mr. Markham's journey, and wondering which route he 

 would take, &c., that Manuel greatly surprised me by saying : 

 ' The gentleman will not leave the Yungas in good health if 

 he really obtains the Bojo plants and seeds.' Manuel was 

 always very taciturn and reserved. I said nothing at the time, 

 there being some thirty more of my Indians sitting round the 

 large fire. The next day he reluctantly told me how every 

 stranger on entering the Yungas was closely watched un- 

 observed by himself; how several seed-collectors had their 

 seed changed ; how their germinating power was destroyed 

 by their own guides, servants, &c. He also showed me how 

 all the Indians most implicitly believe, if by plants or seed 

 from the Yungas, the cinchonas are successfully propagated in 

 other countries, all their own trees will perish. Such, I assure 

 you, is their superstition. Although there are no laws prohibit- 

 ing the cinchona seed or plant.? being taken out of the country, 

 I have seen private instructions from the Prefect in La Paz, 

 ordering strictest vigilance to prevent any person taking seed 

 or plants out of the country. More than half-a-dozen times I 

 have had my luggage, bedding, &c., searched when coming out 

 of the valley of the Yungas. [Mr. Ledger unsuccessfully 

 attempted to communicate with Mr. Markham, who was not 

 permitted to enter Bolivia.] * 



" You are aware how I am looked upon as a doctor by the 

 Indians. Well, one day I said : "' Manuel, I may some day 

 require some seed and flowers of the famous white flower, 

 rogo cascarrilla, as a remedy ; and I shall rely on your not 

 deceiving me in the way you have told me.' He merely 

 said, 'Patron, if you ever require such seed and flowersj I will 

 not deceive you.' And I thought no more about it. 

 * Cf. Markliam's ' Travels in Peru and India.' 



