36 



INTRODUCTORY. 



river "Inambari," which flows through this Montana, make a sort of 

 scaly pavement (empedrado, en forma de escama) just before the increase 

 of the river, caused by the rains, so that the gold borne down by its 

 current may be deposited. They call these their chacras, or farms of 

 gold, and collect their crop at the falling of the river. 



It will be perceived, from the above accounts, that, if the river "Madre 

 de Dios" of Father Bobo should be identical with the Purus, and there 

 should be a navigable communication between this country and the 

 Atlantic, the advantages to commerce would be enormous, and the 

 "Brillante Porvenir," or dazzling future of Cuzco, would be no dream. 

 I judge, from the description of the country through which this "great 

 river" (as it is called in all the accounts of people who have visited 

 these parts) flows, that it is not navigable ; and it is certain that neither 

 the cascarilla nor the gold can be collected for six months in the year. 

 Yet I judge that there is a much nearer and easier communication with 

 the Atlantic, by this route, than that by the passage of the Cordillera, 

 and the voyage around Cape Horn ; and that the opening to trade of a 

 country which produces, in abundance, gold, and the best quality of 

 cinchona, would soon repay the courage, enterprise, and outlay of 

 money which would be necessary to open, at most, but a short road, 

 and to remove a few obstructions from a river. 



Since writing the above I have received from Mr. Clay, our distin- 

 guished charge at Lima, a slip from the Comercio, a Lima journal, 

 containing an account of the fitting out of an expedition for the 

 exploration of this river by the people of the town of Paucartambo. 

 These, tired of wa'ting the tardy action of the government, met in 

 council on the 10ta of June, 1852, and subscribed one hundred and 

 fifteen dollars to pay the expenses of the exploring party. Twenty 

 Indians were hired, for twenty days, at five dollars a head, and ten 

 dollars given as gratification to their overseer ; the remaining five were 

 expended in repairing the axes and other tools supplied by the farmers. 

 The party, consisting of young volunteers, having their expeditionary 

 flag blessed by the Curate, being exhorted by their governors and elders, 

 and placed under the especial protection of our blessed Lady of Car- 

 men, marched out, under the guidance of Don Manuel Ugaldi, amid the 

 strains of music and the "vivas" blessings and tears of their relatives 

 and friends. We have yet to see the result of so enthusiastic an 

 outburst. 



I was so much impressed with the importance of this route, that I 

 left Lima undecided whether I should take it or not ; and at Tarma, 

 after long and anxious deliberation, (the measure being supported by 



