114 
NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
CHAP. 
calico, to the other a Rondin — to seek us each a 
tapir. They brought us two fine animals with quite 
as much flesh on them as a Tarapoto cow, and we 
had charqui (dried meat) made of them for the 
voyage. The weapon used in chasing tapir is a 
lance with large well-tempered iron head, brought 
from Quito or Riobamba. The dogs used in 
tracking the animal are a small breed with little 
triangular heads and curled bushy tails — colour 
usually iron-grey or fawn colour. One of our 
hunters went alone with his dogs ; the other took 
two companions. . . . Like most Indians who have 
been brought to Christianity," they have no manu- 
factures of any kind. Their canoes, hammocks, 
blowing-canes, matiris, etc., are all bought from the 
Infieles " ! 
The present Governor of Andoas is Don Benito 
Sumaita, a native of Moyobamba, who treated us as 
kindly as his means would allow, and aided us much 
in procuring men and food for the voyage. He is 
subject to the recently-created and probably not 
very permanent Prefectura del Alto Maranon. 
The head-quarters of the Prefect are at Jeberos or 
Xeberos, on the Aipena river which enters the 
Huallaga near its mouth, which, though much 
larger than Andoas, is quite as miserable a place. 
Don Benito has been two years in this banishment 
alone amongst the Indians save his son, a little boy 
of ten years ; and he told us he slept more securely 
the few nights we were there than he had ever done 
before in Andoas, for he knew not on what night 
the Infieles might break into the village and murder 
him in his bed. He was almost in despair, poor 
fellow, for he has no salary from the Government, 
