92 NOTES OF A BOTANIST chap, xvi 
ridge on the eastern side, he heard it blowing all 
night. On the top of the narrow ridge of crum- 
bling sandstone covered with a dwarf herbaceous 
and shrubby vegetation, it is hardly possible to 
walk on account of its violence. Spruce here 
remarks: "The descent on the east side of this 
col, towards Chasuta, is very abrupt ; the trees 
are mostly low; they, like the rocks and the 
ground, are densely clad with Hepaticae (especially 
Mastigobryum, Lepidozia, and Plagiochila), among 
which grew several ferns, especially some inter- 
esting arborescent species of small size. In places 
where the road has been cut or worn down, 
so as to form deep hollows, the walls (red sandy 
clay) are clad with mosses and ferns, especially a 
pretty little Lindsaea and three species of Tricho- 
manes." 
Later, in the Journal of his voyage from 
Tarapoto to Ecuador, he speaks of this descent 
from the ridge of Guayrapurima to a clear stream 
called Carana, as being the richest bit of fern 
ground I had seen in the world " ; while, after 
another hour's journey and a steep descent, he 
reached the Yacu-catina, which he describes as 
"a most picturesque rivulet with a magnificent 
fern and forest vegetation." 
His next expedition was to Chapaja, on the 
banks of the Huallaga, in October 1855 ; but of 
this there are no notes. 
Early in November he took a two days' expedi- 
tion "to the head of the Cumbasa river and Mount 
Canela-uesha, on the way to the stream Cainarache, 
down which canoes pass to Yurimaguas." 
In November and December 1855, he took his 
