20 



INTRODUCTORY. 



CHAPTER II. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



Orders— Investigation of routes— Lake Rogoaguado — River Beni— Chaneiia- 

 mayo — Cuzco route — River Madre de Dios — Gold mines of Carabaya — Routs 

 through the cities of Truxillo, Caxamarca, Chachapoyas, Moyobamba, &,c— 

 Preparations for the journey — The start. 



On the 4th of April, 1851, Lieutenant Lardner Gibbon, of the navy 7 

 arrived at Lima, and delivered me orders from the Navy Department, of 

 which the following is a copy : 



Navy Department, February 15, 1851. 



Sir : The department is about to confide to you a most important and 

 delicate duty, which will call for the exercise of all those high qualities 

 and attainments, on account of which you have been selected. 



The government desires to be put in possession of certain information 

 relating to the valley of the river Amazon, in which term is included 

 the entire basin, or water-shed, drained by that river and its tributaries. 



This desire extends not only to the present condition of that valley, 

 with regard to the navigability of its streams; to the number and con- 

 dition, both industrial and social, of its inhabitants, their trade and pro- 

 ducts ; its climate, soil, and productions ; but also to its capacities for 

 cultivation, and to the character and extent of its undeveloped commer- 

 cial resources, whether of the field, the forest, the river, or the mine. 



You will, for the purpose of obtaining such information, proceed 

 across the Cordillera, and explore the Amazon from its source to its 

 mouth. 



Passed Midshipman Lardner Gibbon, a prudent and intelligent officer, 

 has been selected to accompany you on this service, and is instructed to 

 report accordingly. 



This, together with a few instruments, necessary for such an expedi- 

 tion, will be delivered to you by him. 



Being joined by him, you will commence to make such arrangements 

 as may be necessary for crossing the Andes and descending the Ama- 

 zon; and having completed them, you will then proceed on your journey 

 without further orders. 



The route by which you may reach the Amazon river is left to your 

 discretion. Whether you will descend the Ucayali, or the Huallaga, or 

 any other of the Peruvian tributaries, or whether you will cross over into 



