124 



CHIHUANGALA. 



We went on our way rejoicing. The arriero had gone on ahead ; 

 and when we arrived at a chacra, called Atajo, at half-past four, we 

 found that he had unloaded the mules. I was quite angry at his 

 stopping so soon, and ordered him to load up again ; but finding that 

 he went to work to do it, I let him off, cautioning him against unload- 

 ing without orders. The means of living are getting very scarce. We 

 could get nothing to eat, and had to draw upon our charqui. The 

 people of the hut seem contented with a chupe made of lard, with 

 ullucas and young onions. Nights still cool; Ther. at 7 p.m., 61°; 

 elevation of " Atajo," three thousand nine hundred and ten feet. 



July 25. — The road from this place leaves the banks of the stream 

 and ascends the hills on the right by a very steep and tedious ascent. 

 The rocks of the road are a mica slate, and at the top of the hills a 

 dark schist, white on the outside from exposure to the atmosphere. After 

 arriving at the summit, we turned N. E. by N., and passed the hacien- 

 das called Mesa pata (the top of the table) and Casapi, which seemed 

 abandoned. The road hence is a very rough descent, and a mere 

 path through the bushes; the earth white, like lime, with gypsum 

 cropping out occasionally. Near night we stopped at ChiJiuanyala, the 

 last hacienda of the valley, and beyond which there is no mule-road. 

 The arrieros left us to seek pasturage. This is our last dealing with 

 this gentry. I was glad to dismount, for I was tired of riding ; but in 

 spite of the abuse that is generally heaped upon the arrieros, I think I 

 have had little difficulty to complain of. They seem to be tolerably 

 honest and faithful, (when once on the road,) and, with judicious treat- 

 ment, one can get along with them very comfortably. It rained heavily 

 all the latter part of the night. 



July 26. — At this place we were to await the Indians from Tingo 

 Maria, (a village at the head of canoe navigation on the Huallaga,) to 

 carry our luggage on. Ijurra had written from Huanuco to the gov- 

 ernor of Tingo Maria, requesting him to send them to us at Chihuangala, 

 sending the letter by one of Castillo's company who was returning. 



We had hard commons here, our charqui beginning to decay. No 

 eggs ; no potatoes ; nothing, in fact, but yuccas and bananas. There 

 were turkeys, chickens, and a pig running about the chacra ; but no 

 entreaty, nor any reasonable offer of money, could induce the people to 

 sell us one. I offered the patrona a dollar and a half for a half-grown 

 turkey ; but she said she must wait till her husband came in from his 

 work, so that she might consult hirn. When he came, after long de- 

 bate, it was decided that they would sell me a chicken for breakfast to- 

 morrow. I tried hard to find out why they were so reluctant to sell, 



